Torori Tenshi No Warabi-mochi: Soft, melt-in-your-mouth warabimochi at newly opened Harbourfront cafe

If you’ve been keeping up with the trends, you’d know that one particular Japanese dessert has been driving Singaporeans crazy in 2024 — we’re talking about warabimochi.

The mania first started with the insanely viral Warabimochi Kamakura — which saw its Holland Village outlet besieged by queues — and has led to an increasing number of cafes and restaurants including the dessert in their menus.

But the competition is only getting fiercer: Torori Tenshi No Warabi-mochi, a renowned brand that started in Osaka and boasts over 140 outlets in Japan, has opened its first outlet in Singapore, too.

Freshly opened for business on Aug 7, the VivoCity outlet is the first of many slated for Singapore, and also the brand’s first outside Japan.

The decor at the first Torori Tenshi No Warabi-mochi is simple and understated — essentially set up like a usual casual Japanese restaurant.

However, there’s an eye-catching fixture: A live station behind glass panels where you can watch the warabimochi being made.

Soft melt-in-mouth mochi

The menu that Torori Tenshi No Warabi-mochi has prepared for Singapore is straightforward: It’s divided into warabimochi desserts, drinks and parfaits.

Warabimochi here is meant to be different in texture from the usual bouncy type, as the name suggests. “Torori” loosely translates to “melt-in-mouth”.

Living up to the name’s promise, the signature original warabimochi (S$7.80 for six pieces a la carte, S$10.80 for the set) is enchantingly soft and sports a soft chew, while also slightly melt-in-the-mouth.

Texture aside, Torori Tenshi No Warabi-mochi’s kinako (roasted soybean) powder also adds a balanced touch of toasty and earthy fragrance, while the kuromitsu (Japanese sugar syrup) injects just the right amount of sweetness to round it off.

This level of richness would probably suit those who aren’t huge fans of overtly sweet desserts.

Getting it in a set means you also get a pot of hot ryokucha (S$6.80 a la carte), which is a nice, mild tea that’s good for washing down the warabimochi.

There’s also a cold option: The matcha warabimochi with ice cream (S$9.80 for seven pieces a la carte, S$12.80 for set).

This variation comes a bit bouncier and with a light dose of matcha fragrance, making it slightly grassy. Guests can also enjoy it with the accompanying ice cream or red bean paste, but Torori Tenshi No Warabi-mochi recommends eating it first with the kinako.

The kinako coat covers most of the faint warabimochi’s matcha undertones. Meanwhile, the ice cream gives it a mild milky note and the red bean paste provides a pleasantly sweet contrast to the earthy matcha. 

For those who enjoy warabimochi drinks, the menu at Torori Tenshi No Warabi-mochi also hosts an diverse array of beverages.

Half of which are more of your conventional cafe-style drinks such as royal milk tea (S$7.80) and cafe latte (S$7.80). 

Of course, we tried the signature matcha latte (S$7.80) and it came with a lighter grassier profile, with morsels of chewy mochi sneaking up on you every few slurps.

There are fresh-fruits-based drinks,too. The strawberry milk (S$9.80) is mellow and tart — could do with a bit more sweetness.

Ultimately, the texture might be the differentiating factor that draws dessert-lovers to visit Torori Tenshi No Warabi-mochi. If you prefer something lighter, softer and sort of melts in the mouth, this might be warabimochi for you.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the viral hidden cafe Hideout Coffee and the coolest new Fillipino concept in town.

Do explore the new GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to VivoCity to try out Torori Tenshi no Warabi Mochi.