After exclusively operating online and as a pop-up store since 2019, Demochi marked a new chapter by establishing a permanent presence in Burwood Chinatown in July 2023: Demochi Donuts & Desserts.
2023
Their doughnuts were priced at $5.00.99 for one, $11.50 for two, $22.50 for four, and $55.00 for a dozen.
Traditional Cinnamon Donut. This retained the same delightful taste we initially savoured in 2020. With a slightly crisp outer layer and a soft, chewy interior, the cinnamon notes were slightly more subdued compared to Mochi Donuts‘ version.
Original Honey Glazed Mochi Donut with 100s and 1000s. This saw a much-appreciated reduction in the heaviness of the glaze from our first encounter in 2020, which had made it our least preferred selection back then. This adjustment successfully avoided excessive sweetness, while the 100s and 1000s provided a satisfying crunch.
Pavlova Mochi Donut with passionfruit glaze, freeze-dried strawberry powder and smashed meringue. Despite not typically favouring pavlova, we were pleasantly surprised as it became a favourite. The tangy passionfruit glaze harmonized with the intense strawberry powder, while the crushed meringue introduced both texture and subtle sweetness.
Matcha Green Tea Mochi Donut. Even though matcha isn’t a flavour I’m naturally drawn to in Australia, this proved immensely enjoyable. Offering a vibrant, grassy green tea taste that was both robust and balanced, it managed to avoid excessive bitterness without being overly sweet.
Thai Milk Tea Mochi Donut. The presence of black tea in this glaze was quite pronounced, while the subtle inclusion of spiced elements adding a delicate touch that suited our taste preferences. However, individuals who appreciate a pronounced spiced flavour might find it lacking in boldness.
Vietnamese Coffee Mochi Donut. The doughnut skillfully captured the essence of Vietnamese Coffee, with a robust and intense coffee flavour complemented by a subtle bitterness that effectively balanced the overall sweetness. This was a personal favorite, alongside the pavlova.
Strawberry Glazed with Slivered Pistachio Mochi Donut. The strawberry glaze had a subtle shimmer and successfully captured the sweet-tart essence of fresh strawberries. The addition of pistachios provided a delicate crunch and a hint of savory nuttiness.
Lemon Glaze with Torched Meringue Mochi Donut. The lemon glaze had a powerfully tangy flavour, reminiscent of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Its cool temperature, combined with the doughnut’s bouncy texture, offered a pleasing contrast to the gentle sweetness and relative warmth of the meringue. Additionally, the caramelized notes provided a layer of complexity to the overall sweetness.
Melon Glaze Mochi Donut. Anticipating a vibrant green glaze for a visually striking appearance and honeydew melon flavour, we were taken aback to find the orange glaze. Despite the initial surprise, the taste encapsulated the sweet, juicy richness of rockmelon in a natural and enjoyable manner. However, when compared to the other available flavours, we felt that the doughnut lacked some additional texture.
Black Sesame Mochi Donut. As soon as we spotted this item on the menu, we had a strong hunch it would become a favorite, and our intuition was spot on. The black sesame flavour was wonderfully robust, with the nuttiness of the black sesame beautifully offsetting the sweetness of the glaze. The addition of sesame seeds provided a delicate crunch, making this doughnut utterly perfect.
While the mochi doughnuts from Demochi Donuts & Desserts do come at a notably higher cost compared to Mochi Donuts (priced at $4.00 for one, $21.00 for six, and $36.00 for a dozen), the latter is more accessible and widespread across Sydney. Our preference remains with Mochi Donuts’ traditional cinnamon and chocolate variants, primarily due to our aversion to their thick, icing-heavy offerings. Despite this, the base doughnut quality at Demochi proved superiovisiting to Demochi Donuts & Desserts a must for expertly executed iced doughnuts.
2024
Demochi Donuts & Desserts opened a second store in Melbourne in January 2024, introducing a new line of cakes and other non-doughnut desserts. For one day only on 1 June, they brought their Melbourne pastry team to Sydney to recreate these new desserts for preorders. Two of the four tarts tickled our fancy —
Mandarin Tart ($14.00.85). It featured a shortcrust pastry base with mandarin custard filling and crowned with ‘fresh’ mandarin segments.
The tart base was firm, buttery and dense, as was the custard, which delivered a subtle vanilla flavour complemented by the rich, sweet juiciness of mandarin. The custard would have been more enjoyable with a creamier texture. However, the juicy mandarin segments added a burst of intense flavour and sweetness. Despite claims of using fresh mandarin segments, they tasted canned, evident from their uniform sweetness, syrupy flavour, and consistent shape. Overall, the textures in this tart could have been more harmonious.
Mango Sago Tart ($14.00.85). It featured a shortcrust pastry base with layers of ‘fresh’ mango purée, pandan cream, coconut cream and sago.
The mango layer delivered most of the sweetness to the tart. The pandan cream added a subtle grassy vanilla note with slight sweetness and a hint of savouriness, while the coconut cream provided coconut flavour without any added sweetness. This restrained sweetness created a pleasant flavour with enjoyable creaminess, well contrasted by the dense, buttery crunch of the tart base and the chewy sago. However, despite claims of using fresh mango for the purée, the taste and texture resembled mango nectar set with a mix of gelatin and agar, lacking the distinct acidity of fresh mangoes.
Overall, these tarts were interesting to try, with the pandan sago tart being our preferred choice. However, their claims about the freshness of the ingredients were disappointing, as this was evident in the taste, especially considering the pricing of these slices. Demochi can keep their tarts in Melbourne.
Demochi Donuts & Desserts is located at Shop 3, Burwood Chinatown, 38-40 Railway Parade, Burwood NSW 2134.