Momotarõ opens in Five Points, and has us dreaming of hand-rolled ice cream

There are some VERY exciting restaurants and businesses making their way to Five Points these days–it’s making our head spin and our tastebuds sing. Momotarõ is the latest inductee in the Five Points Club, and Birmingham couldn’t be happier.

Momotarõ is an Asian cafè specialzing is pokè bowls, sweet and savory crepes, rolled ice cream and flavored teas. 

The future of Five Points? Lookin’ bright.

Bham Now made its way to the grand opening Wednesday, October 10 Councilor Abbott and the Five Points Alliance welcomed all in attendance, and shared some thrilling news about the Five Points area. Momotarõ is 13th new business opening in the Five Points area since August 2017. Keep ’em comin’, PLEASE.

“Why Birmingham, why Five Points South? It’s the perfect space for Momotarõ,” Momotarõ Manager Ben Yu said at the restaurant’s grand opening. “Close to UAB campus, close to the hospital and center of a city for the business professional, it’s going to be a good fit.”

Now, on to the fun part: Eating! 

If you’re a fan of pokè bowls with millions of toppings and hand-rolled ice cream that’ll change your life, I highly suggest paying a visit to Momotarô in the near future. Seriously, you can put ANYTHING in these pokè bowls. Momotarô has 13 protein choices (including chicken, for your friend that can’t stand seafood), and over 30 toppings and dressings on the menu. Even the mix-ins I’d never heard of sounded wonderful. My bowl was sure to touch the ceiling after I finally rattled off every delicious fixin’ I wanted to include in my bowl. But toppings were free, and the sweet cashier did not seem to mind. 

And then, the moment I’d been waiting for. Dessert, always. Hand rolled ice cream is the latest craze for those of us with a sweet tooth, and I’m here for it. These ice cream rolls are even more tasty than they are beautiful. Which is saying something, because these treats are a work of ART. True masterpieces. 

I asked the good people at Momotarõ to make me a ice cream cup with toppings they enjoyed, and was later surprised to see RED BEANS in my cappuccino ice cream. Before taking a bite, I asked Momotarõ manager Ben Yu the story behind these legumes in my after-dinner treat. “Red beans are dessert in Asia,” he informed me, with a shrug. Good enough for me, because the ice cream was unlike anything I’d tasted before.

They’re in on the joke with the logo, y’all.

I noticed one more interesting element before leaving Momotarõ, and that was the use of the peach in their logo. I’m a millennial, so the peach caught my eye because of the, er, alternate meaning they have these days. It looks like a behind. There, I said it. 

“We want people to talk about our logo,” said Yu. “People always talk about how the peach looks like a butt, and that’s what we want – we want people to be talking about us.” SEE?! I’m not the only one! 

Momotarõ is located on 1011 20th Street South, Birmingham, Al 35205. Hours are Mon.-Sat 11am-10pm, and Sun. 12pm-9pm.

Momotarõ joins The Woolworth, Libertine’s Pizza and Co., The Preservery and Filter Coffee Parlor  in Five Points South. How awesome is it to see Five Points business’s booming like this? 

What are you most excited to try at Momotarõ? Let us know!