Cafe Mochiko
Japanese restaurant · East Walnut Hills ·
Creative pastries, ramen, sandwiches, and karaage offered
Creative pastries, ramen, sandwiches, and karaage offered
"Itsumono is proof that your final course can be just as thrilling as the first. This bouncy toffee mochi cake tastes like kettle corn and childhood nostalgia. Make sure to engineer each bite with a bit of cake, a spoonful of deep, sticky treacle caramel, and a swipe of creamy gelato for the full experience." - gabe guarente, aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, aimee rizzo
"A plant-filled Asian American bakery-café in East Walnut Hills, this spot surprised locals by adding a Cincinnati-style ramen that blends chili flavors with tantanmen tropes: ground pork, house-made bouncy noodles, tingling heat, a jammy boiled egg and shredded cheddar. Developed as a pandemic-era meal-kit pivot, the chili ramen has remained on the menu despite some outside criticism, and the café pairs it with Japanese-inspired small plates and pastries from an award-nominated pastry chef." - ByDaniel Walton
"Erik Bentz and Elaine Townsend created Mochiko in 2019 to supply pastries to fellow food businesses and directly serve customers a menu of pastries and ramen inspired by yoshoku, or Western-influenced Japanese cuisine. Early in 2021, the pop-up evolved into a brick-and-mortar location in East Walnut Hills. Part bakery, part izakaya, the restaurant offers dishes like omurice, curry tonkatsu, and hamburger served on a fluffy bao bun, as well as sweets like a dalgona coffee pie." - Andy Brownfield
"An Asian American café and restaurant that excels at both dinner and pastries: dinner highlights include slippery, warm-spicy chili miso udon and a shitake don topped with velvety egg and chewy mushrooms, while a Cincinnati-style chili ramen earned high praise. Pastries and milk tea are standouts—especially a pandan doughnut, ube halaya croissant, and Thai tea snickerdoodle." - ByElazar Sontag
"A Cincinnati spot adopting counter service, exemplifying the trend of streamlined ordering and a more casual, efficient dining flow." - ByBon Appétit Staff & Contributors
