Mochi Strikes: Delectable Delights to Cure Burnout

Mochi Mochi brings a new sweet treat to Columbia.

The idea of burning out had been chirped in my ear so frequently that I needed a little treat — after all, I’d earned it — to erase at least temporarily the burden of an excessive workload and lack of inspiration.  

Mochi Mochi had caught my attention earlier that week. The logo is hard to forget: a white and yellow chicken grinning blissfully within the cushiony blanket of a pink mochi donut. The promise of a sweet, fluffy embrace lured me as if one of the cartoon characters following a bright, sparkly scent.  

Within the doors, I was rewarded for following the incentive. The adorned pink walls felt like an adorable utopia. Sweet notes of pastries and milk tea politely greeted my senses. Ordering was contact free, and my name was called quickly for pickup from the counter. I sat down to revel in the atmosphere and experience the pillowy goodness of the donut wrapped up in front of me. 

Creative Directors 

That alluring logo, I later found out, was drawn by one of the owner’s daughters. Vicky Ni liked the idea of giving her children an opportunity to exercise her creative freedom. And somehow this creative energy and sentiment became an unspoken motto. From the food and the atmosphere to the story behind it all, inspiration strikes. 

Behind the curtain of inspiration are Ruan Fang, Vicky Ni, and Lin Qiu. Ruan Fang, first off, is recognized in the team as a hard worker. In meetings, she often speaks for the customer, asking the group questions and providing insightful thoughts for improvement. She does not speak fluent English but explores her love of cooking during shifts by preparing dishes enfolding bursts of flavor. 

Vicky Ni is originally from a city in southern China but moved to Columbia seventeen years ago. She is a Mom, and often provides the same knowledge and guidance she had as a child.  

“My parents have been running Chinese restaurants since they came to Columbia, and they have been in business for more than thirty years. My experience comes from their teachings,” Vicky Ni notes. 

Her parents are a resonating culinary teacher for Vicky Ni, but Lin Qiu is a foodie who shares the passion for creation and baking. Lin Qiu, deemed as a culinary artist within the group, brought a plethora of ideas to the team to try and experiment with. 

With each of their talents and concepts, the team formed, purchasing what would soon become Columbia, Missouri’s home for the sought-after mochi donuts. 

The Pitch 

It all began because of the sweet, chewy donuts. On a trip to Texas in 2021, Vicky Ni first bit into this scrumptious pastry. The big city sounds shut off as she was invited in by the fluffy texture and stimulating flavor. She fell in love. That passion would soon become heartbreak upon returning to Columbia. She couldn’t find the sweet anywhere in town. She searched and searched, but alas, she couldn’t find anything like it. That was until she met Lin Qiu. 

After Vicky Ni had the opportunity to try Lin Qiu’s homemade mochi donuts, they both knew, with each bite, there was a store concept waiting to be batched up into existence. 

It didn’t take long before the business shifted into the early stages of planning. The team decided to keep everything fairly simple. None of the food was meant to be too complicated. Creativity and flavor should speak for themselves, of course. They brainstormed staple food along with drinks, and the star desserts. A takeout-modeled restaurant was in their sights. 

The idea of simple, although downplayed, may have sprouted from Vicky Ni’s childhood memories. Simplicity was always the key at dinner — even large events and holidays. Just because it was straightforward and uncomplicated never meant it lacked innovation with a punch of flavor; it was quite the contrary. 

Vicky Ni recalls, “My favorite memory is when I was a kid. My parents cooked a lot of delicious and rich dishes during the Chinese New Year. I’m amazed at how many of them can make at least twenty different dishes with the same ingredients. And they don’t have to spend a lot of time [doing prep work before] cooking.” 

They were visionaries, and the three women of Mochi Mochi were following close behind in those footsteps. The team prepared for the grand opening of Mochi Mochi for half a year. The final touch was the logo. Through many logo concepts, they continued to be dissatisfied. The first logo they liked happened to be the special, alluring emblem overlooking Bernadette Drive today — a design created and painted by Vicky Ni’s two daughters that the team fancied entirely. 

 After that, everything was finalized and the restaurant opened in September 2023. 

Chef-d’oeuvre 

There are four main categories on the menu. First, with delicious food, there must be a delightful drink. Mochi Mochi has it all from coffee to the sweeter bubble tea, fruit tea, and slush. The team recommends and boasts the strawberry milk tea and the brown sugar milk team. The Korean fried chicken — both bone-in and boneless — is the perfect pairing. With ingredients imported directly from South Korea, it is an authentic, filling, and tender meal with six vast flavor profiles to choose from. 

Looking for something light? Mochi Mochi offers a variety of sushi, including a number of vegetarian options. And of course, the namesake of the brand, Mochi Mochi, creates a total of twelve flavors of mochi donut along with mochi balls — think Munchkins (but better) — and donut ice cream. The current fan-favorites are the mango, strawberry, cookies and cream, and taro. 

First biting into one of the mochi donuts transported me. The long day, the hard hours of my week, and all the impending projects faded away. What was left was the moist, fluffy bite of sweet black sesame with a luscious slurp of brown sugar. Inspiration struck at that moment. A mouthful of memorable triumph. 

“I hope that everyone can put forward ideas and opinions,” Vicky Ni voices. The company supports collaboration, improvements, and original ideas. They welcome any suggestions and new creativity at hand. 

The dream is to open up food chains with new and original flavors at each. Each location would be modeled after the original, but each would serve a different kind of food; a clever rendition of the starting point. It would develop from there. They’re starting with Mochi Mochi and planning to map it out from there. 

Mochi Mochi is unlike any other experience — especially in Columbia. It is a celebration of culture, family, and creativity. It’s sweet and fluffy, delivering its promise and so much more. Somehow the adorably adorned restaurant becomes a sanctuary where negative energy melts away with the opening of the door. The bells jingle with your entrance. 

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MOCHI MOCHI
2507 Bernadette Drive
Sunday – Thursday: 10am – 8:30pm
Friday & Saturday: 10am – 9pm
mochimochicolumbia.com