Hello and welcome back to the second edition of PA Food Spots: Do(s) and Don’t(s)! This week’s edition is a deep dive into my second place restaurant picks and their menus: Crumbl and Domoishi. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Second place is a tough decision for me; I’m not quite sure which is better. I feel like I have to be in the mood for either spot. I don’t always want something sweet but some days it might be nice, and I may not always want a hefty meal I have to sit and wait for. So, tied for second place I’m going to put Domoishi and Crumbl.

Let’s start with a look at Domoishi’s menu and a little background on their restaurant. Domoishi is a restaurant that combines different types of Asian/Pacific Island cuisines. They include ramen which originated in Japan, poke bowls originally from Hawaii, Taiwanese bubble tea, and Korean style wings. Now, while I haven’t had everything on Domoishi’s menu (due to a severe food allergy), I have found a couple of favorites I revisit often. 

One of the first staples I remember indulging in from Domoishi was definitely their wings. If my mom picked me up from school on a Friday we were surely going to stop by and pick up some crunchy soy garlic wings. Something about the flavor just elevates them. They are by far the best thing on the menu and ultimately help Domoishi achieve second place in this series of ranking. Their ramen is a more controversial subject for customers. Some may love it while others express it lacks flavor. However, I find no issues with any components of their ramen. I think the broth, noodles, and toppings are all done to perfection. 

My only issue with Domoishi has to be their drink menu. I’ve been to many boba spots and always find Domoishi ranked last on the list. I feel as though when I receive my drink (whether it’s a cream smoothie or boba) I taste more milk than flavor and it doesn’t really hit the spot like it should. Despite that one minor issue, Domoishi is still a top pick for me due to its affordability and flavor factor.

Now, onto our other second place winner, Crumbl Cookies. I’ll start off by mentioning how this has easily become a favorite spot of PA students. There’s not a day you’ll go by Crumbl without seeing a couple students inside, and I can’t blame them. The diversity of flavors and ideas keep flowing from Crumbl and most of the time, they don’t miss. Even if they have a couple of mistake flavors, they always throw in a mix of spectacular cookies, including the classic chocolate chip.

While there are always a couple of days when I’m craving something sweet, there are also days where I should be saving rather than spending. My biggest issue with Crumbl is definitely the prices of their cookies. I do understand that they’re larger than your average cookie but sometimes I have to consider if I should feed myself or my wallet. Other than that, I really do enjoy Crumbl and each week I’m eager to see what flavors are next. Seriously, who thinks of a milkshake cookie? It sounds so odd but it’s so genius, cold cookies might just be the way to go.

It’s safe to say that despite some issues or doubts with each food chain, these are two great picks for an afterschool snack. So, Crumbl and Domoishi are absolute DOs in my book.

Join me again soon where I will reveal the third place winner of this series with some more tidbits on food in the area!