From a mint chocolate-flavored cake that tastes like yummy toothpaste to a yuzu jasmine option that feels like you’re chewing a bar of soap, here are five interesting mooncakes with atypical fillings that caught our attention.
Every year, Bangkok’s hotels and dining establishments try to outdo one another in coming up with the best and most interesting mooncakes, from head-turning packaging to unexpected fillings. And every year, we go and try almost every single one available in the market. Five mooncakes, each one featuring an unexpected flavor, left an impression on us this year, and made us either go “wow!” or “what the?!” We’ve ranked each one from the best to “no, thanks.”
RECOMMENDED: Not feeling all the offbeat flavors? Check out these mooncakes from leading purveyors across Bangkok.
Before you roll your eyes at this coffee shop-produced treat, hear us out. Starbucks goes for that polarizing combo (you either love or hate mint chocolate) to give an unconventional take to the mid-autumn treat. A minty scent hits your nostrils as soon as you pull the cake out of the package, and refreshingly sweet flavors tantalize your palate with every bite. This is easily one of the most exciting mooncakes you can enjoy with friends and family this year.
Collaborating with a two-Michelin-starred restraurant has really paid off for Japanese dessert shop Kyo Roll En. Out of the four flavors produced by this team-up, Yuzu Lava is our favorite. The tartness of the Japanese citrus instantly invigorates the senses at first bite. We recommend chilling this sweet treat in the fridge before enjoying it so the filling can have an ice cream-like texture.
At first, we were so sure that this offbeat flavor won’t take—and we couldn’t be happier to say that we were wrong. Props to Banyan Tree Bangkok for tweaking the traditional Thai way of enjoying green mangoes with sweet fish dipping sauce. The mooncake does not taste fishy at all. Instead, it has balanced hints of sweet, savory and sour flavors that will make you wanting for more.
This flavor may sound too simple and safe to be on this list—and that’s the reason why it’s here. This rather underwhelming mooncake was not quite as chocolatey as we expected—its filling has a soil-like, nutty texture that doesn’t sit well in the mouth. Meanwhile, the mochi, which is supposed to be the mooncake’s highlight, isn’t chewy at all. The saving grace is the packaging. The ornate wooden box stamped with the silhouette of the Moon Rabbit is still one of the best this year.
The trendy hotel’s take on the Japanese citrus just doesn’t do it for us. We commend W Bangkok for always going for fun and quirky options every year, but the yuzu and jasmine-flavored filling stuffed inside unbaked white “snow” skin makes it feel like we’re chewing a bar of floral soap. The good thing is, the hotel slays it with its Banoffee and Blackberry Cheesecake-flavored mooncakes, and beautiful neon green packaging.
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