Over the past few years, the dessert world has seen a fusion of flavors. We’ve seen the rise of cronuts, cronuts, brownie donuts, and cheesecake brownies. And the humble glazed donut? It’s been through a lot of twists and turns—to cronuts, donuts, Da Vincis, and even those questionably healthy imitations of apple donuts.
Try the mochi donut: the chewy, crispy, and fluffy franken-sweet treat you never knew you needed.
This seemingly niche mashup has quietly hit dessert menus across the U.S., blending the chewiness of mochi with the crunch of a classic donut. Now, it’s landed in Cairo. Opened a few months ago at the Egyptian National Convention Center (EDNC) SODIC, MochiDo is the first café in Egypt dedicated to this quirky, yet satisfying dessert.
But in a world saturated with sweets and full of six-syllable inventions, one has to wonder: why all the innovation? Can’t we just have cookies and brownies?
MochiDo co-founder Mohammed Medan doesn’t think so. “People are never satisfied,” he tells SceneEats. “It’s in our nature to keep exploring new things — especially when it comes to desserts.”
With classic hear me out, Medan pitched the idea to his sisters. They were hesitant at first, but ultimately went all in. And we mean “all in”: Making MochiDo required a significant investment in specialized (and expensive) equipment, not to mention sourcing niche ingredients. “The entire preparation — from concept to production — took two years,” he adds.
For those unfamiliar with Japanese mochi, it’s a bite-sized dessert made from rice flour, tapioca flour, and coconut milk that’s steamed to achieve its signature chewy texture. At MochiDo, dough is shaped into rings and deep-fried, resulting in a soft, cloud-like texture that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
The Japanese-American fusion extends to the drinks menu, too: think bubble tea, sago and single-origin coffee. The colorful lineup includes date banana almond milk tea, tamarind ginger iced tea, taro buckwheat tea and lychee hibiscus tea—all served in a space filled with playful purple, green and bright accents. “We wanted the interior to be as fun and expressive as the menu,” says Medan.
So the next time you’re craving something sweet but don’t know what to get, try a mochi doughnut. It’s chewy, crispy, unique and delicious.
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