As soon as you enter MOSA!, you’ll notice the nutty aroma in the air. It’s coming from the huge block of peanut brittle, which is the signature topping for the business’s desserts.
The biz opened its first Waikīkī location last February. A year and six months later, the biz opened its second store — this time, in Puck’s Alley, close to the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
MOSA! is owned by business partners Jason Lin, Masaki Sakurai and Mickey Morikawa. Morikawa states that it actually began while Lin and Sakurai were at UCLA.
“Jason, originally from Taiwan, grew up eating this product as a child at night markets back home,” he says. “After a lot of trial and error at college campuses, they eventually brought the concept to Hawaiʻi.
“I met Masaki at the gym, and we’ve been hanging out almost every day since,” he adds. “I started helping them out because they were genuinely good people just trying to build something from the ground up. Eventually, they offered me a partnership and the rest is history.”
The name “mosa” means “beautiful” in Portuguese. Morikawa explains that the business’s slogan — which you’ll see around the store — is “stay mosa.”
“When the Portuguese first came to Taiwan, they thought the island was so beautiful that they called it fore-mosa, which means ‘beautiful island,’” he says. “We called it MOSA! because it means ‘beautiful.’ Our slogan is ‘stay mosa’ because we have so many beautiful people supporting us on a beautiful island.
“ʻStay Mosa’ means ‘stay beautiful,’” he adds. “We incorporated the word ‘stay’ because in Pidgin, when you ask someone, ‘Where you at?’ it refers to ‘Where you stay?’”
When a block of peanut brittle is first opened, it weighs around 60 pounds, according to Morikawa.
“We’re proud to be the first to introduce this concept in the United States,” he says. “Currently, we’re the only dessert shop on the island open until 12 a.m. at both of our locations.”
The business’s signature dessert is its MOSA! wrap ($10.95 mini, $12.95 regular), which is like an ice cream-filled crepe.
“It features two to three scoops of your favorite ice cream flavor, combined with finely shaved peanut brittle for a deliciously crunchy and creamy experience,” Morikawa says.
Customers can choose from ice cream flavors like coconut, Kona coffee, ube, matcha, cookies and cream, and chocolate. Blueberry cheesecake, chocolate chip cookie dough and pink cotton candy are new ice cream flavors that are exclusive to this location. Ube, matcha and cookies and cream are customer favorites.
No matter what ice cream flavor you choose, the topping’s signature nutty flavor and crunchy texture is addictive. It contrasts nicely with the dessert’s overall creaminess.
MOSA! cups ($6.95 single scoop, $8.95 double scoop, $9.95 triple scoop) are also available. The single scoop features a cute presentation in a flower pot cup, complete with a shovel spoon.
Other desserts include tanghulu ($7.95) — a traditional Chinese candied fruit skewer coated in malt sugar — and MOSA! milkshakes ($9.95).
University of Hawaiʻi students can take advantage of a discount when they show their UH ID ($1 off cash, 5% off card). The discount excludes the one scoop cup.
“We are looking forward to seeing our old customers and also all the customers who have been supporting us since day one,” Morikawa says. “We’re also looking forward to meeting more people. MOSA! wouldn’t be here without your support, and we’re truly grateful for every one of you.”
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CONTACT
MOSA!
2600 S. King St., Honolulu
Instagram: @mosavibe
Open daily, 12 p.m. to midnight
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
