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2008-12-04
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A few years ago someone introduced a different kind of Mochi, the glutinous sweet dumpling of Japanese origin, to Hong Kong. With custardy cream filling and strawberries as filling, it was a hit for a while, and then, fallen off the radar of many foodies' food map altogether. Given HK-ers curiosity and adventurous mindset to anything Japanese, Mochi is back in vogue, fingers crossed this time, but there ain't no strawberries in this one. Enters MochiCream, and its first outlet in HK appropriatel
MochiCream takes the space previously taken by Antique Patisserie. The decor is simple and slick, with cool black against metallic jewel display cases with clean edges, a rather minimalist design that intends to please the customers with its specialty -- the mochi themselves. In the L-shaped case are mochi the colour of pastels, slightly plump in appearance. Ai, the shop manager greeted me with a smile that touched her eyes, and only a simple introduction was needed.
"Basically they're mochi, but DIFFERENT."
'Mochi with a twist' rings the bell that reminded me of the strawberry filled kin many years ago. She assured me this one's different. I browsed through the catalogue looking for her recommendations. Each mochi is slightly round, when halved in the middle, you can see a sweet flavored bean filling, and inside the filling, right in the middle is a cream made specially in Japan. With 19 flavours on the menu, each ranging from $13 to $17. The flavours are rather diverse. You can find the typical Red Bean, sweet potato, chocolate and mango, and perhaps something unconventional such as Darjeeling Tea, Rum Raisin and Blueberry Yoghurt among the choices.
I picked out four, despite some difficult decision making. I ordered SAKURA ($13), GREEN TEA ($13), BANANA-CHOCOLATE ($16) and APPLE PIE ($17). Banana-chocolate is a moist patty covered with cocoa. The banana-flavored bean filling is not cloyingly sweet, and the fruity taste remains subtle with some chunks of chocolate incorporated in it. It tastes very much like a slice of warmed up banana bread with chocolate chips within. The decided bite of dark chocolate is countered by the sweetness in banana. There is a surprising resemblance of custard in the filling as well. Note that this is the only one among the 18 other flavours that have a chocolate-cream in the middle. Others are merely plain cream.
Sakura is pink, and like everyone I know anything THIS pink is doomed to disappoint. Yet the filling, made with sakura leaves and beans, of course, is lighter than anticipated. With the help of the soft pillowy 'special cream' filling I realize that it doesn't take strong flavours to recreate Spring flavours that can offer you an imagery of standing on a boulevard with blossoming cherry blossoms on both sides. The floral scent is there, and the taste is not overpowering either. Green Tea, however, is more subtle. The first bite offers you an intense hit of matcha, with the quintessential slight bitter aftertaste. It doesn't upset the palate very much before the green tea flavored filling and cream act as a two-way punch. Green tea as a flavour powerhouse mellowed by the light cream and get you ready for the next green tea hit! Don't miss the bits of Adzuki beans throughout the green filling.
The surprise of the day goes to the Apple Pie. Being the most priced item (the only one that costs $17), there is a reason for that. The filling, I was told, was made by first baking the apple pie, then breaking them apart and use as a filling. I didn't understand that at first, and thinking it would be disappointing and sloppy with canned apple pie filling. My intuition failed me, as my first taste of the filling was no apple. Instead it's a crunch I thought at first as 'egg shell'. I took a closer look, it wasn't eggshell at all. It's a buttery flake of pastry most resembling Feuilletine, or crushed wafers. Now I realize what "crushed apple pie as filling" mean. The buttery pastry flakes, golden caramelized apple bits and the lightest tasting filling compete for my palate's attention, and I gotta say this has to be the best one among four, leaving my tastebuds wanting more afterwards, as the taste of buttery apples linger on.
Sweets lovers should like the diversity of these mochi. By building a new form of sweets using a fundamental concept like mochi is nothing new, we've had the painful lessons learned, and the ice cream ones before that. While I cannot foresee whether these dainty Japanese cakes will be here to stay, or not. It is clear that MochiCream and its contents have been developed with some creative thoughts, such as the incorporation of pastry flakes in the filling. At the very least I've been seeing waiting lines at the little joints. That, should be a relieving sign of the mochi comeback. Perhaps?!
張貼
