Lee's Mochi Taichung

Review

Lee's Mochi Taichung is at No. 399, Section 1, Xitun Road in North District (though it is on Xitun Road, the address falls in North District), near the National Museum of Natural Science. The sign shows its age, and the shop makes mochi by hand every day following the traditional Caotun method. It sells only one signature mochi and built its name on that single item; several souvenir roundups, including Supertaste and Yam Travel, feature it.

The mochi is shaped into long strips filled with red bean paste and sesame paste and coated in peanut powder, so three aromas come through in distinct layers, sweet but not cloying; the skin is soft, chewy and elastic enough to stretch a long way. One roundup says the coating is soybean powder instead, so sources differ slightly. A 2023 report gives NT$110 for a regular box of 10 and a 12-piece gift box packed like a lunch box; a 2021 food blog lists the gift box at NT$160, so go by in-store prices.

Most reviews praise the balanced thickness and softness and the not-too-sweet flavor, and it is a popular afternoon snack and offering for the Earth God. The downside is long queues on worship days, the 1st, 2nd, 15th and 16th of the lunar month; the blog also mentions customers saying round mochi appear on those days, though the writer could not confirm it.

Hours vary widely by source: some say 09:30–15:30, others 09:30–17:30, and an older blog says until 8:00 p.m., so go early and check before you visit (tel. 04-23239172). It is mainly takeaway, you can watch the mochi being made, and most customers arrive by car or scooter. Freeze leftovers rather than refrigerating them, which makes them hard; they keep until the next day at room temperature and about one to two weeks frozen.

It suits anyone buying traditional mochi to share with friends, family and elders, or needing offerings for worship. A box of ten is just right for sharing; eat them the same day when they are chewiest and freeze the rest straight away.