A Bakery Dedicated to Mochi Opens in West Village

The West Village now has a mochi bar by day, cocktail lounge by night in La Maison De Makoto. Its big focus is on Japanese-style mochi, but flavors here are all over the place — with classic French pastries as well as cocktails inspired by the Caribbean and Mexico.

The 63-seat space at 37 Barrow Street, at Seventh Avenue South, originally had acclaimed French pastry chef Philippe Conticini attached, but it has since taken a turn to chef Richard Faranabe, who opened Mercer Kitchen and Forbidden Doughnuts. He put together a simple menu where mochi makes up the biggest section, with eight different flavors including matcha, yuzu basil, and banana chocolate. He’s also serving tarte Tropézienne (cream-filled brioche) and Choux Paris-Brest (pastry with praline cream) alongside coffee, juice, and tea. Though there are plenty of places to grab mochi in NYC, this is the first full-service spot dedicated to the popular Japanese dessert. The full food menu is below.

At night, bar manager Jeremy Strawn (alum of Mulberry Project) takes hold of the space. Cocktails pull influence from around the world, with a Mexican- and Japanese-feeling toasted horchata (gin, sake, genmaicha, rice milk, cinnamon, sesame), the Caribbean-accented LMDM coconut (rum, coconut juice, cinnamon, pineapple, lime, bitters), and the more Italian blood orange negroni (gin, Antica Carpano, Campari, blood orange, pecan wood).

Owners Andrea Rodrik and Omar Salahi designed the space, which has couches sprawled about in a very light room. LMDM is now open with limited hours, from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. and closed on Sunday for Easter. Starting on Monday, regular business hours will be Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Photo via LMDM by Dara Pollak

Update: This post has been updated to reflect more limited hours until Monday.