Onigilly

Update Review, October 2022

I recently attended an event with lunch catered by Onigilly.   I am quite familiar with Onigilly, although I realized when I went to write this up that, wow, it has been a loooong time since I've had their products.  For the background on Onigilly, you can start with my original review from 2014 (yes, it really has been that long!).

The organizers planned an entirely vegan event, and thus, we had only vegan options, namely, all 5 of the vegan onigiri they make: teriyaki tofu, shiitake mushroom, hijiki, ume, and eggplant.  I tried all but the tofu.

All were well made onigiri - tightly wrapped, generously stuffed.  The rice was average sushi rice, slightly sticky, not hard, lightly seasoned.  The seaweed wrapping was still crisp, even though presumably they had been made a bit in advance for the large order.  Onigilly clearly is experts in making onigiri.  My feelings on the overall product are much the same as 2014: I was impressed with the flavorful fillings, and the construction of the rice balls, but, I just don't like rice enough to love these.

Hijiki -Braised Seaweed. $3.65.

"Braised hijiki seaweed, carrot, tofu & edamame."

I started with the hijiki, braised seaweed.  

The filling was basically exactly what I expected - shredded carrot, a few cooked edamame, bits of hijiki, all in a soy braise.  I think the tofu in here was just ground bits, certainly no pieces of tofu I could detect.  It was fairly flavorful, and the piece didn't need additional soy sauce added, as I had thought it would, given the braising liquid.   I did want a touch of wasabi to add though.

Overall, a fine piece, although since I don't care that much for rice, certainly a higher ratio of rice to filling than I'd like.  ***+ filling (*** overall though, due to all the rice).

Miso Nasu - Eggplant.

"Flash fried eggplant in Aka miso w/ sesame & green onion."

Eggplant was next up on my list, and I was pleased with this one.  Again, a flavorful filling that didn't require additional soy sauce.  The eggplant was soft, well cooked, and quite enticing due to the miso marinade.  I liked this filling even more than the hijiki, although, again, more rice that I really care for.  **** filling.

Shiitake Mushroom.

"Soy braised shiitake mushroom."

I sound like a broken record at this point, but, the shiitake was much like the others - flavorful filling from the soy braise, nicely cooked, slightly soft, slight chew.  The mushroom was chopped pretty small.  I think this filling would be really good on mashed potatoes ... yes, that's the odd craving I had when I ate it.  ***+ filling, about on par with the hijiki for me in terms of preference.

Ume - Pickled Plum.

"Sour pickled plum w/ shiso flakes."

The final offering was certainly different from the others, filled with pickled plum.  This one also had colorful shiso flakes on the outside.

Ume is certainly an acquired taste, incredibly sour.  I like it, but, as just a onigiri, it was a bit much on its own.  Great mixed in with the hijiki one though.

My least favorite, but also the most unique flavor.  ***.

Original Review, April 2014

Welcome to another installment of Julie-visits-a-random-place-because-of-Paypal-promotion.

I've had my eye on Onigilly for ages.  They pop up at different markets with their food cart, they've had a main location on Keary for a while now (although, only open M-F, making it less useful for me), and recently opened an Embarcadero location.  But I still hadn't managed to stop in before.

One weekday afternoon, I did manage to find myself near their Kearny St. store, so I finally visited.

I was really interested to try their amazake, described as a hot horchata, given that I like horchata, and it was very cold outside.  Unfortunately, they were out of it when I arrived at 1pm.  I guess I wasn't the only San Franciscan absolutely freezing in the 45 degree weather.

Then, I was interested in a seasonal special listed, a squash salad.  I asked what was in it.  The person taking my order didn't know.  He didn't offer to ask.  I tried to get any details, like, was it a salad of salad greens just topped with squash?  Or squash cubes in some sort of dressing?  Nothing.

Besides the unhelpful person taking my order, service was really friendly.  Each time, when my food was ready, they called me by name, and thanked me for ordering.  The store is small, with a few tables, but most people seem to grab and go.

I've stopped in several times to try assorted onigilly and sides, although I haven't really loved anything. I'm still very curious about the amazake, but it is now it is no longer on the menu.

Onigilly

On my first visit, I just went for my first onigilly.  It was ok, but not really my thing.  I had never had onigilly before, but it is basically just sushi in a slightly different style.  Their signage tells me that it is more common than sushi in Japan, due to its convenient form, good as street food.  Generally made with fillings similar to what you'd have for sushi, although less perishable, with rice, wrapped in seaweed.  Onigilly offers onigilly in a slew of varieties, mostly seafood (shrimp, cooked albacore, crab, salmon, eel, roe, etc) or vegetarian (tofu, ume, natto, shitake, lotus, etc), although they also have a few meat options (beef, chicken, bacon).  All wrapped up in seaweed, and surrounded by organic brown rice.   

A month or so after my first experience at Onigilly, I went to Tokyo, and discovered that they really are everywhere.  Even the airline lounge in SFO had them, as did every corner store, including 7-Eleven.  They were served for breakfast at my hotel.  And as snacks in my office.  You could find them pre-made absolutely everywhere (although, made with white rice, and presumably not organic).

And in Tokyo, I really liked them.  So, when I got back to San Francisco and was craving one again, I went back to Onigilly, even though I didn't really like the first one I had.  I again didn't like it, but I realized why: they use nice organic brown rice.  It was the sweetened, glumpy, white rice that I really liked in Tokyo.  The fillings are quite tasty though!

Seafood

Snow Crab. $3.22.

"Canadian snow crab w/ lemon aioli. "

The choices for onigilly were numerous, but I was craving crab. Even though this was snow crab, not local Dungeness, I still went for it.

I don't really like rice, and usually prefer sashimi at sushi restaurants, and I knew this would have even more rice than nigiri, or sushi rolls, but ... I was here to try something new. The rice was warm, hearty brown rice. They use only brown rice, California grown. It was fine, but, well, there was a lot of rice.

Inside the rice was the snow crab, a good amount, shredded. I guess there was lemon aioli in there too, but I didn't taste lemon, nor really pick up on any creamy aioli. At least it wasn't over mayo-y.

I did really like the nori wrapper. It was crispy and held up well.

I see the appeal of onigilly. It is easier to eat than sushi. If I liked rice, I could see myself enjoying it. But as it was, I really just wanted the crab out of the center. ***+.

$3.22 for a single one was fine for a snack, and they also offer platters with multiples and sides such as miso soup or edamame.

I also tried a few other seafood onigilly, such as the Miso Tuna Salad, "Cooked wild Albacore with miso aioli", which was basically the same, except with what seemed like generic canned tuna in the center rather than crab.  I think both Ojan and I were a bit shocked with the tuna, although, it wasn't advertised as anything different.  I didn't taste the miso, and it was kinda strange to just have tuna salad inside some rice. ***.

Vegetarian

 Hijiki. $2.76. Pickled Diakon. $0.46.

"Braised hijiki seaweed, carrot, tofu & edamame."

On my next visit, I went vegetarian, for the hijiki.  Again, nice crispy nori wrapper, warm brown rice.  The form changed this time however, it was served as a triangle shape, like all the ones I saw in Tokyo, rather than the more handroll style I had the first time.

I again just wasn't into the rice, but the filling was tasty and plentiful.  The seaweed had a lot of flavor infused in it, and I liked how crunchy it all was.  But, I'd still just prefer a side of hijiki salad, rather than an onigiri.  ***.

I also ordered a side of pickled diakon when I saw it on the menu.  I LOVE pickled diakon, and this was no exception.  Crunchy. I loved it, and wish I'd made a double order! ****.

The price for the single onigilly was great, only $2.76 since this was a vegetarian one.  And diakon was another $0.46, making my entire little snack just over $3, a wonderful deal.

Renkon:  $2.76

"Spicy sautéed lotus root w/ sesame".

The wrapping job on this one was quite poor.  Totally falling apart.  But what lie inside was tasty enough.  I liked how crispy the lotus root was, and the sesame added a lot of flavor.  And ... it was spicy!  I was just trying a bite of the filling out of curiosity, this was for Ojan, so I didn't have the rice to balance out the spice, and it had quite a kick.  Again, if I actually like riced balls, I'd like this one.  ***.

Meat

Spicy Bacon. $2.76.

"Bacon cooked w/ garlic butter & chili."

Ojan picked this up one day and told me I needed to try a bite.  It was certainly the most interesting of all the ones I tried.  It really was spicy.  It tasted a bit like crumbled sausage.  Really not bad at all, but I still don't like rice! ***+.

Soboro. $2.76.

"Ginger-honey braised ground beef."

Ok, this was delicious.  If only I liked the rice.  It tasted more like sausage than beef to me, but the flavor was great.  I'm glad Ojan let me steal a bite!  ***+.

Sides

Besides the onigilly, the menu is fairly limited to just a couple soups, edamame, and tamago.  I of course tried a few of these too.

Miso Soup.  $1.95.

I'm not really a soup fan in general, but I was a bit chilly, and wanted something warm and comforting.  So I got the miso soup.

I expected just a broth, maybe with a few bits of token seaweed or tofu in it.  Instead, this was fairly loaded.  Along with plentiful tofu and seaweed, there were large chunks of carrots, onions, and daikon.  The veggies were all a bit too soft for my liking, and the soup overall wasn't all that interesting, but it was a very impressive serving for the very reasonable $1.95 price tag.  It was also served piping hot. **+.

Tamagoyaki.  $1.95.

I love tamago.  I know it sounds crazy, but it is often one of my favorite pieces of nigiri when I go out for sushi.  I always terminate a sushi meal with it, and judge a restaurant by the quality of their tamago.  So I was pretty excited to see it on the menu.

The tamago was served just as slices, no rice.  This was fine with me.

But ... it wasn't really tamago.  It was just an omelet.  As you can see, there were no layers.  It wasn't seared on the outside.  Maybe it had a mild sweetness, but there wasn't much depth of flavor.  Really, it was just egg.

It wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't what I'd think of as tamago, and I wouldn't get another.  $1.95 for two pieces was a fine price. **+.

Wakame Seaweed Salad. $1.84.

"Sesame seasoned wakame seaweed on top of our mixed green salad".

The seaweed aspect of this was was pretty standard, a mix of several different seaweeds, fairly fresh tasting, a bit of sesame and dressing.  I appreciated the lemon wedge too.  But ... it was served on top of mixed greens?  That was really strange to me.

Overall, fine, not particularly good nor bad, a decent portion for $1.84, but I didn't particularly want more. ***.

Desserts

Strawberry Mochi.  $2.76.

"House Mochi with Fresh Strawberries, Rice Flour, Red Bean Paste".

Very recently, they added desserts to the menu. Or ok, a single dessert.  Since I have a serious sweet tooth, I couldn't resist, particularly because at the register, in full display when you order is the offering: strawberry mochi.

It came in a inverted cup.

The mochi, unveiled!

Inside was a large strawberry, fairly ripe, but still a bit white on one end.  It was coated in a thin layer of red bean paste, that didn't seem particularly sweetened, and a thin layer of very soft mochi, dusted with flour.

It was all ... fine.  I like mochi, I like red bean, I like strawberries, but this didn't quite come together for me.  I wouldn't really want another. **+.

$2.76 is cheap for a dessert, but for just a single mochi strawberry, it actually seemed a bit high.

Drinks

Matcha Green Tea Lemonade. $2.

What do you do on a hot day?  You order refreshing lemonade!

I've had plenty of ice tea + lemonade combos before, but never with green tea.  It was lighter, and more refreshing this way.  However, it was too sweet for my taste.  I needed to dilute it to make it drinkable, and then I quite liked it.  I probably wouldn't get another though, but it helped quench my thirst on a hot day! **+.

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Funyuns

I was 40 years old when I had my first Funyun.  Yes, really.  I don't know why, but Funyuns had never crossed my path earlier in life.  Sure, I had seen them perhaps, but, just never actually came about having them in my possession.  But then the pandemic happened, and I started eating a lot of chips, and eventually, that meant Funyuns.

"FUNYUNS® Onion Flavored Rings are a deliciously different snack that’s fun to eat, with a crisp texture and zesty onion flavor. Next time you're in the mood for a tasty treat that's out of the ordinary, try FUNYUNS® Onion Flavored Rings."

Funyuns aren't really chips though, but rather, cornmeal based flavored rings.  While new to me, they aren't new to this world, as they were invented in 1969.  They are a product of Frito-Lay (which I've reviewed before), but keep up their separate brand identity, even though they come in only two flavors:the original basic onion flavor, and a newer addition, "Flamin' Hot" (although they had a few others at different times, they never lasted more than a year or two each).

Original Flavor.

I tried my first Funyun.  Well, hmm.

It was crunchy, and oniony.  I think I liked it.  But ... I was so confused what it was made of.  These look like onion rings, but, clearly aren’t.  They are not actually made of onion for the most part, but, are onion ring shaped at least.  The base is corn meal and potato, and they are coated in flavorful blend of buttermilk, soy protein, corn protein, oils, sugar, dextrose, several kinds of flour, MSG ... oh, and garlic powder and onion powder.  Definitely not wholesome, and definitely not onion dominant.

These shouldn’t be good, but, after two bites, I was pretty hooked.  "Amazing", I quickly jotted down.  

I've had them several times since that first try, and each time, I'm again fairly pleased with them.  Such unique texture, great crunch, and very addicting.  However, maybe I've just been unlucky, but nearly every bag I've gotten has been largely broken pieces, not full rings.  I think they'd be even better in full ring form. 

**** for the eating experience, no matter how unwholesome they are.

Flamin' Hot.

Next, I tried the other flavor, Flamin' Hot. Ok, so I kinda loved these too.  Yes, the trendy "Flamin' Hot" variety of Funyuns.

I still don't entirely know what they are made of, but, they are crunchy and airy and light and truly just fun to eat.  Oh, hey, maybe I get it now ... they are "fun" to eat "onions" ... "fun-yun" ...

The Flamin' Hot flavor was not actually all that spicy, but was quite flavorful, zesty.  In addition to the laundry list of ingredients from the original flavor, these also incorporate several kinds of cheese (romano, cheddar), which I didn't expect, as I didn't taste cheese at all, and, what does cheese have to do with "Flamin"?  There is also no chili nor other hot ingredient listed, which makes sense why I didn't taste anything actually spicy.  They did however *look* quite flamin'.  The Flamin' Hot color I believe comes from tomato powder.  

Anyway, I liked these even more than the originals, and I'd gladly get them again too.  And just like the originals, my bag was all broken up bits, not a single full ring in this one.

****.

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Endangered Species Chocolate

Update Review, 2022

I've had pretty mixed feelings on Endangered Species chocolate bars, mostly not really caring for their chocolates (see previous reviews below).  But I got drawn back in again one more time, and tried another flavor ...

Vibrant Cherries + Dark Chocolate (72%).

"Vibrant cherries are surrounded by luscious dark chocolate in every sweet bite."

This bar sounded like a black forest cake, made into chocolate.  I couldn't wait to taste those vibrant cherries.

Spoiler: I didn't taste, well, any cherry?  Maybe a slight hint, but no more than what I might pick up in a chocolate or wine tasting, when I'm trying very hard to pick out things to say, "Oh, yes, it is very fruit forward ...".  So, vibrant cherries this bar does not have.  There was some tiny bits of chew, very few of them, that I guess were the cherry?

The chocolate itself was equally not that interesting.  It was deep dark chocolate, and seemed darker than 72% even.  It was a bit chalky and didn't have a great snap to it.  Fairly mediocre, although quite dark.

Overall, I was let down by this bar.  I wanted to taste the cherries, particularly given the claim that it would be so vibrant.  I also prefer a smoother, snappier chocolate.

**+.

And if you are wondering, this bar taught me all about the Atlantic Puffin.

Update Review, 2021

I didn't realize that I was already familiar with the Endangered Species chocolate bar line when I tried it this past year, having tried their "Bug Bites" product many times years ago, as they were stocked in my office.

"With more than 28 flavor varieties, a commitment to high quality ingredients, and a mission that promises a better future – our chocolate is more than a treat for your tastebuds."

It turns out, the same company makes regular size bars -18 varieties in fact, all except one are dark chocolates (at 55%, 60%, 73%, 88%).  They take pride in their sourcing, are fair trade certified, etc. The beans come from Cote D’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast), West Africa, and each bar is dedicated to the awareness of an individual endangered species, with literature inside the foil wrapper.

I've now tried a variety of their larger bars, and, in doing so, became educated about all sorts of endangered species.

Caramel Sea Salt + Dark Chocolate.
60% Cocoa.

"Our signature 60% dark chocolate wraps around soft organic caramel delicately laced with pink Himalayan sea salt for a craveable experience in each square."

This was a ... fine chocolate.   Smooth, snappy style dark chocolate (Hershey's Special Dark is how I always think of this style), filled with a salted caramel sauce inside.  The caramel was quite sweet, quite salty, and definitely took over the bar.

As I wanted to taste chocolate, and not salted caramel sauce, this wasn't quite for me, but, I give them credit for making a salted caramel that was *actually* salty! **+.

Update Review: When I re-set my expectations, for a lighter, sweeter bar, and when I *wanted* something that was more a gooey sweet dessert, I enjoyed it more.  I wouldn't seek the bar out, but, I did finish it off eventually. ***.

This bar was dedicated to the Bald Eagle, which ... to be honest, I didn't really pay attention to.

Almonds Sea Salt + Dark Chocolate.
72% Cocoa.

"Our 72% cocoa dark chocolate always takes the stage. But when mixed with flavorful flakes of natural Real Salt® and crunchy, roasted almond pieces, a new nutty flavor emerges that’s as complex as it is delicious."

This bar gets a big "meh" from me.  The chocolate was a darker style, fairly bitter, not snappy nor particularly smooth.

Inside was ... grit.  I know this was the flakes of salt and pieces of almond, but, it really was quite fine and small, and seemed more like grit.  It was not a very pleasing texture.  The roasted almond pieces seemed sweetened? 

The result was a strange texture, a fairly lackluster base bar, and a mix of biter and oddly sweet bits.  It certainly was not compelling to me. **.

This bar was dedicated to the plight of the Eurasian Eagle-Owl.

Strong & Velvety Dark Chocolate.
88% Cocoa.

"Deeply powerful with lingering hints of fruit and spice, this bar, made from pure 88% cocoa dark chocolate, manages to stay silky smooth while packing undeniably rich cocoa flavor. For the true dark chocolate lover."

Next was a real highlight for me.  A real, legit, dark chocolate.  I guess I am the target audience, a "true dark chocolate lover".

This bar was dark, it was not a sweeter style, and really let the chocolate shine.  Rich, cocoa-y, and very, very satisfying.  It stayed smooth, no grit.

I really enjoyed this bar, and would get again. ***+

With this bar, I could learn all about the jaguar.

Original Review, 2017

I used to do chocolate reviews every week.  I'm not sure why I stopped, because I certainly haven't stopped eating, or trying new, chocolate.

Endangered Species Chocolate is not really a regular chocolate manufacturer, as you may have guessed from their name.  Yes, they care about things like sustainability, good sourcing, fair trade, non-GMO, etc, but the company has taken a really amazing stance, and donated 10% of their profits to different partners helping support wildlife.

They make chocolate bars in a variety of flavors, in assorted sizes, mostly regular sized bars, but they also have several individually wrapped smaller products, "Bites" (individual wrapped squares sold in resealable bags of 12), "Squares" (also individually wrapped squares sold in packages, this time of 10 and not resealable), and "Bug Bites" (individually wrapped squares sold in boxes of 64, basic flavors only.  They also make flavored chocolate based spreads and barks.

"Our milk and dark chocolate bars and bites are made with ethically traded, shade grown cacao and natural ingredients. Learn about at-risk species by reading the inside of each 3oz. bar wrapper. And the best part? 10% of net profits from your purchase are donated to support conservation efforts!"

I tried two of the Bug Bites, and I was impressed by how smooth the chocolate was, some of the smoothest I've ever encountered.  And shockingly, I liked the milk chocolate far more than the dark.

Milk Chocolate.

"Milk chocolate elevated, thanks to a rich and creamy 48% cocoa content. This 64-count box contains individually-wrapped milk chocolate squares that are just right for snacking and sharing. And an added treat – each square contains a full-color info card spotlighting 15 at-risk insects! Created in collaboration with The Xerces Society, a leader in insect conservation and a past 10% GiveBack partner."

I don't normally like milk chocolate all that much, but this was truly good.  Super creamy, smooth, actually flavorful milk chocolate.  I enjoyed it more than any other milk chocolate in recent memory.

Dark Chocolate.

"Experience deep dark chocolate at its best with our 64-count box of Bug Bites. Each perfectly portioned rich dark chocolate square contain an added bonus – a full-color info card featuring 15 key, at-risk insects! Created in collaboration with The Xerces Society, a leader in insect conservation and a past 10% GiveBack partner."

I'm normally all about dark chocolate, but I did not like this.  It was smooth, and had a nice snap to it, but it was way too sweet, and the flavor wasn't complex.

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Violet's Tavern

Violet's is a tavern by name, but really, I think American gastropub is likely more fitting.  It is located in the Outer Richmond, so I didn't visit it myself, but found it one day when I was browsing around on Door Dash.   While the menu definitely has a bar food vibe, fried chicken and burgers seem to be big hits, it also has a bit more sophistication, and seems to change frequently with the seasons.  Plus, they make their desserts in house, and have a great cocktail program.  So, even if I wasn't going to venture there, I was kinda drawn in, although I knew reviews were mostly for the bar aspects of the place, not the cuisine.

I ordered easily on Door Dash, and my order was quickly confirmed, but it somehow took more than an hour from the time my Dasher picked up my order until they arrived at my apartment.  The actual food experience was abysmal, but I did quite enjoy my cocktail.

Side note: Stuck doing a lot of takeout and delivery these days? Want to try some free food and new pickup or delivery services?  Here are some codes for free money!

• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Door Dash ($15 off, $5 each of your first 3 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Caviar ($20 off, $10 off your first 2 orders) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Ritual ($6 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Delivery.com ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Grub Hub ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Seamless ($10 off) [ Delivery or pickup ]
• Allset ($5 off) [ Pickup only ]
• Nextdish: ($10 off your first order) [ Delivery only ]
• Uber Eats ($20 off - use code eats-lejw5 at checkout) [ Pickup or delivery ]

Drinks

Violet's is a tavern by name, but, they are known for their cocktail program.   While the cocktail menu at the tavern is quite extensive, only a few are available for delivery, in single servings or doubles.  I honestly wanted them all, as their plays on my standard two drinks, a negroni and an old fashioned, were two of the three options.

Violet Skies. $23.

"Butterfly pea flower mezcal, city of London gin, Ventura strawberry brandy, Rothman & Winter creme de Violette, Kalani coconut, lemon, scrappy’s grapefruit bitters."

I was drawn to Violet's for one of their signature drinks, the aptly named "Violet Skies".  A drink, when served at the restaurant, made for Instagram, no question.  A lovely shade of purple.  But also, the ingredients just sounded good to me, and I was on a bit of a mezcal kick, after quite enjoying a mezcal based cocktail from International Smoke the week before (review coming soon!)

The drink was as beautiful a shade of purple as it looked in all the photos I had seen.  Really, lovely, and I think the color came from trendy butterfly pea flower, which you usually see in bubble tea shops these days.  It was a remarkably well crafted and balanced drink.  The mezcal gave it a smokiness, the gin some boozy depth, the strawberry brandy a touch of sweetness balanced by the grapefruit bitters, the coconut liqueur and creme de violette even more complexity ... so much in it, but, they came together in harmony really.  

The bottle said to serve over ice or up, and I preferred it with some ice.  

I quite liked this, and would get it again, or really, it inspired me to try more of their cocktails.  ****.

Food

On the food side, the menu has a few appetizers (fries, chips and dip, and a couple others that are constantly changing), two token salads, a burger or fried chicken sandwich, and their signature fried chicken, along with a seasonal vegetarian special.  Desserts are always changing, but I think the "Big Ass Chocolate Chip Cookie" is a menu regular.  They do offer a few more dishes for dine-in, but they weren't on Door Dash.

Summer Garden Pasta. $24.

"Kohlrabi noodles, cherry tomatoes, corn, squash." -- DoorDash

"Noodles of Kohlrabi in Truffle Cream w/ Parmesan & Summer Vegetables" -- Their Menu

I had a couple of very indulgent nights in a row, and was looking for something lighter and healthier.  I also was really craving truffles (I know, random, but I had a fantastic truffle sauce with my scallops from Isa - review coming soon! - a few days prior, and I just wanted more truffle goodness), and I was eager to get a bit more corn before summer really passed us by (it was mid-September).  I saw Violet post this dish on their Instagram, and I was immediately sold.  It sounded perfect for my mood.  Granted, I don't love kohlrabi, but it sounded refreshing, and yet comforting at the same time as it was quasi-pasta, and would have cream sauce.  And, um, truffles and corn!

Since my delivery took so long, it was stone cold when it arrived, and all lumped together in one side of the big box it came in.  Ok, it clearly suffered from transit.  Also, the sauce had broken, was a big pool of oil.  Still, I had hope.

I tried a bite of the completely cold dish, and, wow, I did NOT like it.  The kohlrabi was fine, but, the sauce ... it just didn't taste good at all.  The taste was odd, and it absolutely did not taste like truffle at all (honestly, maybe they changed the dish to not included truffle?  There wasn't even a hint of it).  And it was so, so, so oily.  Sorta sour oil and grease.  

I was really hungry by this point, and persevered, heating it up, but, the taste was really unappealing, and the greasy factor just got worse.  The corn was actually good, and I liked the burst tomatoes, and even the breadcrumbs, but, it was all just so oily, and so odd tasting, it was impossible to eat more than a few bites.  I rarely, rarely give up on a dish and hate food waste, but, I extracted a bit more corn and tomatoes from this, and down the disposal it went.

I truly disliked this, and it absolutely was not worth the $24. *.

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Z. Cioccolato

Update Review, 2022

Z.Cioccolato is a landmark to me in North Beach.  I think I discovered it during one of my first visits, and, given that it is an emporium of chocolate, candy, and, zomg, popcorn (specifically, fresh caramel corn), it just stands out in my mind.  I finally visited again after several years, and must remember to do so again, as the products really are quite good. 

Caramel Corn. (Complimentary).

As I noted in my original review, the aroma when you walk in to Z. Cioccolato is *amazing*.  And that aroma?  The caramel corn.  Sure, I didn't love it before, but I was still thrilled to discover that my order included ... a bonus bag of caramel corn.  Since I had ordered online, it was not hot and fresh however.

As before, it was decent enough caramel corn.  Well coated, deep enough caramel flavor.  Not caramel *kettle* corn, no salty component to it, just regular caramel corn. 

Basically, good enough, but not particularly notable actually, which is surprising given just how good it smells.

***.

Caramel Corn. (Complimentary).

Another day, another order, another bag of free caramel corn automatically included with my order.

This time it came in a classic paper popcorn bag.

I always find this sweet, with rich flavored caramel, nicely crispy but ... somehow lackluster.  At room temp that is.

Then I pop it in my freezer, and DEVOUR it in one sitting a few days later.  Not sure what it is, but this one gets dramatically better once frozen.

But yes, very sweet, sooooo much caramel, and not caramel corn. **** when frozen.

Chocolates

The caramel corn however is not actually the focus of the shop.  They carry a wide range of candy, including tons of homemade taffy and fudge, along with chocolates, and chocolate dipped things.  Only some of the chocolate items are made in-house.

Dark Chocolate Creamy PB Cup $4.25.

I was seriously impressed when I saw the peanut butter cups.  Yes, huge.  Enrobed in what looked like quality shiny dark chocolate.  And all that sea salt on top?  YES.

Dark Chocolate Creamy PB Cup (Side View).

"HUGE Hand-Dipped, not machine packaged Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups."

They are not joking when they say this is HUGE.  My photo isn't great, but, um, this the the deepest peanut butter cup I've ever seen.  Like, 1/2 cup of peanut butter.  No joke.

The chocolate shell was good.  Very thick, smooth, dark chocolate.  A slightly sweeter style.  The touch of salt accented the peanut butter inside quite well.

I couldn't wait to get into it.

Dark Chocolate Creamy PB Cup: Inside.

"Hand Made with our own secret PB Filling recipe in our shop in North Beach."

The inside was ... well, peanut butter.  Sooo much peanut butter.

It was fairly thick peanut butter, smooth not chunky, but didn't seem particularly creamy.  It was fine, it was peanut butter after all, but, it didn't really compare to my favorite peanut butters.

On their own, these were all "fine" components, not extraordinary, but the end result was really pretty tasty, and fun to eat just due to its sheer size.

****, and I'd get this again.

Strawberry Truffle. $3.50.

"Summer fields of strawberries warmed by the sun. Nothing is better than fresh fruit picked off the vine. We’ve taken our favorite flavor, blended it with white chocolate ganache and wrapped it in a dazzling dark shell. Temptation is great and there is not a soul that can resist the abundance of a summer harvest. This combination of freshness and silkiness is a morsel of sunshine."

I actually pre-ordered a cherries jubilee truffle, but ... apparently they were out of those, so the guy substituted a strawberry truffle.  Not what I would have picked, at all.  Many of the other truffles sounded great, but strawberry?  Eh.  Oh well.  He also gave me some cherry cordials to make up for it.

This turned out to be pretty awesome, but not at all what I expected.  And not actually made by Z. Cioccolato. A little quick internet research led me to Le Grand Confectionary, in Sacramento, as the source.

Inside was smooth, creamy, white chocolate ganache, with subtle strawberry flavor, layered with some swirls of chocolate.  The shell, dark chocolate, was glossy, had a great snap, high quality.

The strawberry flavor wasn't particularly strong, and there was no obvious strawberry, no goo, no gel, etc, but, it did have a fruity sweetness to it, and the texture of the ganache was fabulous.

This is a fairly massive piece, hard to see in this photo, but certainly not just a few bites.  I liked it, but would really love to try a flavor I picked instead.

***+.

Cherry Cordials (Complimentary).

Inside my box was also bonus cherry cordials, one each, dark and milk.

It turns out, the cherry cordials are exactly what I was hoping for from the sold out Cherries Jubilee truffle, so, I was quite pleased when I (cautiously) bit in.

Dark Chocolate:

Inside was a juicy maraschino cherry, in a sweet cherry syrup.  Intense cherry flavor, intense sweetness.  The dark chocolate shell was a bit thicker than I expected, but likely necessary insurance against the insides pouring out too easily.  A sweeter dark chocolate style.

Overall, well, just a classic cherry cordial, and I enjoyed it. ***.

Milk Chocolate:

Very similar to the dark chocolate, although there seemed to be far less syrup inside, less of a flow of sweetness as I bit in.  Milk chocolate was average, not particularly notable.

Overall, kinda boring really.  **+.

Original Review, August 2016

If you've walked through North Beach, you've likely passed by Z.Cioccolato.  And if you were me, you'd obviously be drawn in.  Why?  Well, for one, the smell of fresh caramel corn floats out onto the side.  Second, also out on that sidewalk is a big sign saying "Free Fudge Samples!"  And third, if you peak inside, all you see is candy and sweets.  Oh yes.

Z. Cioccolato is a candy shop, self proclaimed "The Sweetest Spot in North Beach", which is likely true.  They have a vast array of candy, bins and bins of candy, mostly priced by the pound.  They also have bins and bins of taffy, that they make in house, in more varieties than you can imagine.  The front counter also includes an assortment of chocolate items, like giant peanut butter cups and many varieties of chocolate bark, and of course, the fudge with samples.  Oh, and gelato.

I've visited many times to pick up candy, and to uh, try some fudge samples (I mean, how do you not?)  They also used to encourage you to try all the taffy you wanted while in the store, a very dangerous offer given how long I'd spend browsing.  I always left with a ridiculous sugar high.

Anyway, the fudge is all fine, as is the taffy, but, I don't think I ever took notes on that stuff.  Its just candy.  But ... the caramel corn, that is another story.  You know how much I love snacks, and, popcorn in particular!

Caramel Corn.  Free!

When you enter Z. Cioccolato, there is an amazing aroma.  It is what drew me in the first time, as it wafted down the street outside.  Caramel corn.  Fresh popped caramel corn.  ZOMG.

I was really tempted to purchase a bag of it, as they had sealed bags of caramel corn displayed all around the shop, $3 each.  But I know that I'm a complete caramel corn snob, and I figured it wouldn't live up to my desires, and there were too many other sweets that I wanted instead.

But, luckily for me, it turns out, they give you a free small bag of fresh popped caramel corn with a $5 purchase.  Yes!

It was totally hot and fresh, literally right out of the popper.  Which, wasn't just lucky timing on my part, they actually pop it fresh every 15 minutes.  Clearly they realized the smell draws people in, and whatever isn't purchased immediately, they bag up, forming the bags I saw all over the place.  So, protip, don't ever get one of the pre-bagged ones, you can always get it fresher if you want it.

Anyway, it was decent caramel corn.  The caramel was a bit more on the burnt tasting side than I prefer, and it didn't have that strong of a buttery flavor, but the kernels were well coated, and it was hot, fresh, and free.  Hard to disagree with that.  I'm glad I decided not to splurge and get the $3 bag though, I would have been disappointed.  I won't buy it again, but if I'm offered a free bag again in the future, I'd obviously take it.

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Dianda's Italian American Pastry

Dianda's is a fairly well known Italian bakery in San Francico, opened in 1962, by Mr. and Mrs. Dianda.  I believe it was originally in North Beach, but now is located in the Mission, with a second site in San Mateo.  It is still family owned.

"Dianda's specializes in traditional Italian baking at it's finest. "

They are known for Italian cakes (all the classics, like Napoleons, tiramisu, black forest, etc), cookies-by-the-pound, and eclairs and cream puffs, however they also make a large lineup of croissants, danishes, turnovers, muffins, and more.  As a lover of baked goods, it is these items that I tried, but after learning more about Dianda's, I definitely want to try their cakes (particularly one from their tres leches lineup - like, mango!)

Visit #1: July 2021

Too Good To Go Mystery Bag:
Apple Turnover, Croissant, Raspberry Ring, Apricot Almond Shortbread.

I didn't actually visit Dianda's myself - my goodies came from Le Sandwich, a sandwich shop in North Beach, that carries pastries from Dianda's. 

I got my goodies using Too Good To Go, the service that lets you reserve a mystery bag for discounted price, to "rescue" food that may otherwise go to waste.  In this case, it was $4.99 for an assortment of pastries, and I needed to collect it after 1pm, when folks generally stop picking up breakfast pastries.  Still freshly made that morning by Dianda's.

My mystery bag was 4 massive pastries, all of which shared some similar attributes: clearly slightly not fresh, massive, and far above average quality.   Flaky, flaky, flaky, and sooo messy, but so very good.

I instantly wanted to learn more about Dianda's.

Croissant.

Dianda's makes several kinds of filled croissants, such as the twice baked almond croissant with frangipane inside, and a pain au chocolat, but my mystery bag contained a plain croissant.  It looked rather unassuming, aside from being a bit large, and I wasn't particularly excited by it.

But the moment I ripped off a chunk I realized I shouldn't have judged the simple croissant just based on its exterior.  It was a very good croissant.  Yes, just a plain croissant, but one of the most well made I've had in ages.  It had a lovely shine on top as well.

Croissant: Cross Section.

Here you can see a cross section of the croissant.  This what the interior of a croissant *should* look like.  Perfectly laminated.  It was this cross section that really showed me that Dianda's is not messing around!  It left flakes behind, just like it should.

Quality croissant, far above average for the US, ****.

Raspberry Twist Ring.

The next item I was actually most excited by, thrilled that it wound up in my mystery bag.  A traditional Italian pastry, the raspberry twist ring.  I wish I had another item in the photo for scale to show how big this was, the diameter was quite impressive.

It was crazy flaky, and made a huge mess as I cut off a chunk.  So buttery.  So flaky.  Again, quality pastry.  The raspberry filling was twisted in, fruity, but kinda too sweet.  It somewhat reminded me of the filling in a jelly donut.  It also had some streusel like bits.

Overall I felt slightly let down by this, as it looked so amazing, but I felt a bit bored by it.  Clearly, it was well made, again, sooooo flaky, but it seemed a bit dry, and, well, like it needed to be paired with a coffee, or perhaps a scoop of ice cream to tame the sweetness.

***.

Apple Turnover.

Next was another stunner, a lovely glaze on top, mighty size, and, serious heft.  A turnover, which turned out to be apple.  Picking this up was a shock: it was quite heavy, a reflection of both its oversized nature, and just how generously stuffed with apple it was.

The pastry was, simply put, perfection.  Epically flaky.  Epically messy.  The layers.  Oh the layers.  Such quality pastry.  I liked the sweet glaze too of course.

It had a little peekaboo hole that revealed the apple filling inside, chunks of apple, in a goo, well spiced.  The apples had a nice bite too them, not too soft.  It was very generously filled too, no skimping here.

Apple turnovers, or turnovers in general, aren't really items I get all that excited by, but this was a far above average version.  Even better when I warmed it up a bit, and added vanilla ice cream ... mmm, flaky apple pie a la mode!

***+.

Apricot Almond Shortbread Tartlet.

My final item I was slightly unsure of.  From the top, it looked like it should be a danish or tart.  But, it seemed to be a cookie.  A thick cookie.  With fruit filling?  And a ring?  And sliced almonds?

My research leads me to believe this is called a "shortbread tartlet", basically a thick, crumbly, buttery shortbread base, that could easily be a complete dessert on its own, a fabulous shortbread cookie, but then, a generous amount of sweet apricot preserves, like you'd find in a danish, a scattering of sliced almonds for crunch, and, a sorta crispy shortbread ring around the top?

It is certainly unlike anything I've had before, it reminded me a jam thumbprint cookie in spirt, except totally and completely taken to the max.  The cookie was huge, the filling was significant, it just seemed, like the turnover, ring, and croissant before it, supersized.

I was pretty fascinated by this, and enjoyed the quality shortbread and fruity filling, always a good pairing.  I wouldn't ever seek out a shortbread cookie, but, if I were to, I'd certainly be pleased with this one.

***+.

Visit #2: September 2021

My next visit was again actually to Le Sandwich, and was again through Too Good To Go.

Too Good To Go Mystery Bag. $4.99.

My Too Good To Go "mystery bag" was again 4 large size pastries, selected for me by the owner.

This time I got 3 croissants (plain, almond, chocolate) and a slice of chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.  Of the assortment, only the plain croissant was a repeat from my prior visit, and I was glad to try new items.

All were again high quality, and tasted quite fresh this time.  The croissants were comically massive.  $4.99 for the loot was a great value, and I was quite pleased, although I preferred the treats in my previous bag more.

Plain Croissant.

The only repeat item I had, a plain croissant.

It tasted even fresher this time, but was otherwise the same - a light, fluffy, soft style, not a harder flaky style like more classic french croissants (you know the kind, they make a huge mess!).  It had a lovely buttery flavor to it.

Side note: I think, technically, this is a cornetto, not a croissant, as it seems to be the softer Italian style, not crispy flaky French style, and, well, is made by an Italian bakery.

***, a nice item, good for dunking in coffee, or making a breakfast sandwich on.

Almond Croissant.

The almond croissant was just slightly over-baked - the top a touch too dark, and the slivers of almond on top had a slightly burnt taste.  But otherwise, this was much like the plain croissant: light, fluffy, buttery, a decent base croissant.  It was also ridiculously large, bigger than the standard pastry bag it came quasi-contained within.

Inside was almond paste, which gave a nice subtle almond flavor, but was mostly just quite sweet.  There was no bits of almonds nor grit, it was a smooth paste, and there was quite a lot of it.

Overall, a fine item, but I usually prefer the "twice baked" style of almond croissant with far more generous filling and topping.

***.

Chocolate Croissant.

Dianda's makes two chocolate croissant items ... one, a pain au chocolate, that is not a crescent shape, and is filled with the expected batons of chocolate, and this one, which looked much like the almond version, just with a little bit of chocolate drizzled on top.

Again, much like the almond and plain versions, it was soft, fluffy, and buttery, and tasted quite fresh.  It was even BIGGER than the previous two.  I wish I had something to show the scale, but, this is easily the size of 2, if not 3, regular sized croissants.

I was curious what I'd find inside, given that I knew Dianda's made the traditional pain au chocolate too, and this had little embellishment on top.

Chocolate Croissant: Inside.

The outside of this croissant looked pretty boring, just a light drizzle of chocolate, so I cut into it, and found the expected chocolate filling.

The chocolate was not distinct bars like you sometimes find, and was ... fine?  I instantly knew that this would be better warmed up though.

Chocolate Croissant: Deeper Inside.

I cut off another section to heat it up, and was met with great surprise.

Oh wow.  They were not messing around with the chocolate!  It honestly looked like a brownie inside.

Since this item was sooo massive, it had sections that could appeal to those with different tastes - the very end was more plain, the center more filled.  I've never seen a chocolate croissant with quite this much filling.

***.

Chocolate Cake with fudge frosting.

The slice of cake was a nice change from the croissants, but it was a fairly lackluster cake.

Light, fluffy, not dried out, but not particularly deep flavor, and the chocolate fudge frosting isn't the style I prefer (I'm a buttercream girl!).

A fine item though, and I served it warm a la mode at home, so the frosting turned into more like hot fudge, and that worked quite nicely.

***.

Visits #3 and #4, March and October 2022

Too Good To Go Mystery Bag. $4.99.
March 2022.

After many months of not using Too Good To Go, I had a rare day off, the sun was shining, and I decided to take advantage of both to venture back to Le Sandwich to get some more baked goods.

Since my last visit, Le Sandwich had introduced new baked goods to the menu: Swedish buns, known as "fika", that they get through a local supplier who makes these and only these.  Reviewers love them, so I was hopeful my bag would contain some.  Note: while Le Sandwich, and the local baker, call them "fika", that term doesn't actually refer to a specific baked good ... but I'm going to use the nomenclature they do, just for ease.

I was delighted to look in my mystery bag.  I did indeed have not only one, but two different fika buns, plus a special hot cross bun (it was nearly Easter), and a big fluffy croissant (which I had before).  The croissant, and I think the hot cross bun, are produced by Dianda's.

Too Good To Go Mystery Bag. $4.99.
October 2022.

Again, many months passed, but I was in the mood for pastries, and selected Le Sandwich as my TGTG destination again.

As he handed me my bag, Elias, the owner, told me he put a fika in the bag, which I definitely appreciated.  I'd already seen him grab the croissant and pain au chocolate, and was pleased to get to try a muffin for the first time.

Croissant (March)

Every mystery bag I've gotten from Le Sandwich has contained a plain croissant, and this one was no different.  Again a nice item, not the flaky messy french style, but fluffy and buttery, and the flavor really shines.

Great for making breakfast sandwiches or even lunch sandwiches, or, as I tend to do, stuffing with ice cream or a fun spread like ube jam.

Reliable, fresh tasting, great buttery flavor.  ***+.

Croissant (October).

My next mystery bag ... yup, another croissant.  Like I said, he includes one in basically every TGTG bag.  this one seemed even more massive than the others, if that is possible, and was nicely golden.  Again, not a flaky style, but still quite buttery, and perfect for breakfast egg sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, or ice cream sandwiches.  I suppose probably good just toasted and spread with butter/jam/nutella/whatever, but I never tried that.  ***+.

Pain au Chocolat (October).

This was my first time getting the pain au chocolate - previously I had the chocolate croissant, which was a chocolate drizzled crescent shaped one, that was absolutely stuffed full of chocolate.  This was more the style I am used to, with 2 bars of chocolate running along the inside.

This was the first pastry from Le Sandwich that seemed noticeably rather stale.  The pastry was a bit chewy, and just not that fresh tasting.  I think if I had toasted it it probably would have been much better, but, I wanted the chocolate right away.  It was pretty average, clearly older, and I preferred the other chocolate croissant more, as it was so insanely loaded with chocolate.

I consider this a downside of TGTG though, and not necessarily a mark against Dianda's.

**+.

Blueberry Bran Muffin (October).

A muffin!  I hadn't ever gotten a muffin before from Le Sandwich/Dianda's.  And, while some might not be excited for bran, I was.

It was a good muffin.  Nice grit from the bran, few pops of blueberries, moist.  Not a great bran muffin, that distinction I'd reserve for one with a more complex flavor to the base, better distribution of blueberries, but, certainly a good one, and better than average cafe quality.  I'd get it again if in the mood for a bran muffin.

***+.

Hot Cross Bun (March).

Ah, the hot cross bun.  An item that reminds me a bit of fruitcake, in that it comes out only once a year, no one really seems to love it, and, well, dried fruit are an essential element.  And one that sometimes I do kinda like.

The hot cross bun, which I'm fairly certain is from Dianda's, was really a lovely specimen.  It had a great shine to the outside, a little light glaze, and was loaded with all sorts of dried fruits (currants, even what seemed to be some candied glace fruits?).  The cross on top seemed to be a custard, rather than traditional flour based marking.  It was fluffy, had a nice chew, lots of flavors.

Best warm, with a warm cup of beverage of your choice.

***+ for a hot cross bun, not an item I'm crazy about, but this really was a nicely made one.

Fika - Swedish Baked Goods

"Fika [fee-ka] is Swedish - a coffee break accompanied with baked goods; a moment of quality time to appreciate the good things in life! It's to pause, reflect and savor the moment! That is what fika is about. Take fika time."

I was not familiar with the concept of fika, but, I definitely am in support of it.  Le Sandwich carries a few kinds of fika - traditional buns, and, depending on the day of the week, cakes and crumble.

"I use Organic Cane Sugar, Organic flour, Premium European style Butter, Himalayan Salt, Yeast, Eggs from happy free-range chickens in Sonoma County.  Dark  Chocolate.  Always freshly ground spices.

I live and bake in San Francisco, and hope to send you a taste of Sweden!"

The fika are made by LoveFika, a San Francisco based baker, who uses quality ingredients and traditional Swedish recipes handed down from their family.  The buns come in 3 varieties: cinnamon, cardamom, and chocolate.  I was able to try two, and, well, loved them.

Chocolate Fika Bun. $4.75. (March).

"Bun with chocolate chips."

The buns are stunning looking.  Unlike an American bun that is simply rolled, these are twisted into a more complex shape.  At first I wasn't sure what kind this was, as I thought the white specs on top were large salt crystals, but they were in fact pearl sugar.  It had a lovely shine. 

This bun was unlike anything I've had before.  The edges where pieces connected were lightly caramelized and crisp, in a way that reminded me of a kouign amann.  The exterior was lightly crisp, inside was soft, but also layered.  It was like ... a croissant made with sweet enriched dough instead.  And between the folds was little chocolate chips.

It was fascinating, it was delicious, and even better when lightly warmed up.  If you are really looking for a chocolate forward dessert, this isn't it, as the chips were fairly minimal, but it was still a lovely, and unique to me item, and I greatly enjoyed it.

****.

Cardamom Fika Bun. $4.75. (March).

"A taste sensation."

Next I had the more traditional bun, cardamom.  It did not have the pearl sugar on top, and you could more clearly see the layers.  Really, something to admire.

Now, I'll admit, I am not normally much for cardamom, although the Dad's Cardamom flavor from Three Twins did grow on me.  And the cardamom here was strong.  But it was actually lovely.  It was complex, intense, and yet light at the same time.  Such a unique flavor.

The makeup of this bun was much like the other - slightly caramelized crispy exterior, amazing folds of enriched sweet dough, and just a delight to eat.  It too was best warmed up a bit.

I think it would pair amazingly with a scoop of pistachio ice cream.

I'm not sure which of the two buns I liked more, each had its unique aspects, and I'd gladly have either again.

****.

Cardamom Fika Bun.  $4.75. (October)

My next visit, my bag also contained another fika.  "I slipped a fika in there", said Elias with a smile.  I thanked him, and told him about my Swedish friend, and how much I liked it before.

It was again pretty glorious.  Still quite fresh, soft and moist sweet dough, lightly crispy exterior, fascinating flavor from the cardamom.  I couldn't resist getting into it right then, but I think it would be even better if I'd had a bit of restraint and warmed it up.  While I still don't love cardamom, this just just so good and so unique, I enjoy it quite a bit.

****.

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