Mount Dora Business and Real Estate

Mochi donuts finally come to Mount Dora and Eustis

5/26/2023

ABOVE: An assortment of some of the mochi donuts at Magic Tea market. (Mount Dora Buzz photo)

Boba tea enthusiasts were ecstatic when the first Magic Tea Market opened in the heart of downtown Mount Dora in 2021. Now a new second store on U.S. 441 just opened and upped its game to go beyond premium boba by introducing the area to popular mochi donuts.

These craveworthy fusion pastries blend the concept of traditional American donuts with Japanese mochi, resulting in a moist and chewy treat. Magic Tea’s fresh mochi donuts are made in house daily and are artfully decorated with colorful frostings and toppings like oreo cookie crumbles, nuts, pocky sticks and more. In addition to fun flavors like mango, tiramisu, strawberry creme brulee, and churro, Magic Tea also makes more traditional Japanese varieties like matcha and ube. If you’ve never experienced a mochi donut, but are dying to sink your teeth into one, be prepared -- it’s almost impossible to eat just one.

A truly modern treat, the earliest versions of mochi donuts were made in Hawaii in 1992. The innovative treat consisted of fried balls of mashed taro and mochiko, a Japanese short-grain sweet rice flour. Today mochi donuts share the same shape of a ring of balls that form a donut and are made from either tapioca flour or glutinous rice flour. Magic Tea Market’s donuts are made of rice flour.

Later in June, the new store, located at 17195 US 441 next to Office Depot, will add made-to-order Japanese fried chicken and fries to its offerings. Like the original downtown location, the new Magic Tea Market serves up specialty tea drinks including milk teas, oolong, matcha, brown sugar milk tea, and slushes, as well as Magic Tea's signature boba teas like tiramisu, creme brulee and taro. The downtown location on 4th Avenue will also be selling fresh mochi donuts made in the new store.

Those who aren’t big tea fans, but are looking for a nosh, can choose from a variety of pre-packaged savory and sweet snacks imported from the Far East.

Magic Tea's owner is a familiar local face. Ling Jiang and her husband also own the popular Momiji Japanese and sushi restaurant in Eustis near Sorrento.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here. Discover the area's online entertainment calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.

Mount Dora awaits construction of new restaurant concept downtown

5/1/2023

ABOVE: Rendering of the upcoming Mount Dora location provided by The Yardery.

In what has become a dining destination, downtown Mount Dora will be adding a new restaurant concept with construction of a new building set to begin in June or July. The 5,480 square-foot restaurant will be built on a quarter-acre lot and include a 2,058 square-foot bar on its open-air second floor. The ground floor will feature al fresco dining, another bar, and fun yard games like cornhole, foosball, Connect Four, ladder toss and Giant Jenga.

The Yardery (think yard plus eatery) will have a modern farmhouse style and feature casual outdoor dining with plenty of entertainment options for guests to add to their experience. The restaurant’s friendly and apropos motto is “Eat, drink and play in the yard.”

RELATED: Local Mount Dora Restaurant Guide

The menu features “backyard food with a twist” and includes favorites like the Yardery Burger, Cajun fish tacos, barbecue chicken flatbread, in-house smoked ribs, and honey hot fried chicken. Guests can also imbibe in The Yardery's signature cocktails, craft beer and wine selection.

The Yardery will be built on the vacant land at 221 N. Baker Street between the municipal parking lot and the downtown parking garage. Its original Sanford location took two years to complete and opened to the public February 12, 2022. If all goes smoothly, the family-friendly and pet-friendly restaurant will open in January, 2024. Stay tuned to Mount Dora Buzz Facebook page and Instagram for updates.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here. Discover the area's online entertainment calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.

Long-awaited Foxtail Coffee opens in Tavares

5/1/2023

After opening a location in Eustis and two in Mount Dora, Foxtail Coffee recently opened its long-awaited downtown Tavares location. Unlike the other nearby locations, this one serves up fresh-brewed coffee and specialty drinks in a charming converted historic home.

Foxtail Coffee, a Florida-based company, touts itself as being dedicated to responsibly sourcing some of the finest coffees from around the world. In addition to whipping up the expected expressos, cappuccinos, chai lattes, flat whites, pour-overs and various cold brews, Foxtail also serves baked goods.

The interior of the Tavares cafe has a rustic and industrial style with a bit of a modern vibe. Guests can opt to sip their drinks at a long counter overlooking New Hampshire Street, at one of the limited number of tables inside, or at one of the multiple shaded outdoor tables. The upstairs area will eventually be available for various small functions.

Foxtail Coffee Company launched its first cafe and coffee-roasting facility in Winter Park. Now the company, founded by two childhood friends, has dozens of locations in Florida, with some of them being corporately owned while most of the others, like the Tavares location, are owned by franchisees.

The new downtown Tavares cafe is located at 315 N. New Hampshire Street across from the public library.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here. Discover the area's online entertainment calendar here. Also, download the area's free mobile app.

Business Buzz

Mochi donuts finally come to Mount Dora and Eustis

Mount Dora awaits construction of new restaurant concept downtown

Long-awaited Foxtail Coffee opens in Tavares

BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE

Archives

Categories