Zhou Jia Grilled Mochi

Review

Zhou Jia Grilled Mochi stands in the temple-square stall area in front of Hsinchu's City God Temple, registered at No. 75 Zhongshan Road, and is one of the desserts most often named on a temple visit. Supertaste's temple food roundup says long lines form as soon as it opens, a blogger notes the takeaway crowd is big but service is quick, and Marie Claire also puts it on its temple must-eat list.

The stall uses 100% glutinous rice and makes everything by hand daily. Flavours are plain, peanut, sesame and red bean; each order has two pieces that can be mixed, finished with peanut or sesame powder. Freshly made, the mochi is warm, soft and bouncy, with clear peanut and rice aromas and moderate sweetness. For takeaway the powder is packed separately so the mochi does not go soggy. GoFunIt notes it is fully vegetarian, an easy choice for plant-based travellers.

Fans praise the warm, freshly made texture, large size and fragrant peanut powder, calling it the perfect sweet finish to a temple visit. Critics find the skin a bit thick and the price not cheap for mochi, and some warn it may sell out if you come late. Supertaste lists prices of NT$50 for two plain pieces and NT$60 for two filled pieces.

Hours vary by source: some say 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., others until 11 p.m., and Google shows weekdays until 8 p.m. and Friday to Sunday until 10 p.m.; it closes Wednesdays and only while stocks last, so check before going. It is mainly takeaway, and you can eat in the temple-square seating. Parking nearby is hard; it is about a fifteen-minute walk from Hsinchu Station.

Ideal for anyone wanting something sweet after savoury temple snacks, and for vegetarian travellers. First-timers can mix one peanut and one sesame; if you like pure rice flavour, go plain. It is best eaten warm, and for takeaway add the powder just before eating.