Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Mochi Cream from Cafe COMME ÇA ISM

Mochi Cream

Mochi ice cream has been around for ages, but there was one shop in particular that we really enjoyed on our last trip to Osaka, so we were happy to run into one again here in Tokyo today. What made these so special was that they were filled with what seemed to be some kind of creamy custard inside rather than stone cold ice cream.

So we were a bit puzzled today when these seemed more like the latter. There were some instructions attached to the bag; it was all in Japanese, but presumably it offered tips on how to keep them and how to let them defrost so that they do become more like that custard-y stuff that we had before. So we probably just needed to let them thaw a bit more. (Can anyone confirm?)

I did notice a shop in Singapore recently (a donut shop, I think?) with a sign promoting something similar, but I immediately dismissed it because it stated that it was ice cream inside. Now I'm starting to wonder if it were the same thing, and if it merely needed a quick exposure to the searing Singapore heat outside first.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

i believe the stall that sells mochi ice cream in Singapore is from the Beard Papa chain at Bugis Junction. Well, i bit into mango-flavoured one that was starting to melt, and while it had a soft consistency akin to custard, it still had a mango sorbet texture to it that reminds u it's ice-cream. Maybe the vanilla ice-cream ones taste like custard when slightly melted. -blu

Teri said...

Where did you find this mochi ice cream? I live in Tokyo and would love to try it!

bma said...

I noted Cafe COMME ÇA ISM in the header since they seemed to have been attached to the many COMME ÇA ISM clothing stores around Japan (the other day was at Venus Fort, while in Osaka it was in a big Yodobashi). But in Yokohama today we noticed a Mochi Cream stall sitting on its own in the basement food area of a department store / train station, so apparently it's not that closely connected. Just look for the black decor.

And yes, it does look like one does need to wait first (15 minutes if I understood the lady correctly). The odd thing is that meant that the one in the Osaka Yodobashi had pre-thawed them, since we got to eat them on the spot there. If you are fluent in Japanese, please let us know what the instructions are!

And yes, in Singapore I think it was Beard Papa now that you mention it, although I saw it at the Raffles City location.

toby. said...

Just found your site by accident. That ice cream is really fabulous and we have it on Okinawa also. Re your question you wanted to have confirmed: That instruction says you need to let it defrost for a while so you don't have that brick-like experience. Don't remember it completely but I think it says until the actual mochi layer around the ice cream becomes soft and that's when things become orgasmic... ;o) It's like the Japanese answer to Tim Tams, if you ask me.
Greets from Okinawa. Toby

molly said...

that mochi place looks outrageous. i've been craving mochi lately!!