KAWAII AT A COST - Chum Chum Onigiri wins points for atmosphere and originality, but somewhat disappoints in flavor.If, intrigued by the name, you step inside, you’ll be greeted by a rosy pink aesthetic and a bustling interior - after its move into the farmer’s market, the cafe is a bit crowded, but there are plenty of French and Vietnamese wares to browse and a shady garden patio for slurping down boba.We were excited to try onigiri, or rice balls, for the first time and ordered the salmon and pork belly. Both were simple, dry, and a bit underwhelming. The brown sugar milk tea was syrupy sweet and the boba was chewy and dense.However, the bingsu, or Korean shaved ice, was the highlight of the meal.We opted for a build-your-own bowl and were delighted by the range of toppings and syrups. The sweet, creamy base paired beautifully with a tangy strawberry syrup and plump mochi. At eight dollars, it was on the pricier side for an icy treat, but the generous portion was more than enough for two.On a hot day in Richmond, I’d recommend first time guests skip the onigiri and boba and make a beeline for the bingsu, sit back in the leafy patio, and imagine - if only for a moment - they’re at a Korean cafe.
i cant speak for the rest of the menu, but please do yourself a favor and make riceballs at home instead of coming here. to sum it up: mushy rice, rice isnt seasoned at all (you make riceballs with salt), and the fillings are always overcooked and/or underseasoned. this shop just lacks the actual fundamental understanding of how to make a decent riceball and cycles through uninspired and unpolished fillings to keep people coming. please-- dont come here.
I don't know if anything quite like this in Richmond so I'm really glad it's here and can't wait to go back. Really incredible selection of not just rice balls but tea and condiments and probably more stuff that I didn't get to look at because I was hungry. Got a guava tea lemonade, and it's going to be hard to get something different next time, but I definitely want to come back and try their bao.
I've been here several times during the pandemic and had good experiences. Today however a maskless employee stepped out into the lobby, got directly in front of me and yelled out that an order was done. They should consider that they have disabled and immunocompromised customers and we deserve to feel safe, especially given that we're currently experiencing the largest covid peak ever. Will not be taking my business here again unless changes are made.
This place is FANTASTIC. My husband and I love their onigiri, and their takoyaki, smoothies, and bubble teas are great too. The atmosphere is really nice - cutely decorated, clean, and organized. We'll definitely be coming back !!
Pretty pricey for white rice and toppings in cute packaging. The onigiri was okay, we got quite a few flavors and felt that it was just *okay*. You could easily make this at home for less than a fraction of the cost.. the drinks were the best part but price point was still way higher than the other boba tea places I've had. It's a pleasing aesthetic and everyone was nice.
Amount friendly staff a warm welcoming place all around. I got the garlic butter salmon Onigiri ? 10 out of 10 best Onigiri I've had since Japan you can tell it was made with love.
This place is great! They have a variety of foods, drinks, and desserts on their menu and many of them are gluten free or dairy free! They can also make their milk teas dairy free. Everything I've tried on the menu has been really delicious. I highly recommend!!
I've been a regular customer for a while now and the service has been nothing but phenomenal!My main recommendation is the Chum Chum milk tea. It has a delicious layer of salt foam topping that helps balance the sweetness of the drink. Although the price may be a tad on the high side, it is definitely worth it. The Garlic Salmon Onigiri is also a major hit and bursting with flavor. Pair it with something sweet and that completes the meal.One of the key take aways about this place is the absolutely outstanding friendliness of both Cass and Wynn. This is the first place I've been to where they've asked for and consistently remember my name.Definitely 5 stars ?
KAWAII! Very cute little Onigiri shop with lots of unique items. They also give you the option of having your Onigiri made warm. Boba tea is delicious too but there are many other treats as well, such as Takoyaki, salted duck egg bao, and Bingsu bowls. Staff was also very friendly.