Asian delights: Exploring the wonders of Ani Ramen, Mochinut, and MTea

With summer approaching, I am incredulous that my first year as a Princeton student is already coming to an end. Though the past two semesters had many hectic and stressful moments, I managed to make time for myself to decompress by exploring the wonders of Nassau Street. Trying new food on Nassau Street has been a way for me to not only get acclimated with downtown Princeton but also relax amidst the eventful, fast-paced days.

Despite regularly eating from the Asian food station at the NCW/Yeh dining hall, I regularly still crave a satisfying, Asian-cuisine meal. So, I have taken advantage of trying a few recently opened places on Nassau Street that offer an assortment of Asian dishes and snacks.

Ani Ramen House

Situated a few doors down from the Labyrinth Bookstore, Ani Ramen’s opening was highly anticipated. Its original location in Montclair, New Jersey was actually a 20-minute drive from my house, and my family and I had frequented the establishment before it had expanded. Therefore, I was curious as to how the food at the Princeton location would be.

When I walked through its doors for dinner in late February, I was met with a dimly lit space whose organized layout and sleek decor somewhat resembled the rustic, yet modern aesthetic of restaurants in Soho. Being in the mood for something gelatinous and savory, I ordered pork belly bao buns and shoyu ramen.

The buns were decently soft and elastic, making for a perfect base in which the slices of pork belly brought the right amount of saltiness and fat. The meat was tender, moist, and had a slightly crispy exterior. The cabbage slaw, pickled cucumbers, and drizzle of spicy miso mayo complemented everything by endowing a mild tanginess and freshness.

The warm broth of the ramen was much appreciated on a cold winter evening. The soup was infused with an unexpected pepperiness from dashes of black garlic oil, subverting a conventional chicken broth. Unfortunately, the thick pieces of pork belly were too lean, making them tough to chew on. The garnish of cabbage, leeks, and scallions narrowly redeemed the dish with a faint, fresh crunchiness.

Mochinut

During one of the study breaks hosted by my RCA, she bought a little over a dozen mochi donuts from the new Mochinut shop next to Ani Ramen. Though I don’t typically have mid-afternoon snacks, I decided to indulge in some sweets that day before dinner.

My RCA chose an array of flavors, including strawberry, guava pineapple, and churro. I decided to try the mango, oreo, and matcha ones. All of them were just the right amount of chewy — the texture of mochi donuts are supposed to simulate that of gummy mochi. The golden-yellow mango mochi donut did not have a strong fruity aroma, but it did exhibit a slight touch of citrusy sweetness. The oreo mochi donut’s glaze resembled a smooth, beige-gray sandy beach dotted with speckles of dark gravel that were the oreo crumbs. The oreo one was more sugary than I would’ve liked, but nonetheless was still enjoyable. The matcha-flavored one was by far my favorite. Its simplicity was enhanced by its subtle sweetness and mellow taste of matcha.

Despite the mochi donuts being somewhat too thickly glazed, these sweet rings of eight small balls congealed together still made for a great afternoon snack at our study break.

MTea Sushi & Dessert

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On a cloudy Sunday, I needed a beverage to help me get through the day. Instead of getting a cold brew or matcha latte again, I decided to give MTea Sushi & Dessert a try for my morning drink.

The cafe’s interior was bright, with the neutral-color scheme of pearl white and smoke gray contributing to the clean-cut setting. Using the indoor kiosk, I ordered a Thai bubble tea. After a 5-minute wait, I received a large, tangerine-colored drink with a heap of tapioca pearls at the bottom.

It was refreshing to sip a delicately sweet milk tea that was not too diluted, perfectly balancing milk, sugar, and ice. The tapioca pearls were al dente, and thus enjoyable to chew on. In addition, I found comfort in the fact that the drink was parallel to the milk tea I had at authentic Thai restaurants. This amplified my appreciation for the cool, soothing beverage on a humid afternoon.

My colleagues seem to agree with my positive impression. Head Prospect Editor Claire Shin ’25 recounted how “at MTea [she] always [enjoys] the passion fruit green tea,” which she admitted was flavorful but is “more sour than sweet.” Furthermore, Shin raved about the crème brûlée mille crepe cake, which she detailed as “layers and layers of crepes, all glued together using cream and assembled into a single slice of cake with a thin layer of crème brûlée on top.”

Shin exclaimed that her senses “were overwhelmed by the rich taste” the first time she tried the pastry. Shin described how “it melts in your mouth, and then you’re left with the sweetness and hard texture of crème brûlée, leaving you with some crunch at the end.” She declared it as “the best thing that’s ever touched [her] tongue.”

Russell Fan is an assistant editor for The Prospect at the ‘Prince.’ He can be reached at rf4125@princeton.edu, or on Instagram @russell__fan.