At only an 8-minute drive from Lafayette next to Silkys, a new donut shop opened with a fun twist to its sweets; they are half-donut, half-mochi. Mochi, a common dessert in Japanese culture, is made from rice and is a chewy dough. 

The Mochi Donut Factory opened on Sept. 12 of 2022 by co-owners and couple Carlo and Jaen Henson.  The Hensons were born and raised in Manila, Philippines before they moved to the United States. Carlo has had experience in the food industry and Jaen has had experience owning and operating her own smaller businesses. They recently decided to collaborate with their experiences to open up their own shop. 

“After managing a few restaurants in my career, I wanted to open my own food business that would be simple and unique to the area. My cousin suggested mochi donuts which are popular in Hawaii and California. I began researching what it is and the process of making it and it fits the criteria of what I wanted to open,” Carlo said. 

While walking into the shop located at 16023 Manchester Road, the blue and white walls give it a simple yet elegant feel. To the right of the front door is the general seating area with three tables, and to the left is the register and a display with 14 flavors of mochi donuts.  Each donut costs $2. 

The Hensons are especially careful with how they make their donuts, as they have the flour mixes imported from Hawaii, where the mochi donut was invented. And they plan to soon offer Kakigori, Japanese shaved ice, and bubble tea along with their mochi donuts. 

Hours are from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Wednesday and Sunday, when the shop closes at 11 a.m.

Not only is it a really convenient location in the Lancer community, but it also gives people a chance to try food they aren’t used to. As stated by a reviewer on their website, mochidonutfactory.com, “They are nothing like you’ve ever had before.”