The Webb Canyon Chronicle ventures into our favorite on-campus café, Café 1175! With the new addition of boba and outsourced snacks from 85C Bakery Café, Hooper can hardly fend off the frenzies of hungry students. “Whenever I get the chance during breaks, you’ll always see me there in line,” Thea Do (‘24) said. “I always go back to the curry empanada and iced mocha though. They switch it up every single day.” The café displays a variety of sweet and savory snacks that go along with their drink menu, keeping students caffeinated and alert for their next classes. Here is our review on some of our favorite snacks, as well as the ones we were most curious about: 

Coffee milk butter bread paired with pomegranate lemonade 

Eva: 6 

Taylor: 6 

Heloise: 8.5 

The bread felt firm at first, so we struggled to even break pieces off to eat. There were little chocolate chips dotting the surface of the bread, with a decorated stripe of condensed milk on top. However, despite our skepticism with the texture of the bread, we dove in, and were surprised by how sweet the coffee filling was. It was buttery, rich, and felt as though the beans had been directly ground into the paste. We chose to pair this with the agua fresca of the day, a delicious pomegranate lemonade. These flavors may seem drastically different, but a bite of the bun followed by the juicy palate cleanser of ice-cold lemonade perfectly washed down the coffee after-taste.  

Red bean bread 

Eva: 7 

Taylor: 7 

Heloise: 8 

The soft bun encapsulated a pocket of creamy red bean paste, adorned with sesame seeds allowing for an unexpected crunch. Our team of tasters agreed that although the seeds welcomed a nutty taste that enhanced the earthy red bean, it ultimately transformed the pillowy feel of the bread into a bite that obnoxiously got stuck in your teeth. The red bean delivered as expected, smooth and sweet, a paste that can only be described as the feeling of warmth entering your body.  

Milk pudding bun 

Eva: 9.5 

Taylor: 10 

Heloise: 9 

The milk pudding bun was heaven in orange wrapping. The milk custard entangling every fold of the velvety bread was a delight, and the light taste of sweet milk pudding filling was a wonderful surprise. This bun acquired a near-perfect rating for how impressively airy the buttery bread was, how sweet and refreshing the custard tasted, and for bringing smiles onto our faces as we chewed on the bun. 

Berry cream bun 

Eva: 9 

Taylor: 8 

Heloise: 8 

The berry cream bun is the perfect combination of tart berry jam and sugary bread. A creamy, lavender-colored filling within the dough contrasted the sour jam interestingly. The appearance of the bun was slightly off-putting, squished and pale in color, but the first bite changed all our minds. The sugary top layer of the bread had a slight crunch to it, giving another delicious layer of texture that was completely unexpected.  

Ham & cheese 

Eva: 6 

Heloise: 5 

Taylor: 6 

A combination of grease and ham resembles the breakfast sandwich. The bread was soft, particularly when warmed, but the flaky top layer of cheese merely added a level of grease, as opposed to flavor. The cheese felt overwhelming, being baked on the outside layer, and stuffed on the inside, and the smoky ham could hardly compete. The bread lacks true flavor and was not ready to hold all of the grease contained in this sandwich. This savory bread might be for some people, but not for us.  

Bacon & cheese  

Eva: 8.5 

Heloise: 8 

Taylor: 9 

The bacon & cheese bread was a cloud of bread topped with bacon slices and asiago cheese. The warm bread paired with the tasty garlic and bacon was spectacular. The blend of crunchy bacon and soft bread combined to create a whirlwind of textures in your mouth. You might want to brush your teeth after this bread, but it was definitely worth it to enjoy the melty, pillowy pastry. This bread can be very filling and eaten as a filling snack or a light meal.  

Hawaiian chicken bun 

Eva: 9 

Heloise: 8 

Taylor: 9 

This curious-looking roll topped with chicken, cheese, parsley, and tangy sauces tasted exactly like a pizza, although it was cold. The sauce the chicken had been cooked in paired perfectly with this bread, reminiscent of barbecue sauce. We recommend warming this food to enhance the smoky flavors of grilled chicken. Its likeness to a pizza makes this bun as authentic as it gets. 

Pork sung half-moon bun 

Eva: 6 

Taylor: 6 

Heloise: 6 

The fluffy, cloud-like dough makes for an interesting texture that requires an acquired taste. The hint of pork flavoring left the reviewers craving more. This snack requires a particular palate because the texture is not for everyone. It feels and looks hairy, so those not used to this texture might be in for a shock. Pork floss, the topping for this bun, is typically an enjoyable quick snack, but when sprinkled on top of whipped cream, the contrasting flavors make it difficult to consume.