By Isa Hunter Quintero and Sadie Evans
Welcome back to our food review series! In this issue, Sadie Evans and I try two of our favorite food and drink spots on our shopping trip to Valley Fair mall šIn this hangout, we stopped for a light lunch of fresh onigiri at Onigilly and delicious matcha (our favorite) at Cafe Maiko for a sweet drink.
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Thoughts and ratings:
Sadieās order: Ume Salmon onigiri and classic matcha latte
Onigilly is the perfect snack spot to stop at if you’re hungry and not quite sure what to eat. Personally, I was in a similar state of indecisiveness when I walked into the mall and decided to be adventurous with my order. I saw on the menu that an item called āumeā or āpickled plumā was popular. I wasn’t sure I would like it or not, but I went ahead and ordered a salmon & ume onigiri. I’m very glad I took that risk- the two flavors complimented each other perfectly and were the perfect mix of salty and sweet. It was a 10/10 snack in my opinion! Later on, Isa and I each grabbed a matcha latte from Cafe Maiko. The drink was great – not too sweet or milky with a strong, but not overly bitter matcha flavor. Maybe a little gritty, but overall very satisfying to drink. I only wish I had it earlier to pair with my onigiri!
Overall rating: 9.5/10
Isaās order: Spicy miso beef onigiri, sweet salmon onigiri, and classic matcha latte
At our first stop, I ordered two different flavors because I was really hungry. Iād never been to Onigilly before, so my expectations werenāt super high, but this onigiri was incredible! The spice level on the miso beef flavor was delectably balanced, and the gochujang sauce paired well with the riceā10/10 onigiri for me. As for the sweet salmon, I enjoyed the sweetness but wouldāve liked something else paired with the salmon, like a vegetable or different sauce, to make it more interesting. Since the flavors were a little underwhelming, I would give this one a 6/10. Iāll definitely be coming back again next time at the mall.
Overall rating: 9/10
Next up, Sadie and I were craving something sweet: specifically, matcha, which Iām obsessed with. Cafe Maiko was the perfect place for us to satiate our thirst for a cold drink. The matcha to sweetener ratio was one of the best I’ve tried from buying matcha at restaurants instead of my usual mixes at home. Additionally, the matcha itself felt very fresh and had its characteristic, satisfying earthy taste, which really hit the spot.
Overall rating: 10/10 ā
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