It’s been sunny and hot lately and an ice cold dessert sounds like a great idea. Guiltea Cravings opened about four months ago in the same strip mall as Sipz and Di Chan, west of the 805 on Clairemont Mesa Blvd. They specialize in macaron’s, tea’s, and snacks.
Up front as you walk in their macaron’s for the day are on full display.
Coco matcha sounded interesting. They mentioned that one of the shells was much softer than the regular macaron shell, and it was. It gave way right as you bit into it and I really enjoyed the flavor of the coconut and hint of matcha.
They even offered a pokemon macaron you can catch. There were a few fruit flavors that made up the filling that I can’t recall now. One of them was passion fruit. All I know is it was very fruity with a tropical burst of flavor.
They knew right away the popcorn chicken would be a hit with the kids and they fired some up for us. These were very kid friendly and weren’t as spicy as some other versions served at tea places. The exterior was very thin but had enough crispiness to be noticed. The chicken was moist, and overall, we were surprised with how much we enjoyed it. Fair or not, I don’t have high expectations of savory menu options at places that focus on dessert. This is something I would gladly order again.
Fruity pebbles macaron ice cream sandwich! I still haven’t gotten off the macaron ice cream sandwich wave. And as many times as I have had them, never have I tried the fruity pebbles variety. Now it will be that much harder to decide what flavor to get in the future. Who knows how they come up with the ice cream flavor that tastes like fruity pebbles. All I know is in a blind taste test, it would be hard to not guess right. 
They cut it up for us so we could easily share. The shells were soft, but not the softest I have ever had and the ice cream was also fairly solid, but melted easily after a few minutes. This reminded me just how good cereal for dessert can be. 
Their most popular drink probably is the coconut matcha milk tea with boba. Are you supposed to stir it and mix the flavors or keep them separate? I had a sip of Michael’s and it was mostly coconut flavor, which I love. I think Michael mentioned the coconut flavor stood out more than the matcha, even when mixed. For me that’s kind of how I would want it.
Michael didn’t try his Sea Salt Coffee during our visit, but it looked good enough for a kick of energy to keep up with the kids. 
Another treat I just can’t seem to get enough of is chamango drinks. Their version was a little more slushy than I have had before but packed a good mango and sour tamarind punch. The sauce called chamoy, was more sour than it was spicy. In fact, the spice was barely noticeable. Usually too much spice in a drink throws me off, and I appreciated the restraint here. The drink itself was refreshing but very sweet. I don’t know if they can adjust it, but I might ask next time if I get it again. 
A few more macaron ice cream sandwiches were to be tasted before we called it a day. The Cookies and Cream didn’t particularly stand out. Still, it was tasty.
Lastly on another visit I had to come back to try their Cookie Monster. This one is unique because on one side you have a macaron shell, and on the other is a peanut butter and chocolate cookie. Sandwiched between them is a chocolate chip ice cream. The flavor is great and it’s a cool idea to combine the two halves. The only gripe I had was with the texture of the cookie. Since it was pre-made and sitting in the freezer, it was quite difficult to bite into at first. After about 5-7 minutes it softened up and we were good to go. But if you like your ice cream on the harder side before it starts to drip, I can see how waiting might be hard to do. I’m sure they can make some sort of tweaks to make it more manageable.
With the menu being so extensive I can see more visits in the future. My dad is always looking for coffee drinks at boba places and often they only serve one or two kinds. Here there is a larger selection for him. After speaking to the owners, I can tell they want to make Guiltea Cravings the best it can be. I wish them well and hope to see them soon!
Disclaimer: We were invited to try their desserts free of charge, but the opinions stated are our own.
Guiltea Cravings
5497 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117
guilteacravings.com
