Eat in Oakland: UC Dessert

UC Milk Tea

UC Dessert is a boba milk tea and dessert cafe located on 9th and Franklin in Oakland Chinatown. I visited for the first time last weekend, ordering a classic UC Milk Tea. At only $2.50, this was quite a steal. The milk tea gave me the creamy caffeinated mid-day spurge I wanted.

Next time I might try the Jasmine Milk Tea or one of the fruit teas made with cut fruit floating in the cup. If you've visited UC Dessert recently, what do you recommend trying?

UC Dessert

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388 9th St., Suite 159, Oakland, CA 94607

Open: Daily 2 - 9pm

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Eat in Oakland: Tao Yuen Pastry

Fried Eggplant and Tofu

Barbecue Pork Fried Rice

Baked Barbecue Pork Buns

I realized that a lot of my go-to restaurants never make it on the blog. Maybe it's because I get my orders for pickup or delivery, which implies a less attractive presentation than a dish eaten in-house. Well, since everything is to-go now, I might as well actually share my staples! Tao Yuen Pastry, a Chinese bakery located on Franklin and 9th in Chinatown, has become one of those places. A few weeks ago, my friend introduced me to their well-priced selection of entrees and dim sum and we've gone three or four times since. 

I've come to really like their baked barbecue pork buns, a classic order of mine at a Chinese bakery. The fluffy bun has that interesting papery texture and is filled with the soupy barbecue pork. I also love the fried eggplant and tofu; the eggplant is buttery and the tofu has a lot of flavor. I've added the barbecue pork fried rice to my list and it will become a part of my recurring order as well. Visit Tao Yuen for the Chinese staples you're looking for at very good prices—my two entrees and two buns came to less than $12.

Next time, I want to try some of the other dim sum options like the pork or shrimp dumplings or the fried noodles. If you've visited Tao Yuen recently, what do you recommend trying?

Tao Yuen Pastry

Yelp

816 Franklin St., Oakland, CA 94607

Open: Daily 8am - 6pm

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Work It, Oakland: Larissa

Larissa is wearing a Farm Rio jumpsuit. You can follow Larissa on Instagram.

Spotted on Manila at College.

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Work It, Oakland: Viraj

Spotted on College at 63rd.

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Work It, Oakland: Brie and Addy

You can follow Brie and Addy on Instagram.

Spotted on College and Claremont.

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Eat in Oakland: Timeless Coffee (Pt. 4)

Apple Cider Glazed Donut

This past weekend I tried the Apple Cider Glazed Donut at Timeless Coffee, my favorite vegan coffee shop on Piedmont. As long-time readers may remember, I've previously enjoyed their Cappuccino and Cinnamon Roll. 

Compared to their Chocolate Sprinkle Donut, the Apple Cider Glazed Donut has a chewier texture, almost reminiscent of the mochi donuts at Third Culture Bakery in West Berkeley. The icing is very flavorful, which I definitely appreciate. (Don't you hate when a flavor you were excited about is so subtle it's barely there?) Pandemic or not, Timeless always serves a consistently impressive line of baked goods to pair with your caffeinated staples.

If you've visited Timeless Coffee recently, what did you try?

Timeless Coffee

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4252 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, CA 94611

Open: Tuesday - Sunday 8am - 3pm

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