By Contributing Writer Lillie Fowler (’25)
Central New York is home to many activities, restaurants, and attractions for all ages. For those who have lived in the Central New York area for long enough, they know that although these activities are extremely entertaining, there comes a point where they can become repetitive. This is why every time a new attraction or restaurant comes to the area, the buzz is crazy! The new Rice corn dog and Mochi Donut restaurant, MOJO, which came to downtown Syracuse in September, 2024 is no exception.
The Rice corn dog along with the Mochi Donut has become increasingly popular due to the “mukbang” trend on the popular social media platform, Tik-Tok. In these videos, creators eat these treats with audio and visual sensory, making the food look extremely appealing. This trend has made it possible for chains such as Crumbl Cookies, Raisin’ Canes, and others to grow in popularity over the past years. These treats originated in South Korea, and thank goodness they made it over to America, so we can enjoy them as well!
Rice corn dogs can be a sweet or savory delight. They consist of a crispy outer shell of fried batter filled with stringy cheese and/or beef along with your choosing of toppings. The toppings range from crushed hot cheetos all the way to fried potatoes. You can also opt to add sugar to the top of these corn dogs to give them diversity in the flavor and bring a sweet aspect to the otherwise incredibly savory treat. The other popular snack this restaurant advertises are their mochi donuts. These donuts have a unique shape, a ring of fried donut bubbles, topped with frosting and your choosing of flavors. From Fruity Pebbles to cookies and cream, these donuts give an interesting flavor palate to anyone in want of something new.
The atmosphere of this restaurant is very positive, with bright colors, white walls, and supportive staff members. As for the food, I found the corn dogs very filling. I ordered one regular full-cheese dog and one potato full-cheese dog. They were much larger than I expected, and were absolutely filled with cheese. The first few bites were delicious, but I found that I got flavor fatigue very quickly. Personally, I see these as more of a meal than a snack seeing as they are so filling. Along with the corn dogs, I ordered the cookies n’ cream mochi donut. Instead of the traditional donut texture that I was expecting, I was surprised by the fried-dough texture and taste of this donut. The flavor was very delicious and classic, but I would not say I was a fan of the texture.
From savory to sweet, MOJO can do it all. Although trends die out as quickly as they come, I truly believe that these rice corn dogs will stay a part of the Central New York scene for a long time to come. Expand your palate, taste a little bit of South Korea the next time you come to Central New York, and who knows, maybe you’ll find a new favorite dish!
