TLO Restaurant Review: Mochinut

I had about two or three donuts in Noble last year for a review and, you know, they were fine. Soul-crushing fattening, but fine.

After that binge, I haven’t had any more donuts, with my glucose index being supplemented with a more balanced profile of natural fruits, whole grains, and other healthy'ish things.

Well, at least it was.

Recently, I heard about a Japanese-influenced doughnut house called Mochinut, 2431 N. Classen, and their new line of rice-floured goodies.

Sorry, but I had to try them…and they were utterly fantastic!

Coming in last week, I looked at all the varieties—probably around 20 or so—and upon inspection picked a half dozen for TLO research purposes. I also started with a bubble-tea Milk Tea ($5.50), because why not?

A delightful mix of sugar syrup, brewed tea, and creamy milk, the foamy brew was an effective libation that washed ably down with a sip of the straw. It was casually refreshing, and helped ready my pallet for the Mochinuts to come.

Here's a breakdown of each Mochinut and how they tasted. I would have provided sterling photographs of each individual one, but my sugar-starved senses took over my brain and put my mouth to immediate work, so cropped pics from above will have to do...

Amazing Glaze

An old favorite re-imagined, this simple standard is, as the name suggests, simply amazing. The lightly-melted sugar clings to the sticky surface of the Mochinut like two long-lost lovers refusing to let go, creating a sweet-sticky goodness that you can never forget.

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Open Sesame

I was not expecting this! The sweet flavor of this Mochinut is slightly tempered with a hint of sesame seed. Giving a good buzz, it has a peppered taste that strangely unsetting, but not unpleasant as the spice steadily burns your tongue.

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Matchana

With a wonderful aftertaste, this matcha-infused donut supposedly has stress-relieving powers for those who could be worried about their caloric intake. It has great taste powers, too, as the herbal aurora is incredible – like a mug of warm tea, it soothes the taste buds.

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Chocodeer

While I have no idea what a “chocodeer” is supposed to be, it’s pretty good! Ostensibly, it is a chocolate ring, with bits of crushed pretzels about it. It might not look great, but it hits the right chocolate spots.

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Mango Tango

Despite a new riff off the Ted Nugent songbook, Mango Tango is totally with that wang dang sweet poontang! With a rockin’ island vibe, this Mochinut was covered in sticky mango syrup, creating a flavor this is alien to most donuts, but it works!

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Cozy Caramel

Finally, we have the grand dame, the Cozy Caramel. Though I am not a caramel fan, this rich treat took me back to the goodies from Mexico that my grandmother would give us, complete with a special topping of a whole caramel cookie. It was a real delight to experience that!

While I know how sinful this batch of Mochinuts are…man, they are a real tasty alternative to the stupid donuts you regularly buy. Give this place a look.

Cómpralo ya!

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Follow Louis on Twitter at @LouisFowler and Instagram at @louisfowler78.