Visit Las Vegas: Moignet Café

Moignet - Mochi Beignet

Home of the viral mochi beignet and the even tastier mango mochi, Moignet Café is a great place to get sweet treats in Las Vegas. Located in Las Vegas' Chinatown, the café offers a variety of breakfast sandwiches, lattes, and desserts.

The moignet is a blend of fresh mochi beignet dough filled with house-made mochi filling and dusted with matcha powdered sugar. You can also ask for regular powdered sugar. The moignets come in orders of 6 or 12 and you can choose to purchase sauces: yuzu, strawberry, or chocolate.

The mango mochi was definitely my favorite. It is a large piece of mango with cream wrapped in a sheet of soft mochi. 100% recommend! Service was super friendly, but expect to stand in a long line. Inside and outside seating available to enjoy your treats.

I loved the Mango Mochi!

Moignet: A Social Cafe

3500 S Wynn Rd, Las Vegas NV 89103

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Hua Mochi Aloha

 Sometimes the best food discoveries happen completely by accident. I was heading to Kahala Mall with my coworkers to grab lunch when a bright pink food truck parked along Kilauea Avenue caught my eye. I had no idea what it was, but I knew I had to walk over and check it out.

Turns out, it was Hua Mochi Aloha, a local vendor that regularly pops up at the KCC Farmers Market on Saturdays and the Mililani Farmers Market on Sundays. I had somehow never heard of them, but clearly plenty of people have — they’re known for their fresh mochi stuffed with whole strawberries.

Once I learned that, choosing what to order became very easy. I went straight for the classic strawberry mochi and also bought two of the strawberry chocolate. At $5 a piece, it’s definitely on the pricier side for mochi, but I don’t mind paying a little extra when something is genuinely good.

And these were good. Soft, chewy mochi on the outside, fresh fruit inside, and just the right amount of sweetness. Not something I’d splurge on every week, but absolutely worth trying at least once — especially if you’re a mochi lover or just appreciate a fun local treat.

I’m glad that pink truck caught my attention. If you ever spot Hua Mochi Aloha around town or at the farmers markets, give it a try!

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Visit Japan: Isshindo

I'm not a mochi fan, but I will willingly eat it in Japan, where I think the mochi is absolutely the best.

Whey @ky77 messaged me that I need to try the musk melon with cream cheese mochi from Isshindo in Takashimaya, I made sure to look for it when we went back to the depachika.

Well, they did not have that specific variety, but we couldn't leave without trying any, so we got:

Strawberry & Cream, Crown Melon, Strawberry & Pineapple, Red Melon, and Peach Daifuku.

Daifuku in Japan is really incomparable.  The softest mochi, the freshest fruit . . . 

If you love mochi, be sure to check out Isshindo!

Thanks, @ky77 for the rec!

Isshindo

Japan, 〒542-8510 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Namba

5 Chome Nankai Building, 店地下１階 高島屋大阪
 

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Sweet Party Favors from Fujiya Hawaii

In search of a yummy party favor? Fujiya Hawaii is a great option! I recently ordered their 3 piece chichi dango individually wrapped for $2.75 each. I was able to customize the colors and flavors of the mochi too. I placed the order a couple of weeks ahead of the event and paid over the phone. It was so simple! 

Fujiya also offers an assortment of mochi and chichi dango trays as well as manju sets that are sure to please your guests. While you are there, make sure to check out their selection of handcrafted senbei and li hing gummy candies too! They are open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 am to 3 pm and closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Fujiya Hawaii

930 Hau’oli Street, Honolulu, HI 96826

Phone: (808) 845-2921

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Fujiya Hawaii - a Local Mochi and Snack Shop

One of my friends eats gluten free so I wanted to pick up something tasty that she could enjoy for the holidays. My first thought was chichi dango from Fujiya. Knowing that the shop can get busy, I called ahead and prepaid for my order. 

It was my first time visiting Fujiya's since they moved from Kalihi. The new shop is in town on Hauʻoli Street. I love the updated look and the space to browse other snacks like senbei, iso peanuts, arare, and lemon peel li hing gummy bears. Not to mention, there are lots of pretty packaged trays of manju and showcases of assorted mochi. It's a foodie shopper's paradise and I'm sure you could easily spend an hour choosing gifts for yourself and others.

Assorted senbei perfect for gifts! 

Manju trays 

Variety of mochi to choose from.

My friends loved the chichi dango; one claiming they finished the entire container the same day! It's nice this business which started in 1953 is still locally run today and remains a local favorite.

Fujiya is open Tuesday through Saturday; 9am to 3pm. 

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Fresh Mochi At Puck's Alley

Kansai Yamato, known for their pillowy soft chi chi dango, assorted daifuku, and obanyaki (pancake-filled pastries), has a new home in Puck's Alley near the University of Hawaii.  They used to be located in Moanalua 99 in Mapunapuna, until the entire building was vacated to make way for a new Home Depot.

You can find their mochi in select Times Supermarkets, Sam's Club, Don Quijote, Marukai, Longs/CVS, and Nijiya, but this location in Puck's Alley is where the mochi is made.  

When you walk into the store, you can see the mochi being made. 

Everything is handmade!

The daifuku comes with different fillings: peanut butter, red bean, sesame, sweet potato.

They also make an assortment of Ohbanyaki with various fillings (Vanilla Custard, Sweet Potato, Red Bean) ...

and bite-sized Taiyaki Dun. 

Chi chi dango platters are in high demand right now, due to graduation season.

Yuki Ichigos is one of my favorite items that they make. I love the combination of strawberry and cream!

I bought a couple of these individually packaged Fruit Daifuku for my co-workers.

And some chocolate peanut butter mochi for my mid-afternoon snack.

They use crunchy peanut butter! There are also mini chocolate chips mixed into the peanut butter!

If you're thirsty,  you're in luck. They have a small menu of hot, iced, and Frappe drinks!

Current Hours: Open Daily 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The first hour of parking in the Puck's Alley parking lot is FREE!

___________________

KANSAI YAMATO

1035 UNIVERISTY AVENUE (PUCK'S ALLEY) 

 

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Daizu Tei Mochi at Mililani Farmers Market

On a recent visit to the Mililani Farmers Market, my youngest son asked for mochi, so we went to the Daizu Tei booth, and got a 6-pack of mochi:

Persimmon + White Bean

Chocolate + Banana

Strawberry + Azuki

Strawberry Chocolate

Mango

Pineapple Chocolate

We scored the last Persimmon + White Bean, and my son chose a lot of varieties with chocolate.

The mochi was a hit with the kids!  I cut them all in half so everyone could try different flavors.

You are encouraged to eat them right away, and if you can't, refrigerate them, and try to eat them up as soon as possible since there are no preservatives used in the mochi.

There was a long line in back of me as I was ordering, so get there early to be sure to get your desired flavors (there are many varieties to choose from!).
 

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The Mochi Bar: Homemade Mochi with Alcohol

The Mochi Bar Holiday Sampler

On Instagram, Melissa808 taste-tested a whole set of stuffed mochi with alcohol. As I watched her and her friends giggle throughout the tasting, I could tell that the mochi not only looked amazing, but was incredibly fun to eat and share. 

I finally got my pre-order in and lucky for me it was The Mochi Bar's last offering of their holiday flavors. In the 6 pack I received the following flavors: Snickerdoodle with Bourbon, Eggnog, Nutella with Rum Chata Peppermint Bark, Oreo with Vodka, Coffee with Bailey's Espresso, and Bailey's apple pie liqueur. The pieces of mochi are huge so it's definitely big enough to share.

The mochi was soft, but thick enough to hold the huge amount of filling inside. The fillings were great! I thought some of the alcohol flavors were stronger than others. My favorites were eggnog and oreo with vodka. I am excited to try owner Christina's new flavor creations. She just released an umeshu sampler last week. Her orders open on Tuesdays, the next one being January 25th. 

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Mochi and More from Sweet Inspirations in Town Center of Mililani

What's your favorite kind of mochi?  Sweet Inspirations has all your mochi favorites covered.  Conveniently located in the Town Center of Mililani, Sweet Inspirations offers specialty flavored butter mochi, chi chi dango, mochi rolls, and stuffed mochi!  It's like being in mochi heaven!  

They also offer other goodies like party mix, cookies, candies, granola, and more.  You can even pick up mochi mixes to make at home and get creative with. Anything in the store makes a perfect gift, but be sure to treat yourself and pick something up for you!

If you spend $10 or more in a transaction, you can enter their January giveaway of a mochi platter.  The store hours vary so be sure to check their Instagram account @sweetinspirations808 for the most up to date information.

 

Cookies and Cream mochi roll.  Loved it!

Lemon peel gummies. A family favorite!

Lots of different items for purchase.

Sweet Inspirations

95-1249 Meheula Prkwy unit E-5 Mililani, HI 96789

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Bite Size 808

I was at a food fair event, standing in line with my kids at a booth, when I noticed a child in front of me with the cutest S'mores dessert. I scanned the area and found Bite Size 808, and a table full of the cute treats.  

I picked up Mini S'Mores Cookie Bites, Ube Butter Mochi, and Brownies.

The kids loved the treats!

Bite Size 808 also makes gummies, poi mochi, banana lumpia, and more!

Follow them on Instagram @bitesize808 to find out where they'll be next!

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Bake you a Smile

We had no plans for Labor Day, so when I saw that Baked you a Smile was having a pop up sale on Labor Day, I just had to seize this opportunity to make it out to their commercial kitchen in Waipio behind Costco. I arrived about 20 minutes before they were scheduled to open, and there was already a line of customers waiting at the door.  By the time the sale started, the line was more than twice as long as when I first got there.

Baked you a Smile specializes in stuffed chi chi dango, assorted flavors of butter mochi, Kulolo mochi rice w/hot Haupia and mochi balls, Sweet Rolls w/hot Haupia and mochi balls, and all things mochi. They are at the Kamakana Alii Farmers Market every Wednesday afternoon, and select afternoons outside of their commercial kitchen in Waipio. They also pop up at Nordstroms every once in a while. 

Today I bought three different flavors of chi chi dango filled mochi - azuki bean w/honey, peanut butter, and kulolo. 

These mochi pieces are large and generously stuffed with filling. They use chunky peanut butter, which is my fave!

If you like kulolo (Hawaiian dessert made with mashed taro and coconut milk), you'll want to try the kulolo chi chi dango.  

I also tried the Sweet Rolls w/hot Haupia sauce and mochi balls. The owner suggested that I refrigerate these and eat them the next day, but I couldn't wait, so warmed one up in the microwave for dessert later that evening, and it was amazing! 

I'm thinking of adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream when I eat the remaining rolls tonight!

Follow @Bakeyouasmilehawaii on Instagram to see when they'll be popping up next!

 

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