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My friend and I have been waiting for this location to open for almost a year now! She first introduced it to me in SoCal, and we were so excited to see that a location was opening in the DFW area! We were both really eager to have a place with amazing black sesame soft serve. We came on opening weekend after dinner, and there was a huge line. We agreed that the inside of the place was well-designed because there was minimal seating and more stand-up bars to eat on so that there was more space for people to line up. They were very efficient in taking and cranking out orders, and I think we ended up waiting about 20 minutes for a 30+ person line. I ordered the upside-down ah-boong with black sesame soft serve. It tasted just as good as the one in San Diego. The black sesame flavor was light and nutty, and the texture was so smooth. The fish pastry portion was also pretty good, but I think it started becoming too sweet for me during the last few bites. We also got samples of their custard-filled taiyaki, which were delicious as well but just way too much food for us. I just wish this place were in Dallas instead of Frisco so that I could go more often! Then I’d probably be here at least 3x a week…

• 85C Bakery Cafe – Katy – Menu with Prices – 23330 Grand Cir Blvd Ste 100, Katy
• Thrills soft serve – Menu with Prices – 510 Piikoi St, Honolulu
• Milkcow Cafe – Ice Cream | Tea | Dessert – Menu with Prices – 1517 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena
• Miyabi é??å?³å±? – Menu with Prices – 1315 West Grand Parkway South Suite 108, Katy
• Fat Straws Bubble Tea – Menu with Prices – 1251 W Campbell Rd, Richardson
• Ichiban Sushi – Menu with Prices – 4401 NW 25 Pl, Gainesville
• Xiang’s Hunan Kitchen – Menu with Prices – 1032 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston
• SOMOS CUBA By Chef Pititi – Menu with Prices – 1401 3rd Ave, Chula Vista
• Frosty Korner – Menu with Prices – 1701 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Lansing
• Taste of Persia – Menu with Prices – 3189 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis
• Izumi Matcha – Menu with Prices – 3005 Silver Creek Rd Suite 142, San Jose
• Chyll Rolled Creamery & Boba – Menu with Prices – 27560 Newhall Ranch Rd #307, Santa Clarita

85C Bakery Cafe – Katy – Menu with Prices – 23330 Grand Cir Blvd Ste 100, Katy

This place needs improvements on customer service. I came only to order sea salt coffee so I waited in the Cake and Drinks only line. Not one cashier looked up to see if there was anyone at the Cake and Drink line to take my order. There were 2 at the time and 3rd cashier came to help out and I thought she was going to call for the next guest at the drink line. But I was wrong. All they said was â??I can help the next guest in lineâ? and looked at the pastry line. 6 customers have been helped while I was still waiting in line. I even checked to see which person I would be standing behind if I decided to wait at the pastry line and I would have been called next from pastry line over the drink line. I didnâ??t want to be rude but by that time I had to speak up. Cashier apologized but something should be done to improve customer service or get rid of the Cake and Drink line if you are not going to service anyone waiting there. After all and done I thought I was going to enjoy my sea salt coffee but it was not that strong. It tasted watery. The sea salt coffee at 85 degree bakery location next to Ranch 99 was way better.

Thrills soft serve – Menu with Prices – 510 Piikoi St, Honolulu

I came here twice, once on grand opening day and the other was with a friend. They serve very tasty and decent soft serves. I have tried the Birthday Cake and Fruity Pebbles soft serves and my friend tried the Ube soft serves. Birthday Cake: It was available for a limited of time in honor of their grand opening. Love the color and the flavor. I had mines with coconut flakes topping. It was sweet and taste like birthday cake batter. Cool and refreshing. Fruity Pebbles: It tasted exactly like Fruity Pebbles cereal milk. I chose Oreos as my topping. Love the flavor, but was disappointed with the color. It was like faded pink. Doesn’t match with what was being shown on their Instagram. Ube: My friend like the soft serve’s flavor. She said it was good and has a strong Ube taste. She chose the Ube cookies as her topping for an extra 50 cents and it was worth trying. Cones: We had the charcoal cone before it was switched out from charcoal to cocoa. The cone wasn’t too bad. I personally like it because of how crunchy and fresh it was. It tasted like a vanilla cookie. However, my friend wasn’t a big fan of it. Overall, the soft serves itself were good. They were very flavorful and doesn’t melt too quickly. I like how smooth and creamy they were. However, there were some issues I have where the menu was pretty limited. Not much flavors that I wanted to try were available on the days I was craving soft serves. It was also weird how they placed the toppings only on one side of the soft serve instead of around it. I guess it was for aesthetic purposes. The service was very good. They were all very friendly. The soft serves (beside the Fruity Pebbles) were vibrant and visually appealing. It was a place worth trying and to post on Instagram.

Milkcow Cafe – Ice Cream | Tea | Dessert – Menu with Prices – 1517 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena

I had the best Sunday ever since my day ended with Milkcow desserts! I never liked other places for their milky soft serves but fell in love with the milky soft serve at Milkcow. 1)M3 Milky Cube The milky soft serve with honeycomb is my favorite because it was not super sweet. But it was super milky! I fell in love with their milky cube!! If you want your soft serve sweeter, it is adjustable with the type of toppings you can choose from. 2) Watermelon Sandwich Be careful when you hold it! It’s pretty heavy since the watermelon slice is huge! You don’t want your beautiful watermelon sandwich to drop. The texture of the soft serve was amazing and has a generous portion size! It is easily shareable with your friends and family if you want to share or you can just eat the whole thing by yourself if you’re a lover of desserts like me! 3) Uji Matcha Latte with Cheese Foam The drink is not only beautiful but has strong matcha flavor compared to other matcha drinks I have tasted. I can taste the high quality of matcha that they use. Also, the cheese foam is smooth and not too heavy which matches very well with the uji matcha. The interior of the store is very nicely decorated and has seats for you to sit inside so you can enjoy your delicious desserts and drinks. I can definitely see how the employees take their time to ensure that your desserts and drinks are the highest quality possible. I even saw one of the employees carefully inspecting the watermelon slice for the watermelon sandwich to make sure only the best ones are served to their customers. Try MilkCow when you’re looking for a dessert place for their drinks, soft serves, and more!

Miyabi é??å?³å±? – Menu with Prices – 1315 West Grand Parkway South Suite 108, Katy

Nice quaint and trendy Japanese restaurant located near Katy Mills. The menu is reasonably priced and while there are quite a few options for sushi/sashimi, there’s also a smaller section for ramen, udon, tempura, etc. The modern lighting inside is not too distracting yet gives a hip vibe. My party of three ordered some apps, entrees, and desserts to share. We had RAMEN that came with a good portion of toppings including chashu pork (soft and flavorful), soft boiled egg (yolk the way I like it which is still semi-runny), corn, fish surimi slices, bamboo shoots, and green onions. The broth was super as the creaminess/cloudiness made it very appetizing and rich. The noodles itself were on par, slightly soft and I prefer them more bouncy. The SEXY MAMA ROLL was packed with good quality fish and scallops…loved the tempura crunch on top too. The TAKOYAKI had a good consistency and chew in each bite with a handful of squid inside and bonito outside. We also had the SUSHI DELUXE which was a good platter of fresh tasting sushi that is well balanced in terms of fish to rice ratio. The CALAMARI was pretty good but mostly large rings of squid (almost like onion rings), and were bouncy/kind of chewy. The batter stayed on well when I dipped it into the sweet and tangy sauce on the side. Lastly, we were able to try the BLACK SESAME ICE CREAM (special and not usually available we were told). It was smooth and creamy, had a light sesame flavor and enjoyable. There are other flavors like red bean and green tea I need to try next time. Overall a good spot to fulfill Japanese food cravings especially after some shopping or dinner with sushi loving friends. Service friendly and efficient, plus it’s BYOB/wine with no corking fee.

Fat Straws Bubble Tea – Menu with Prices – 1251 W Campbell Rd, Richardson

I’ve been curious about the mochi donuts that I see so much on Instagram, so I had to make a stop here after a yummy lunch in Dallas. First off, this boba shop is huge compared to other boba shops. There’s plenty of space, as well as seating for you and your folks to hang out, chill, work play games, etc. The space is very clean, bright, and colorful. Also, the lighting is pretty good here, for ya IG like chasers. I had my eyes on the mochi donuts, and I decided to try one flavor: black sesame. I figure that I should try a super unique flavor with this unique dessert. In addition, my dude got a coconut milk tea and I got a thai tea for the heck of it. The black sesame mochi donut was delicious. I loved the texture of this donut: slightly crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside. The black sesame flavor was amazing to me, as it was salty and sweet – super unique! The milk teas that we got were pretty bland, however. I am not sure I would get teas again here, but perhaps I give it another try with a different selection. Overall, the highlight for me was the mochi donuts. I’m glad I finally had a chance to try and I would definitely would like to try more flavors, and get the black sesame again for sure!

Ichiban Sushi – Menu with Prices – 4401 NW 25 Pl, Gainesville

First, very, very, limited selection of fresh fish. The only real fish there was yellowtail, salmon, tuna, and a mysterious fish. I asked them what it was they said â??itâ??s white fishâ? uh, OK Iâ??ll pass on that one. Got the usual three.Salad w/ shaved carrot on top. Not the ginger dressing one expects, maybe they just poured corn syrup on top? So I sent it back and they brought seaweed salad instead… same corn syrup â??dressingâ? I didnâ??t taste any soy sauce or sesame oil, and missed the sesame seeds sprinkled on top. It was so sweet I couldnâ??t get seaweed flavor out of it, just that texture in my mouth. Finally comes my tempura. Two points: tempura sauce soooo miserably sweet it lacks any other point of flavor. I added 1/3 a bottle of soy sauce to try to save it but it was still so sweet. So I just decided to give up on that and just dipped it in pure Soy Sauce. I would recommend to the chef to change the fry oil. It tasted like old French fry oil and smelled like it to. So I couldnâ??t taste the shrimp. There was a pool of oil under the The tempura. So, I would recommend draining well in the basket and then tossing the tempura on paper towels to soak up the oil before sending the dish out to your guests.My bill was $30 (and I chose the Lunch Special.)

Xiang’s Hunan Kitchen – Menu with Prices – 1032 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston

While I’m a *very* weak spice eater, I’ve grown to love Xiang’s Hunan Kitchen, which serves delicious and authentic Hunan dishes. Lots of options, great portion sizes, reasonable prices, and easy to get to (right on the green line, plus plenty of parking spots around). My favorites so far: [M7 – Sweet Sticky Rice Cakes] Dessert for appetizers, yes! Warm, sweet, and sticky, super tasty! [C5 – Stewed Tofu with Duck Yolk & Pork Floss] For non-spicy and spicy eaters alike, this is hands down everyone’s favorite dish every time I go! The savory duck yolk and slightly pork floss add both flavor and texture to stewed tofu that has a texture that’s almost cheesy. [S1 – Steamed belly with Preserved Veggies] A salty-sweet and slightly spicy dish that goes really well with rice as well as the steamed buns that you can order for a small additional fee. Make your own pork bao! [S4/S5 – Steamed fish with Chilies] They are two versions of the most classic Xiang dish. If you like fish filet, order S4; if you can handle a whole fish and can deal with fish bones, order S5 which gives you larger portion and IMO more flavorful. Spicy Xiang food might not be for everyone, but if you are tired of Szechuan food, come try Xiang’s Hunan Kitchen instead!

SOMOS CUBA By Chef Pititi – Menu with Prices – 1401 3rd Ave, Chula Vista

As a Cuban that grew up in Miami I must say that Chef Pititi makes just about better food than Miami does! I love knowing that I can satisfy my Cuban food craving in San Diego! I got the Macitas De Puerco (fried pork chunks) with Arroz Morro (rice and beans cooked together in the same pot) and sweet plantains. The pork was surprisingly juicy, and flavorful due do that killer mojo Chef Pititi makes! The Arroz Morro was delicious with little pork chunks in it. That really reminded me of my grandmothers cooking while growing up. The sweet plantains were perfectly cooked. I’ve had them before in Miami where they just overly burn them, but Pititi got it perfectly! My fiancé got the Lechon Asado (roasted pork) with rice, black beans and sweet plantains. The pork was super soft, juicy, and seasoned to perfection. Even the onions on top added a great flavor and texture to the dish. Pititi’s black beans are to die for! They are the prefect balance of salty, subtly sweet, and SECRET CUBAN DELICIOUSNESS that I strive for in Cuban black beans. I also ordered the Papa Rellenas (fried potato balls with ground beef inside), and they were fried great and tasted sooo good. I tried the chorizo croqueta and it was a game game changer for me. Maybe I’m biased because this is the food I grew up with and miss from back home, but oh my god this food was delicious and I can’t wait to go back and try something else on that delicious menu!

Frosty Korner – Menu with Prices – 1701 S Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Lansing

I’ve been here many times before but I always get the same thing. I get the strawberry shortcake. It’s warm biscuits with sugary strawberries and ice cream. It’s so good. My most recent visit I wanted to try the soft serve. There’s over 25 flavors. Usually an ice cream shop has chocolate and vanilla for soft serve. But here you can choice from butter pecan to peanut butter to black cherry. I got the yellow cake batter soft serve. Yuck!!!! I’ve had this ice cream before at other places and it’s great but not here. I took 2 licks and tossed it.

Taste of Persia – Menu with Prices – 3189 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis

This is a family run, multi-generational restaurant. Mom is from Afghanistan and Dad is from Iran. Kids were born here. They know their culture’s food and are proud to make it for the public. I stopped in on my way to an Elite event and had a late lunch. I wasn’t really interested in a large meal and certainly didn’t want a dinner portion. Fortunately, they offered to accommodate me with a half-order of anything that could be made in that portion. I asked for the koobideh. While I was waiting, the owner’s son’s fiancee turned up with a small plate of hummus that she said she made herself. It was an artistic little snack while I was waiting, offered so I could try their hummus. Delicious! She had blended it smooth and packed it with a delightful sesame flavor from a heavy-handed approach to the tahini. The bread they served with it is more like what you find in Afghan restaurants as opposed to pita but it matched perfectly. The lunch plate they made for me included a single skewer and a single tomato but a plentiful portion of rice. I tasted the fire they cooked the skewer and the tomato over in every bite. The meat was tender, juicy and perfectly cooked. The flavor profile was definitively middle-eastern and the little bit of charring on the outside made it even more enjoyable. The tomato was slightly blistered but far from charred. Fork-tender and delicious, it paired nicely with the buttery rice. Great place! Can’t wait to go back and experience more of their food.

Izumi Matcha – Menu with Prices – 3005 Silver Creek Rd Suite 142, San Jose

Taiyaki has been blowing up all over the Bay Area lately so when Izumi Matcha opened up so close to home, I practically dragged the hubby there for the grand opening. While the desserts are certainly Instagram-worthy, the parlor itself is terribly boring and plain. I was flabbergasted to see such a lack of effort in terms of decorating. There was so much room, both figuratively and literally, to be creative, cute, and fun, and yet there were only blank white walls and wooden seats. What a pity… Stopping by during their BOGO promotion, I ordered the matcha soft serve with the red bean filled taiyaki, with chocolate pocky and matcha powder as toppings, while the hubby got the vanilla soft serve with a plain taiyaki, chocolate pocky, and coconut shavings. I was pleased to see that the taiyaki were baked fresh and pleasantly surprised that it didn’t affect the service. However, I wasn’t a fan of the fact that the taiyaki weren’t served with a wrapper or in cup, and instead just placed within our bare hands. It just felt messy, but in their defense, there were wrappers offered on the counter. Both flavors of the soft serve ice cream were creamy and silky, and the taiyaki had the perfect amount of sweetness. However, the pastry was a tad doughy, and the hubby wanted it to be crispier. The biggest fault of all, however, was how little of red bean I had in my taiyaki, barely filling the tail end of the fish. I would bet they forgot I ordered the red bean filling at all. However, even with all of those hiccups, the hubby and I were still quite impressed with the desserts. The ice cream was great and the taiyaki, overall, was quite delicious. Here’s to hoping Izumi will stick around for the long run!

Chyll Rolled Creamery & Boba – Menu with Prices – 27560 Newhall Ranch Rd #307, Santa Clarita

Husband and I drove down the mountain today with our son to try this place out as we were craving boba and there’s nothing up here in Lake Of The Woods…. we were not disappointed to make the drive at all! My husband got the durian smoothie, I got the Lavender Milk Tea and we got our son the honeydew smoothie dairy free. We also decided to share a rolled ice cream in a waffle cone- the one that has the matcha and the black sesame. As we were waiting for our order our son saw someone eating fries and wanted some so I also placed an order for some sweet potato fries. The sweet potato fries were absolutely delicious! They were crispy on the outside but smooth on the inside and topped with some sautéed garlic. It came with ketchup, ranch and the girl working offered us some sweet and spicy sauce to try with them as well- definitely a good suggestion as it paired very well! My husbands durian smoothie was very good (not normally my cup of tea but it was really good but our son wasn’t a fan ) my lavender milk tea was delicious and our son loved his honeydew smoothie. Last to come out was the rolled iced cream- and not only was the presentation beautiful (the guy takes his time making it look good) but it was also delicious. An unmistakeable matcha flavor and the black sesame was so good. It was topped with whipped cream, mochi, fresh strawberries and had a chocolate pocky stick too. Everything was very good and we met who I think may be the manager(s) and they were extremely friendly!! The customer service was excellent as well as the food. We are sad we are moving back to Pasadena in a couple weeks, but my midwife is out in Santa Clarita so I just may make the trek during the remainder of my pregnancy while I’m out here- we want to give the food a try before we move too as the menu was extensive and looked delicious. Was happy to see they had a kids chicken wonton soup as we don’t eat pork and I know we all have a hard time finding porkless wonton. Will definitely be back