Recently, Mochinut, a pop-up store that has gained popularity, established a location in Arcadia. 

If you want to get these donuts but don’t reside in Arcadia, no worries, there are a few other locations around Southern California such as Cerritos, Irvine, and Buena Park. Their newfound success has also propelled them to soon open up new stores in Downtown LA, Rowland Heights, and Lynwood.

Many teenagers and families have visited this store for their famous mochi donuts. They are made of sweet glutinous rice and mochi and have a slightly crispy exterior with a soft, chewy interior. They have an abundance of flavors to choose from. Some of the customer favorites are the original glazed, taro, mango, milk tea, matcha, and black sesame. However, their rotation of mochi donuts they sell on a particular day or location varies, meaning you have to check their social media platforms to ensure when you go, your preferred flavors are available. They post updates regarding their menus on their Instagram, which can be found at @mochinut_arcadia.

A couple of important food restrictions to note before visiting a Mochinut: they unfortunately don’t serve any gluten-free, vegan, or dairy-free products, and some of their products such as their peanut butter mochi donut or chocolate mochi donut with almonds sprinkled on top do contain nuts. 

Not only does Mochinut sell their delicious mochi donuts, but they also have Korean hotdogs. These Korean hotdogs are basically extra crispy, rice flour coated corndogs. There are multiple options for the inside filling, including a regular hot dog, spicy sausage, mozzarella rice dog, or a unique combination of half hot dog and half mozzarella cheese. Additionally, you can top these Korean hot dogs with their spicy volcano sauce, diced potatoes, dried ramen noodles, and a bunch of other assorted toppings. 

When I drove to the Mochinut in Arcadia, it was very crowded with a line out the door almost reaching the street. However, the wait was most definitely worth it. I ordered half a dozen donuts: two original glazed, one red velvet, one cookies & creme, one mango, and one churro. My favorite was the original glazed because of its simplicity. It wasn’t too sweet and was very chewy which added a nice texture. The churro one was very flavorful as it was topped with a good amount of cinnamon sugar. I sadly didn’t get to try their viral Korean hot dogs, but the next time I go, it’s a must-taste. 

Fellow AHS junior Irene Chen also went to Mochinut and enjoyed the mochi donuts because “they are not as sweet as regular glazed donuts, and they taste better because they’re chewier.” She recommends trying the original glazed and mango mochi donuts. 

Senior Zachary Green shared the same sentiment as Irene. He said, “The mochi donuts’ texture was what really made them taste good. Also, the shape of the donuts is unique.”

On the other hand, senior Emme Chen had a more negative review of Mochinut. She explained, “The hype wasn’t worth the price and when I went the donuts were a little cold.”

No matter what, please make sure to support businesses around your community so that they don’t shut down amid this pandemic! 

Photo courtesy of IRVINEWEEKLY.COM