A-Po Mochi

Review

A-Po Mochi stands to the right of the Daming Road entrance of Lukang's First Market and is the handmade mochi stall with the longest lines in the market. Two Supertaste market reports note that it sells for only about four hours a day, with a queue nearly the whole time, and can sell out around noon. A blogger lists it as a mochi locals swear by, and Dcard users name the market mochi stall when recommending Lukang food.

The mochi is made from fine rice mixed with glutinous rice and shaped and rolled in peanut powder only when ordered, giving a very soft, springy texture that does not stick to the teeth. The peanut coating is distinctly granular and tastes nutty rather than cloying. There are two fillings: sesame, crunchy and fragrant with mild sweetness, and mung bean, softer with a clear bean flavor and the first to sell out. A mixed box of ten costs NT$70 in a small red box, and shuang gao run (layered sticky rice cake) rice cakes appear on holidays only.

Praise focuses on the fresh, soft chew, the restrained sweetness and the fair price. The common complaint is the queue and the risk of missing out if you come late, as holidays often sell out before noon. Prices differ by year: older articles say NT$60 a box, newer ones NT$70 for ten, so go by the stall. No preservatives are added, so eat it soon; it is not ideal as a gift kept for several days.

Sources disagree on opening time, some saying just after 7 am and others 8 am, but all have it closing around noon, so confirm before going. Staffing is ample, so service is quick once you reach the front. The stall is inside the market near famous breakfast stalls for meat buns and meatballs, easy to combine in one trip, and the multi-level car park nearby is a few minutes on foot.

It suits morning market visitors who want a box of old-style mochi as a snack or a same-day gift. Arrive early; the mixed box with half sesame and half mung bean covers both flavors, and if you want shuang gao run (layered sticky rice cake) on a holiday, get there well before noon.