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 2.5Banh Mi Saigon Mochi bread dessert: First time trying non-sandwich options at Vietnamese bakery Banh Mi Saigon in Chinatown. This spongey bread has an aerated mochi-like texture that’s lighter than Korean mochi bread. It comes in a sizeable half roll, with a green interior (I think unrelated to its flavor, as the dessert just tasted faintly of brown sugar to me). Exterior is a bit like a baked muffin top. There wasn’t any labeling on the packaging, so if anyone is able to clarify the exact name of this dessert, it would be muc... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended nyc dessert sweets vietnamese banhmisaigon mochi bread 3.5Benkyodo Co Mochi: One of the original mochi shops in the US, Benkyodo in Japantown, SF opened back in 1906. Today, the storefront is an odd mix of diner counter, Asian 7-11-type snacks, and fresh made mochi. All of their mochi come in cupcake liners and taste very fresh because they are. The texture is softer than I personally prefer, and there is a little too much starch that coats your mouth with each bite. But I did enjoy that they were not overly sweet. The best was certainly a mango mochi that had f... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japantown sanfrancisco japanese sweets dessert benkyodoco mochi 3.0Berryline 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 4.0Bhan Kanom Thai Pangchi: Pangchi is a bite-sized sticky rice pancake cooked on the griddle, giving it a crispy crust on both sides and mochi-like interior mixed with corn. While not captured in this photograph, panchi are actually lilac in color. Mochi is my favorite snack, and this take on crispy mochi was eye opening and delicious. A perfect bite. Purchased from the Thai dessert specialty store Bhan Kanom Thai in LA. 4.5/5.0
exceptional dessert thai mochi stickyrice corn bhankanomthai pangchi 4.5