Siroo Rice Cake Cafe is a specialist tteok café, with production carried out on-site each morning under the direction of an owner with decades of experience. The offering spans traditional rice cakes alongside more contemporary formats.
2021
The shop was divided between pre-packaged items and a small dine-in area.
Black Sesame Injeolmi ($7.50)
Injeolmi, made from sweet glutinous rice, presented with a dense, elastic chew. Unlike Japanese mochi, the dough carried a noticeable saline note, which shifted the expected sweetness into a more savoury register. The coating of unsweetened black sesame powder introduced a dry, slightly bitter edge, allowing the nuttiness to sit forward without sugar masking it.
Plain Mochi with Red Bean Paste ($4.00)
A large-format piece, cut prior to serving. The exterior powder leaned savoury rather than sweet. The mochi itself was soft but lacked the cohesive stretch typically associated with Japanese versions, separating cleanly from the filling. The red bean paste was coarse, contributing texture, though the flavour was muted despite its sweetness.
Black Sesame Bean Paste Mochi ($8.50, three pieces)
Each piece was flatter and more uniform. Texture aligned more closely with expectations, with a softer, more integrated chew. The roasted soybean flour coating added a dry nuttiness, while the filling delivered a gentle black sesame sweetness without pronounced bitterness. This combination held the most balance across the range.
Black Sesame Biscuit ($2.00)
A compact, dry biscuit combining black sesame, wheat, puffed rice and pumpkin seeds. The texture was crisp but austere, with a restrained sweetness. In contrast to products such as Iwata Goma Taiko, which use brown sugar for a deeper, caramelised profile, this read more as a lightly sweetened grain snack.
Overall, an introduction to Korean rice cakes that prioritised restraint in sweetness and a more savoury lean. Texture varied, with only some aligning with expectations shaped by Japanese mochi.
2022
A subsequent visit followed the opening of an Eastwood location, shifting focus towards hangwa.
Gangjeong (Plain / Mugwort) ($4.00)
Elongated, hollow rice puffs coated in honey and puffed rice. The structure was light and aerated, fracturing easily on bite. The mugwort version introduced a mild herbaceous bitterness layered over the sweetness, adding dimension absent in the plain. The overall effect resembled puffed rice confections, though less sweet than commercial cereal bars.
Yakgwa by Yang Yang Osaek ($2.00)
A deep-fried wheat-based cookie. The aroma carried a faint oiliness. Texture was dense without crispness or chew, yielding easily under pressure. Flavour was subdued: mild sweetness, sesame notes, and a light spice, loosely comparable to Vietnamese bánh tiêu in profile but without its structure.
Overall, an exploratory set of traditional confections. Textures remained a limiting factor, reducing repeat appeal.
Siroo Rice Cake Cafe is located at 106 Rowe St, Eastwood NSW 2122.
2024
By this stage, expansion had extended to additional suburbs including the CBD and Burwood.
Omegi Rice Cake ($9.50)
A Jeju-style preparation: mugwort rice cake wrapped around red bean paste and rolled in ground red beans. The tteok was softer and more yielding than earlier examples, with a gentle herbal note from the mugwort. Sweetness was moderate. The red bean filling, however, was dry and crumbly, reducing cohesion.
Mugwort Red Bean Mochi ($4.00)
A more balanced execution. The red bean paste was both smooth and slightly textured, with a controlled sweetness. The thicker mochi layer remained soft and cohesive, with the filling ratio sufficient to maintain flavour through each bite.
Strawberry Red Bean Mochi ($4.50)
The addition of strawberry introduced acidity that cut through the sweetness. The mochi exterior was firmer and thicker than the mugwort variants, shifting the balance towards texture over filling. Korean desserts here continued to present with lower overall sweetness.
Overall, incremental improvement in texture and balance, particularly where filling ratios were adjusted and acidity introduced.
Siroo Rice Cake Cafe is located at Shop 2, 38-40 Railway Parade, Burwood NSW 2134.
2025
Focus shifted towards hybrid and modern formats.
Strawberry Rice Cake Cupcake ($9.00)
A dense tteok base paired with a lighter strawberry cream. Texture contrast was central: the firmness of the rice cake against the softness of the cream. Strawberry appeared in multiple forms—purée within the cream, a liquid centre, and fresh fruit—creating layered acidity and sweetness. The structure held together cleanly, with each component remaining distinct.
Omegi Ricewine Rice Cake Waffle ($10.00).
Layered red bean paste and mugwort rice cake, enclosed within jeungpyeon and pressed in a waffle iron. The exterior formed a crisp shell, while the interior retained an airy, spongy structure, similar to Cantonese baak tong gou. A mild tang from fermentation sat beneath a light sweetness. Mugwort contributed a restrained herbal note. The red bean paste provided depth and mild sweetness. A honey drizzle added excess sweetness, partially offset by fresh strawberry.
Coffee & Honey Steamed Rice Cake ($3.50)
Texture was dry and crumbly. Coffee flavour was faint, offering little bitterness or aroma. A central honey component added moisture and a darker sweetness, though insufficient to balance the dryness.
Flat Mugwort Rice Wine Rice Cake ($3.50)
A lighter, springier structure derived from fermentation. The texture was soft but resilient, avoiding density. A mild lactic tang supported a gentle sweetness. Mugwort remained subtle, while hawthorn introduced a light crunch and additional sweetness. The elements integrated cleanly.
Overall, Siroo Rice Cake Cafe succeeds most when it leans into modern and fermented interpretations of tteok, where lighter textures and restrained sweetness create better balance. While the more traditional items remain texturally challenging, the innovative offerings show clear finesse and make the cafe worth visiting, even for those not usually drawn to Korean rice cakes.
Siroo Rice Cake Cafe is located at 981 Victoria Rd, West Ryde NSW 2114.