Uji Mochi Ice Cream: Offering over 12 different mochi ice cream flavors, Uji in Berkeley is taking a unique spin on this classic Japanese dessert. They take it very seriously, serving their mochi with bamboo sticks that are meant to be used to prod the mochi, ensuring that it's soft enough to eat. After ten minutes of waiting, though, I got impatient and held the container in my hand to try to bring the mochi down in temperature quicker. I tried the Ginger Zing (a mild, rather than spicy, sweet ginger flavor)... (read more) 3.0/5.0
berkeley pumpkin lychee ginger uji mochi ice cream 3.0 ujitime
Master Wang's Bakery Mochi: Brought back from Taipei, this brand of mochi treats comes in a variety box with individually-wrapped peanut, sesame, and red bean mochi. Since mochi is my favorite dessert, I can be an especially tough critic when it comes to this Japanese specialty, and it's not often I'm introduced to a new take. But after trying this brand, I've learned about a completely different texture of mochi that's slick rather than firm. While it's coated with a layer of starch like most packaged mochi is, biting... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended taiwanese redbean sesame peanut masterwangsbakery mochi 4.0
900 Grayson Mochi Cupcake: Of the recent offerings at Berkeley restaurant 900 Grayson, the most intriguing was their mochi muffin. The small muffin, at around 3" in diameter, is topped with a mix of sesame seeds and has a toasted exterior. Unfortunately, the inside was not nearly as chewy as I expected – you could tell it was mochi, but the texture was dense, and the muffin overall ate a little stale. At least it wasn't overly sweet. 2.5/5.0
900grayson mochi cupcake 2.5
Berryline Watermelon Froyo with Mochi: Watermelon and yogurt aren't two flavors I've imagined together, but Berryline expertly marries them into a wonderfully refreshing summer treat. Slightly tart but just sweet enough, the seasonal flavor is subtly impactful. The homemade mochi is good too, with a chewier consistency than the larger chains. 4.0/5.0
recommended cambridge boston yogurt berryline watermelon froyo mochi 4.0
Mikawaya mango mochi ice cream: This brand claims to be the "original and best" Mochi ice cream. Whether it's true or not I cannot say, but the brand has permeated American supermarkets, with chains like Trader Joe's as stockists. It also seems to be the de facto choice for restaurants selling Mochi ice cream they don't make themselves. Luckily, the ice cream is very good. They have found a way to maintain a chewy and soft Mochi texture despite being frozen, and the ice cream is smooth and creamy. I usually find myself dus... (read more) 4.0/5.0
mikawaya icecream mochi mango 4.0 recommended dessert traderjoes ice cream
Trader Joe's pumpkin pie mochi flavored ice cream: 'Tis the season for an insane assortment of pumpkin flavored products at Trader Joe's, including pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds. This TJ branded mochi ice cream is so similarly packaged to the Mikawaya brand they also carry that I wonder if it was a partnership. Anyhow, the spiced pumpkin flavor of the ice cream is quite good: rich, creamy, and of the season. But where the dessert fails is the graham cracker bits embedded in the ice cream, which have a dense texture and clearly do not freeze w... (read more) 3.0/5.0
traderjoes icecream pumpkin mochi 3.0 sweets dessert pumpkinpie pie flavored ice cream