Those who know, know.
But if you don’t, we can help you out.
Cafe Mochiko is the place to be if you're looking for authentic Asian American eats.
Many of the cafe’s dedicated clientele rave about its pastries (served mornings and afternoons) and nightly ramen offerings (with locally sourced ingredients).
We stopped into this Walnut Hills hot spot on a busy Saturday morning and pretty much ordered the entire menu.
Photos by Shae Combs
From the Ube Croissant to the Kimchi and Egg Croissant, and the BBQ Pork Snow Bao to the Taro Mochi Donut, everything was delish.
Husband and wife owners, Erik Bentz and Elaine Townsend welcomed us in. Both professional chefs, the couple’s culinary adventures brought them to Cincinnati and Cafe Mochiko.
But does Mochiko mean? Well, it’s not what we thought!
“Mochiko is a glutinous rice flour that we use often and it's also named after our dog, Mochi,” said Townsend. “She’s a poodle and we love her!”
“We have pastries, coffee and tea in the morning,” she said. “We break for a little bit and then at night it turns into a dimly lit cafe with Japanese comfort food.”
That Japanese comfort food includes Broccoli Gomae (a vegan dish of broccoli with sweet sesame dressing), Miso Eggplant (roasted eggplant, sweet spicy miso glaze, and tamaki gold rice), and Karrage (fried soy-marinated chicken thigh, and kewpie mayo).
Mochiko also offers authentic ramen dishes that change weekly.
The restaurant, which began as a pop-up, opened in Walnut Hills in the early 2021.
Bentz says the response from the community has been positive. But from what we saw on our visit, that's an understatement. The lines grow quickly, so make sure you get there early!
Stay tuned to Cincinnati People! We're sharing a profile on the owners and their amazing menu later this fall!