Insta or IRL?
Do These Trendy Treats Taste as Good as Instagram Makes them Look?
By Amanda Healy
Graphic by Lila Berger
Social media is not always what it seems, and sometimes it is hard to see what is real behind the filters and editing. This doesn’t just apply to people; it applies to food as well! Instagram explore pages can be filled with mouth-watering dishes and sweet treats, but do you ever question how they actually taste? Or is it just their appearance luring you in? We explored three places in Boston that are known for their trendy treats (and have come up on our explore page) to see if they are just photogenic, or if they are worth trying for taste.
Amorino Boston
Amorino is known for its infamous rose-shaped gelato and other treats, such as gelato macarons, waffles, and crepes. Not long ago there was a time when the rose-shaped gelato kept popping up everywhere on social media. With close to thirty flavors, you can choose a variety of combinations to be in your rose, and you can even top it off with macaron. This gelato was very delicious and refreshing for a hot summer day. It is worth it for the photo and is a delicious treat.
Baked By Melissa
Mini cupcakes are adorable and the perfect little sweet treat. Baked By Melissa is known for its small yet colorful cupcakes, with various unique and classic flavors. You can have these sweet treats shipped to your door, or attend one of their 14 locations. Lucky for us, there is a current popup in Boston's Seaport district, so we got them extra fresh. These perfect bite-sized pieces are delicious, and it is very easy to sit and eat the entire container in one sitting. They are aesthetically pleasing but also very tasty!
Taiyaki NYC
Ice cream is delicious no matter the temperature outside, and even though fall is upon us, it did not stop us from trying Taiyaki NYC. This shop is incredibly unique; instead of getting regular soft-serve ice cream in a cup or cone, it comes in a fried dough cone in the shape of a fish. Very fitting because taiyaki translates to fried fish. These ice creams are decorated with different candies and toppings, making it very photo-worthy. We got the original, which is vanilla ice cream with Oreo cookie crumbs, chocolate drizzle, and a wafer stick, and of course, filled in the iconic custard taiyaki cone. We were a bit hesitant and worried that the ice cream would not live up to the photo hype, but it was delicious. We recommend trying it if you are an ice cream lover looking for something fun!