Mochi Bubble Tea Cafe - Richmond, BC

It used to be GoGo Tea House (servers who walked around in different little outfits i.e. sailors, police officers, etc), then Magnetic Cafe (which no one I know seems to have tried) and now it's Mochi Bubble Tea Cafe.  Not much is known about it since it just recently opened but it still serves bubble tea, there's Taiwanese/HK cafe fare, it's open late on a Saturday night and there's no lineup so the Piglets are gonna give it a try.  Up to Mochi we go!

A normal looking server has seated us - he's not wearing a little outfit so I'm assuming the costumes are gone now.  I feel conflicted about that - the outfits were both degrading but comical at the same time.  Only a few tables full for a Saturday night whereas every other Taiwanese Cafe we visited had a few people waiting outside - I feel conflicted about that as well.  Hopefully the food is good...

Honey Ginseng Tea - $5.99

THAT is too neat!  Served in a beaker over candlelight, you can see it steep as you sit and talk.  LOVE IT! Both the honey and ginseng flavor is very prominent despite the light yellow color of the tea to the delight of the whole table.  Mr. Teddy also liked that there were actual sticks of ginseng steeping and even munched on a few after the tea was done.  Overall a very good hot tea selection.

Thai Chicken Fried Rice - $7.50

It honestly looks like regular fried rice with perhaps pineapple in it.  Mrs. Teddy likes the version available at Angel Cafe more as the chicken was roasted and there were more flavors present (sweet, sour, savory, etc).  This one from Mochi is more like just plain chicken fried rice - it's not bad but it's not as advertised either since there were no real Thai flavors.

Spicy Diced Chicken with Rice - $7.99

My selection comes with plain white rice and hot sweet and sour soup.  The soup is just sour with not a lot of hot or sweet.  The consistency is a nicely thickened and there's plenty of veggies in it but the balance of flavors is all out of whack.  The chicken dish is...  I'm not sure.  It's got the chilies, peppers and peanuts, and the peanuts are good, but the chicken itself is a rubbery consistency, like the chicken you get frozen and then re-cooked.  The sauce is spicy but not much else.  Overall, I've had versions of this at other restaurants and this one can't really compare to them.

Japanese Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl - $7.99

The pork cutlet is nicely fried, not too oily and surprisingly still quite moist.  In addition to the pleasant crunch is a salty and a bit spicy seasoning on top that Mr. Teddy and I like and matches well with the plain vegetables and rice.  Because that's what it comes with - plain vegetables and white rice.  Other than the pork cutlet itself, there isn't much else going on here.


Is it Mochi now or still Magnetic?  The sign says Mochi but our bill says Magnetic.  Hm.  Anyhoo, Mochi is not bad but in comparison to other Taiwanese cafes and bubble tea cafes like Pearl Castle, Bubble World, and The One, Mochi cannot compete in terms of their food.  What does Mochi have going for it?  A much more relaxed atmosphere - a bit quieter, you can sit, sip a drink as long as you like and play cards or have a conversation with your dining compadres without the servers rushing you out, reminding you of the time limit, or having people watching you eat while they wait.  Come here for a drink (bubble tea that is - no alcohol served!) but the food is not as good as we've had elsewhere, so take it or leave it as you like.


Pros:

• Free parking - it's a decent lot with multiple levels
• Service is attentive and friendly
• Open late
• No waiting on a Saturday night
• A very quiet and relaxed atmosphere - which can be good or bad depending on what you want

Cons:

• Cash only
• Food is only ok
• A very quiet atmosphere