Famed Warabimochi Kamakura opens first Southeast Asian store with mochi desserts, drinks

The newly opened One Holland Village is set to become the hottest (and most exciting) dining destination in Singapore. 

It’s a pet-friendly mall that’s rife with a plethora of household F&B restaurants, spanning the likes of contemporary Japanese outfit Ginkyo by Kinki, beloved bomboloni concept Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery and now, Japan’s cult-favourite warabimochi brand Warabimochi Kamakura.

Founded in 2004, the famed warabimochi specialist boasts over 50 branches in Japan and also has shops in Hong Kong and Canada. 

The outlet at One Holland Village marks its highly anticipated foray into the Southeast Asian market, with Singapore being its first local outpost. 

It debuted on Feb 3 to great fanfare (and snaking queues), with bright-eyed diners eager to get their hands on a signature warabimochi drink. It operates as a takeaway kiosk, where one can conveniently grab their orders to go.  

If you haven’t snagged a cup yet, fret not! Warabimochi Kamakura is opening its second store at Taste Orchard, which is slated for launch at the end of this month.

Quality warabimochi

Mochi desserts may be a dime a dozen, but Warabimochi Kamakura isn’t one of the top warabimochi brands in Japan without reason. 

For starters, the confectionery takes things up a notch with its interesting fusion of traditional hand-cut warabimochi with modern desserts and drinks. 

It also prepares its warabimochi with 100% bracken starch, as well as a secret house-blend that creates a smooth, silken finish. The velvety texture we can attest to — its warabimochi was chewy and light on the palate. 

Each serving of warabimochi is also rolled and dusted in a premium kinako (roasted soybean flour) powder that’s specially sourced from Japan.

The kinako is also roasted at a higher temperature for a longer period, which deepens its rich, toasty flavour. It’s then finished with a housemade kuromitsu (Japanese black sugar) syrup that’s crafted with 100% pure brown sugar from Okinawa.

Warabimochi desserts and drinks

Look forward to a decadent lineup of Warabimochi Kamakura’s signature warabimochi drinks, as well as its bestselling desserts. 

For the former, indulgent flavours include the Asakawa-en matcha (from S$5.90), tenku no hojicha (from S$5.90) and coffee milk (from S$5.90). For a sweeter option, there’s a choice of strawberry milk or strawberry yoghurt (from S$7.90).

Each cup comes with a luscious bed of warabimochi pieces that are then topped with a swirl of fluffy whipped cream.

Our pick is the tenku no hojicha, which is brimming with an aromatic roasted flavour. It goes perfectly with the caramelised notes of the kuromitsu syrup, which adds a nice depth of smokiness to the creamy beverage.

We did find the coffee milk to be a strong contender as well, which is concocted with an original blend of robust European coffee beans. The beans were carefully chosen to elevate the subtle flavours of the warabimochi and allow its gentle, earthy hints to shine. 

If you’re on the way to work, both options serve as a wonderful pick-me-up to kickstart your day. 

If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll relish the strawberry milk or strawberry yoghurt. Besides the velvety warabimochi pieces, it’s chock-full with bits of fresh Japanese strawberries for added texture and bite. 

The drink also features a rich blend of strawberry syrup and Hokkaido Yotsuba fresh milk. It’s the perfect beverage to beat the heat on a hot day.

Matcha enthusiasts will definitely enjoy the Asakawa-en matcha flavour. It’s crafted with high quality matcha powder from the Asakawa-en brand, lending fragrance and richness to the beverage. It’s not too sweet either and the matcha has just the right amount of bitterness to balance the drink.

For sweets, the warabimochi two-piece cup with ice cream (S$5.90) won’t disappoint. It’s laden with stretchy bits of warabimochi that melt in your mouth. The dessert is also covered in a generous coating of kinako powder and slathered with kuromitsu syrup. 

You can order it with or without a scoop of ice cream, but we do prefer the former. This is so you can savour the warabimochi in all its sweetened, ice-cold glory!

This was a hosted tasting.

For the latest eats, check out the limited-time Wong Fu Fu x Nongshim pop-up pocha concept and Acoustics Coffee Bar’s newest outlet at Farrer Park. Alternatively, catch up on the newest openings in town. 

Book a ride to One Holland Village to try the mochi drinks at Warabimochi Kamakura. 

Do explore the GrabFood Dine-in service for awesome deals.