+ mocha with oat milk. a petite decadence for morning time that approximates a svelte and chocolately oatmeal. it tastes like highly drinkable version of those upmarket energy bars, unsatisfying paste-clodden meal-substitutes all.
+ mozzarella in carrozza at l & b spumoni gardens. a deep-fried grilled cheese sandwich seated in a white wine bath. a devastating oil spill in a sweet crisp lake.
+ spiked coconut thai iced-tea slushie at elsa. I WILL DRINK THIS ALL SUMMER LONG.
+ khao tod at la moon thai, elmhurst. my first thai riceball, impulsively added to my seamless bag in the name of research, wears a golden brown coat like fish fillet, scented uniquely by keffir lime and pungent flicker of curry paste.
kang hung ley. square hunks of pork belly, properly tender, but not unctuous, encounter strands of ginger, peanuts, and the occasional prize of pickled garlic peaking out from the delicate curry.
+ cadbury picnic bar. I didn’t understand why my brother brought back a British candy from his semester abroad in Australia (don't worry—he didn’t forget the Tim Tams)… until I did. This chocolate bar is a souped-up Snickers, but airier and crunchier because it's got puffed rice AND wafer cracker aka the best parts of other bars, Kit-Kat and Crunch, none of which I ever eat. if this was sold stateside i'd without question make this my treat yourself processed food shitty-day-indulgence-pick-me-up but sans any guilt because it would be worth it. i'd probably get it every time I passed it in the grocery aisle or concession stand—at least two because I don't possess the patience to wait until the b-roll psa trailers end to start eating—and I’d probably balloon because do you know how many movies I watch?
+ carrot top pesto. lopped the fronds off green market fresh roots and blended them with parsley and scallion, in lots of olive oil and little lemon juice. ply them on actual carrots.
+ fried eggplant at winson. is it the vinegar? the yogurt? something has my tongue engaging calisthenics, all in vain effort to uproot the addictive source of the umami.