The pros: Trader Joe's Mango Mini Mochi is a classic dessert of east meets west. Mochi evokes strong feelings of love or dislike.
The cons: This is a texture pairing that not everyone is going to love and adore.
The verdict: Welcome to a classic pairing of east meets west. Mochi is traditionally Japanese in nature, however Mochi ice cream is very much a hybrid of the two cultures. Frances Hashimoto, the former president of Mikawaya seems to get the credit for the blending of these two items into one dessert.
My students where I work get a chance to take Mandarin. It's a language that almost none of them have any familiarity with. One of the things we do is go on our annual trip to Chinatown.
While we are in Chinatown the kids and I go to an Asian grocery store. While I'm supervising the kids, I pick up a few things they perhaps have never tried before. One of the things I buy are a few different types of mochi. Then I open a bunch of containers of it. I offer the kids some.
Much like having the kids experience bubble tea for the first time, their expressions are priceless. There is a look of total confusion, some disgust, some joy. It's so different from all the goodies they can get at the local bodega.
Needless to say, their expressions are a bit of a highlight for me. There are very few kids who have ever been in between with liking this.
With this mochi you get a really solid mango sorbet in the middle. These are about the size of Trader Joe's Vanilla Ice Cream Bon Bons and have about the same calorie count. The mochi exterior for me had way too much cornstarch on it. But tasted like most other store bought mochi that I've had.
For $3.49 these will likely satisfy most mochi fans at this price. The flavor is solid. If you've never had mochi, it might strike your palate as an odd pairing of textures. The exterior is squishy, but the interior is the more familiar sorbet texture.
Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:
The box of Trader Joe's Mango Mini Mochi:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
Out of the package you get:
Would I buy this again? No, I know there are people who love Mochi and I respect that. For me Trader Joe's Mango Mini Mochi is a texture pairing I don't love.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Dag says
Unfortunately this product will be a pass for me . I have tried mochi a couple of times and just can't get past the texture.....or really the taste for that matter. Maybe I've just had bad mochi. And unfortunately mango is not one of my favorite fruity tastes. I just feel it's so overused. A plethora of mango flavored stuff everywhere you turn. That said, I do like fresh mango. And when I say fresh mango I mean just recently picked off the tree.....lol. A friend brought some back from a trip that she picked herself. Oh my gosh the taste was so different from supermarket mangoes.
becomebetty says
Hey Dag! I feel the same way. It is not a texture I personally care for, but I know there are lots of people who adore it. I'm very jealous of the fact that you can get fresh mangos like those. I think anything product related in the super market tastes exponentially different when you have it freshly picked. I say that all the time about my mom's lettuce and tomatoes. It's a whole different ball game. Thanks as always for taking the time to stop by and share your thoughts!
Dag says
Lol-yup to me the mochi shell tastes like a thick raw uncooked tortilla wrapped around some super sweet filling. I wish I did like them because they seem like a great cold bite-sized snack for the summer.
Ttrockwood says
I LOVE these mochi! The skin is much thinner than most and i have always loved any kind of sticky rice pastry. Also like that these are vegan and smaller size.
Definitely a love it or hate it texture, I’m a fan :))
becomebetty says
Hey Ttrockwood! I'm glad you like them so much. Did you ever try the old ones they had with the jelly filling? Just curious how they compare. Thanks again for stopping by!
colleenthompson says
I wasn't sure about the textures at first, but it's really grown on me. So nice to have a non-dairy summery frozen treat I can eat!
becomebetty says
Hey colleenthompson! I agree with you. The texture hasn't quite grown on me yet, but I'm glad it is an option you enjoy. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to stop by and share your thoughts on this.