Located at 144 E. Cypress St., domochi is a mochi donut food truck in the heart of downtown Lafayette.
Ethan Ly founded domochi after discovering mochi donuts while visiting Seattle around 2020-2021. After trying one, Ly began thinking about bringing the concept to his hometown of Lafayette and New Iberia. “This is my shot to do something that I’ve always wanted to do, which is build something of my own,” Ly said. “New Iberia doesn’t have anything like this, nor does Lafayette have anything like this.”
Ly originally started domochi in his mother’s kitchen before moving into a shared kitchen space and eventually into the food trailer. Reflecting on the process of starting his business, Ly said, “It’s simple, but it’s not easy.”
Unlike regular donuts, mochi donuts have a chewy texture from glutinous rice flour, creating a completely different experience with each bite.
My colleague and I had the pleasure of visiting domochi on Saturday, Sept. 19. Since I had never personally tried mochi donuts before, I was excited to try something completely new. We ordered the “flight,” which included half a dozen donuts of our choosing: cookie butter, fruity cereal, cinnamon toast, chocolate hazelnut, strawberry and churro.
Each donut brought its own unique flavor, creating the perfect mix of sweet and savory. From the familiar cinnamon toast and fruity cereal to the richer chocolate hazelnut and sweet strawberry, each flavor offered something different. My favorite had to be the strawberry, since it contained some of the best strawberry flavor I have ever had.
I was astonished by how different these donuts were from anything I had tried before. The chewy texture also made the donuts stand out from traditional donuts, making each flavor even more enjoyable.
The sense of community surrounding domochi was apparent through the support the business has received from the Lafayette community. What started in Ly’s mother’s kitchen eventually grew through local pop-ups, social media and word of mouth. Ly said, “So far, a lot of public support,” adding, “I’m very grateful for it.” The growth of domochi also shows how a small idea can become something bigger with the support of the people around it.
From starting in a home kitchen to becoming a local food truck, domochi has continued to introduce Lafayette to a new take on a familiar favorite.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience at domochi. As someone who had never tried mochi donuts before, I loved experiencing the different flavors and unique texture.
If you would like to visit this food truck, they are open daily from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Although keep on the lookout for domochi’s Instagram @domochi.treats for daily updates.