Waft Of Waffles

Past by The Midtown at Hougang some time back and noticed that Nom Nom Monster was still undergoing renovations in the development back then — for those whom find the name of Nom Nom Monster particularly familiar; these are the same folks operating as the western cuisine stall that is situated within the Centuries Foodcourt which also houses the 百年 and 石年 concepts within Viva Business Park. This can be said as Nom Nom Monster’s expansion of its operations — the outlet at The Midtown being their second location after their very first one at Bedok. With the location at The Midtown, Nom Nom Monster has moved away from being a stall operating out of a food court to an independently-run eatery; Nom Nom Monster had taken over the former premises of the now-defunct outlet of THOSE DAYS Yong Tau Foo & Nasi Lemak, which has since consolidated their operations at their location in Fortune Centre. As with most of F&B establishments which operates out of the same type of shop units as Nom Nom Monster, Nom Nom Monster occupies a two-storey shop space; the first floor comprising of the counter and the food preparation area, while the second floor is where all the dine-in seating is. Much of the wooden chairs and tables seems to have been re-used from the days when the space is being tenanted by THOSE DAYS Yong Tau Foo & Nasi Lemak, with the walls being covered up with a wallpaper with red brick-esque look for some vibes. The menu at Nom Nom Monster’s outlet at The Midtown is pretty similar to what is being offered at its Bedok location — the menu being segmented into categories such as Monster Chops, Fry & Platter, Monster Pasta, Monster Brunch, Monster Burger, Monster Platter, Monster Finger Food and Monster Beverages.

We had been wanting to drop by Nom Nom Monster for quite a while since we were made aware of its existence at Bedok; one of the things which stood out for us was how Nom Nom Monster actually serves up brunch items on its menu — something that is not quite as common in most stalls that specialises in serving up western cuisine. Since we were visiting Nom Nom Monster for dinner, we decided to opt for the Fried Chicken Brunch which sounded like an item that comes at a more substantial portion size as compared to the Monster Breakfast and the Croissant Petite / Deluxe. The menu at Nom Nom Monster does not describe on the elements that the Fried Chicken Brunch comprises; that being said, it is observed from the plate of our order that the Fried Chicken Brunch does come with a waffle, a slab of fried chicken, scrambled eggs and garden salad on the side.

Digging into the waffle first, we noticed that the waffle comes sprinkled with icing sugar; the waffle that is served with the Fried Chicken Brunch was pretty much akin to a Liege Waffle — it carried a somewhat firm texture with a bit of a crunch around the edges and had a slight sweetness in those crunchy bits as well. The slab of fried chicken came battered with panko crumbs; the exterior being all crisp without feeling greasy, while the chicken does come juicy and tender — nothing too much to shout about but still decently executed nonetheless. The scrambled eggs came slightly runny; soft and fluffy while tasted slightly heavier of cream — seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper for flavour. Meanwhile, the garden salad is pretty decent; a good addition to provide some form of balance that makes the dish pretty wholesome overall. At $9.90, the Fried Chicken Brunch is a fairly decent attempt of serving a value-for-money chicken and waffles dish — not quite something that is comparable to that of those served at American diners, but definitely economical and palatable enough for the price tag nonetheless. The Hot Milk Coffee was more of a 3-in-1 concoction though; appreciate the effort taken to serve coffee though we did wish they could have informed us beforehand so that we are a little more aware of what is being served for the item here. Still, a dining establishment which we think Hougang residents would grow to appreciate having in their neighbourhood for sure.

Dochi Dochi is a name that some might find familiarity in — some might probably recall its presence in Joo Chiat as a physical shop that operates more as a takeaway kiosk, whilst some might remember them from their days of being a home-based business that had started around two years ago. For those whom have not heard of Dochi Dochi, they are a brand that focuses on their Mochi Donut offerings — whilst there are establishments that do serve up larger-sized Mochi Donuts, Dochi Dochi had always been offering Mochi Donuts that can be described as bite-sized. Dochi Dochi had since moved out of their very first brick-and-mortar shop space at Joo Chiat, and had started their operations as a full-service dine-in cafe with its move into their new premises at Tan Quee Lan Street taking over the shop space previously tenanted by the now-defunct Gelatology Lab. There seems to be some works made to the interior of the shop space by Dochi Dochi now that they have taken over the space — gone was the interior that featured splashes of pastel blue and pink and the interior now features a simpler look with a dine-in area around the glass frontage that features couch seating; the interior also decked in a shade of blue and turquoise that seems more easy on the eyes. With its shift into being a dine-in cafe, Dochi Dochi has added a new item to its menu on top of its range of sweet and savoury mochi donuts that they have to offer — they now also offer a Mochi Waffle where patrons can order as-is, or with a single or double scoop of gelato as well. Beverages available at Dochi Dochi includes hot teas, as well as iced tea lattes as well as fizzy sodas with a fruit infusion.

It is well worth noting that the Mochi Waffle comes in two variants of flavours — one being the Regular variant and the other being the Charcoal variant; we went for the Regular variant of the Mochi Waffle with our order. We also decided to opt for the addition of one scoop of gelato for the order — the scoop of gelato is charged additionally as an ala-carte order above the price of the Mochi Waffle, though it does entitle the patron to opt between the choices of a Berry Compote of Espresso Glaze for the sauce, as well as Praline Crumble or Almond Sprinkles for the choice of topping that would go with the Mochi Waffle. For the choices of gelato available, patrons would be able to choose between four different flavours — our Mochi Waffles (Regular) came with White Chrysanthemum Gelato, Espresso Glaze and Hazelnut Praline. The Mochi Waffles were presented in a manner where the three pieces of Mochi Waffles are stacked in a way to contain the scoop of White Chrysanthemum Gelato inside (with the scoop of gelato sitting atop one piece of the Mochi Waffle), while the Espresso Glaze came in a small container and the Hazelnut Praline being tastefully lined on the side. Going for the Mochi Waffle first, we did notice how their Mochi Waffle does come a little different; it does come with a firm bite, though one that is not particularly chewy nor even dense in texture — does make it a bit of an easier eat especially considering its size. We were initially sceptical about the combination of White Chrysanthemum Gelato and Espresso Glaze, but this turned out well with the Espresso Glaze carrying a bitter note and a mildly sweet undertone that combined well with the floral note of the Chrysanthemum Gelato to achieve a tinge of herbal-esque flavour that was refreshing. The Hazelnut Praline in the meanwhile added a nutty crunch and note that further provides more contrast to the entire item. Overall; a spot that we would say is worth checking out if craving for dessert in the ‘hood to check out the unique offerings that they have.

There really seems to be no stopping for the local cafe scene here in Singapore — the past few months have already seen quite a number of cafes sprouting up all across the island, with establishments of the likes of Caffe Affogato, Usagi Pan and Hey Slow Joe being cafes that had just opened their doors in the last couple of weeks. The Maxwell neighbourhood has seen a fair share of cafes having opened in the area as well; some names that come to our mind includes that of Fieldnotes by Zee & Elle, FiftyFive Coffee Bar, and Arc-en-ciel Pâtisserie — just to name a few. The Neil Road area is seeing yet another addition to its neighbourhood; this time being The Coffee Code, which occupies the ground floor of a shophouse unit located at 37 Neil Road. For those whom are unaware about the roots of The Coffee Code, The Coffee Code hails from Sibu, Sarawak in Malaysia (side note: why does it seem that there is a trend of Sarawakian establishments opening in Singapore these days?) and this would be their very first outlet that is situated in Singapore. The Coffee Code adopts a decor theme that is rather popular with the other cafes along Neil Road; the entrance being offset from the shop frontage so as to create an outdoor patio area for dine-in patrons to dine-in should they prefer al-fresco seating. Otherwise, the cafe is decked in a rather soothing tone if both white and wooden elements; a rather clean and European-inspired look that is warm and inviting without being pretentious or cliche — there is also a skylight above the counter area which allows natural light to flood into the space as well, giving the cafe a well-lit environment. The food menu at The Coffee Code is split into sections dedicated to Waffles, Bread and Focaccia; they also do have soft-serve ice-cream and a variety of cakes and quiches – the latter being predominantly displayed at the counter. The beverages revolve around hand brew and espresso-based specialty coffee, as well as hot tea and sodas; just to name a few.

Having read about The Coffee Code quite a fair bit from those whom have visited the spot before us, it was needless to say that the item which we were placing our attention on would be the Bak Kwa Waffle — this item also seemed to have stood out particularly from the rest, considering how most of the items on the menu does seem to lean closer to the safer side of things. It is of particular note that patrons are able to opt between the original batter or the Black Rice batter for all items that are listed on the Waffle menu; there is also an option for patrons to add Nian Gao (i.e. Chinese New Year Cake) to the waffle as well. For our order of the Bak Kwa Waffle, we went for the original batter and added the Nian Gao. The menu describes the Bak Kwa Waffle to come with elements such as chicken Bak Kwa, chicken floss, corn flakes and Quenelle cream. As strange as the combination might sound, this was a true delight to have — for one, we were really satisfied with how there was a balance of sweetness and savouriness going on with the Bak Kwa Waffle here. The addition of the Nian Gao did made it feel particularly festive; after all, Nian Gao and Bak Kwa are both items that the Chinese would enjoy during the Chinese New Year season — considering how the waffle is shaped like a flower, there is just a nib of Nian Gao embedded in the middle of each segment. This refrains the waffle from being overly jelat, especially when compared to those that comes with an entire slab of Nian Gao in between. The Original batter of the waffle that we had opted for was also pretty fragrant with a buttermilk aroma; plush but not overly dense. We liked how there was that balance of both sweet and savoury notes from the various elements; the chicken Bak Kwa giving that meaty, savoury bite with a hint of sweetness, while the chicken floss gave it yet another savoury contrast for a different dimension of flavours. The Quenelle cream felt like whipped cream that is laced with honey to provide that smooth and creamy texture with a bit of sweetness that brings all of the elements together; the cornflakes adding a crunch factor to finish things off nicely.

Whilst most of the other items at The Coffee Code did not really quite pique our interest considering how they were pretty much on the safe side, one thing that we could not resist would be the Uji Matcha Soft-Serve Ice-Cream. The Coffee Code serves their Uji Matcha Soft-Serve Ice-Cream in two different forms — patrons can either opt for their soft-serve ice-cream to come in either a cup or with a cone; for those whom do not have a liking for Uji-Matcha, that is also a Gianduja (i.e. Chocolate) soft-serve ice-cream that is available as well. Opting for our order of the Uji Matcha Soft-Serve Ice-Cream to come in a cup, we felt that the portion size was rather generous overall — the consistency of the soft-serve ice-cream was good; smooth and creamy in the way that we expect it to be, while the flavours of matcha was prominent with a very evident bitter undertone coming from the Japanese tea itself. While it is not quite the same as the ones that we had tried from pop-up stalls at Takashimaya featuring matcha from authentic Japanese tea-houses that specialises in Matcha and Houjicha, this was a rather respectable version nonetheless. Coffee was also well-pulled; the White (7 Oz) that we had opted for is essentially a latte — one with a medium body with an earthy and fruity flavour profile; smooth with quite a good proportion of milk to coffee, not forgetting the unique latte art as well. Given the items that we had went for during our visit to The Coffee Code, it does seem that The Coffee Code is able to capture the attention of local cafe-hoppers pretty well — sure enough; the Bak Kwa Waffle is probably the item that stands out from the rest on the menu, but it does seem that the folks at The Coffee Code had taken a lot of thought in the design of the Bak Kwa Waffle to say the least to ensure that the flavours and textures of the dish are well taken care of. The food items at The Coffee Code are priced between $6 to $24; the waffles being of the range of $8 to $19 — quite modestly priced for a cafe. Overall, a spot to add to their list of places to visit for cafe-hoppers.

Haji Lane has seen some movements in its F&B establishments over the late; with cafes such as that of Sooner or Later that has recently moved into the ‘hood, the latest opening at Haji Lane would be Toast Days. Taking over the former premises of the Fish & Chip specialty store run by the The Black Hole Group named The Mad Sailors, the folks at Toast Days seem to have completely revamped the space following their move into the space. Gone are the rustic English-style decor with its royal green walls and red cushioned bench seats by the windows on the side of the shophouse. Instead, Toast Days have completely transformed the space into what one would find familiar in a local coffeeshop — the name Toast Days does seem to be a word play on the term “Those Days”; not sure if this was the exact intention of those behind the concept. Expect marble-esque tables and wooden stools for the furnishings used for the dine-in area; the ceiling of the shophouse being decked in wood that seemed to give the space the vibe of the old — a mural being hand painted on the wall depicts what seems to be a scene of a man behind the counter of an old-school coffeeshop brewing coffee / tea. As the name suggests, Toast Days is primarily an establishment that serves up local toasts that works great as a breakfast item or a tea-time snack; think a menu that features Toasts such as that of Butter Sugar Toast and Kaya Butter Toast, just to name a few, whilst also serving up sandwiches such as the Fish Otar Sandwich and the Chicken Satay Sandwich. Apart from toasts and sandwiches, Toast Days also serves up old-school pandan waffles, as well as various cakes that are in displayed in the display fridge, or packaged in transparent plastic boxes. Beverages available at Toast Days include Nanyang-style coffee or tea, as well as options such as Milo, Iced Homemade Lemon Tea, Canned Drinks, Coconut Water and Honey Lemon.

Between the two food items which we have ordered, we preferred the Kaya Butter Waffle; pretty much the usual neighbourhood Pandan waffle that comes spread with kaya and a slab of cold butter — their interpretation of a Kaya Butter Toast served in a Pandan waffle form. Freshly made upon order, we were told that the waffle would usually take a preparation time of 8mins — the waffle came to the table piping hot; the slab of butter pretty much almost fully melted by the time we had finished taking photos of the dish and starting to dig into it considering how hot the waffle was. Everyone seem to have their own preferences for how their neighbourhood-ly Pandan waffles are being done; some like them to be crispy, but this would be the one which would appeal to those who like some chew in their Pandan waffles. If anything, the Pandan waffle here is plush and sufficiently dense; the batter being just sufficiently chewy that it doesn’t take too much effort to chew apart, though this isn’t the sort of waffle that comes with a crisp texture. The batter also wafts of a distinct Pandan fragrance; this further enhances the flavours of the Kaya that is being spread in between for the Kaya Butter Waffle which we have ordered. We liked how they seemed to be really generous with the amount of kaya lathered onto the waffles; slicing the waffle apart with fork and knife sees the kaya oozing out by the sides — all mixed with the melted butter that makes everything seemingly rich. No doubt it does get a little saccharine at times whilst also artery-clogging from all that Kaya and Butter that is going on, but it’s that type of sinful that just felt so good and a little difficult to stop digging into it. We were also pretty impressive with how the waffles were able to retain its original texture as per how it was when it first came to the table; that is despite all Kaya and melted butter that would have made some waffles all limp, soft and soggy usually — definitely something that has been nailed right here.

In times where many of the more nostalgic spots are slowly closing their doors one by one, Toast Days does seem like an interesting addition to the cultural neighbourhood of Kampong Glam — one that is dedicated to serving up old-school breakfasts and Pandan waffles that somehow gels well with the touristy settings of Haji Lane. While we had yet to give their toasts a go, we definitely preferred the Pandan waffles over the Fish Otar Sandwich we had went for — the type of bread being a little soft and limp, making it difficult to chew even though it had clearly been toasted; the plating also seemingly haphazard and felt like a salad that featured pieces of bread and strips of Fish Otar in it considering how sliced cucumbers and lettuce are being strewn around one side of the plate without much integration to the rest of the elements. The Nanyang Kopi here is probably one of the more well-pulled ones that we have ever had from such hipster establishments; one that carried quite a strong and punchy aroma whilst being sufficiently sweetened from the condensed milk. The shophouse does get a little warm on sunny afternoons however; something for those who must have air-con to take note. That being said, Toast Days certainly makes for a good addition for something local within the Kampong Glam neighbourhood — somewhere which we would certainly not mind parking ourselves at should we be looking for a a strong cuppa over Kaya Butter Toast on an afternoon being a tourist in their own country!

Checked out the new Days of Elijah Gelato that had opened its doors fairly recently at Blk 44 Owen Road just right across from Pek Kio Market & Food Centre; having officially opened its doors since July 2022 (they were previously operating as an online business), we found it exceptionally meaningful to have visited them on National Day — the cafe is full of nostalgia adorning its walls with illustrations that depicts iconic scenes of Singapore while the music on the playlist consisted of past National Day theme songs to further bring everyone’s mood to the occasion. Being a gelato-centric establishment, Days of Elijah Gelato is also one of those ice-cream / gelato parlours being situated in the neighbourhood which we found to be really beautifully designed in its interior; the flooring reminded us of Peranakan-style tiles, while the dine-in area and the ordering counter is segregated with an arch that distinguishes between both areas. Serving gelato as their primary offering, Days of Elijah Gelato serves their gelato in both cup and cone options, whilst also offering patrons with a choice of having their gelato with a waffle. Choices of beverages are fairly limited here; one can either opt for canned drinks or bottled water here; otherwise, one may also opt for a Coke Float or a Root Beer Float as well.

After skimming through the various flavours which they have to offer in their display chiller, we found ourselves going for the Pulut Hitam Gelato and the Haw Ah (i.e. Hawthron) Gelato to go together with our Waffle. We liked how the Waffle here automatically comes paired together with a saucer filled with maple syrup on the side. Going straight for the two scoops of gelato first, we were pretty impressed with both flavours which we have opted for. The Pulut Hitam Gelato tasted like the black glutinous rice dessert which we are all familiar with; not only does it comes with a good bite with bits of black glutinous rice to chew on, we really loved how this flavour wasn’t overly sweet as well. There is that nice hint of fragrance from the black glutinous that is swirled with rich coconut milk; also liked how the gelato was stored at an adequate temperature that didn’t freeze up the black glutinous rice bits for a good texture.

The Haw Ah Gelato was also pretty much what defines a well-churned hawthorn-flavoured gelato — we really liked how they came with a generous loaf of hawthorn chunks that really ante up the light gelato base for a slight zing and a bit of chew; a flavour which we would really recommend for those who are not into gelato flavours that may be a bit on the sweeter side. Both scoops of gelato were sufficiently creamy, yet didn’t feel overly milky — we also liked how the consistency of the gelato was; no undesirable bits or chunks of ice for good texture.

We were honestly not expecting too much from the Waffle here but even the Waffle had left a memorable impression here. The brown waffle is light, airy and fluffy with a consistent texture throughout. It does waft of a slight hint of butter, but we liked how their waffles did not feel particularly heavy or dense like some would even when had together with the gelato; drenching it with the maple syrup provided does further elevates the experience by providing the Waffle with just that level of sweetness it needs to keep going at it.

We have visited quite a number of neighbourhood gelato parlours at this point — with the number of such establishments that are opening all around, they do get a little difficult to distinguish from one another after a while. No doubt some of the gelato flavours at Days of Elijah Gelato do seem more generic, but their locally-inspired flavours are especially well-churned and does seem to carry a quality that separates them from the crowd. We also liked how the owners here are welcoming, friendly and does seem to strike a conversation with their patrons well; forging a sense of community spirit within a neighbourhood setting as business. If anything, the nostalgic theme was probably further brought out by the fact that we had visited them on National Day, with them also keeping things in tune to the occasion when environmental elements are involved. A spot more than just simply gelato, Days of Elijah Gelato does seem like a hidden gem within this quaint and sleepy neighbourhood of Pek Kio that has seen a fair number of cafes move in and out over the years — somewhere we would most certainly think about for some good gelato in the area with some really homely vibes to be felt; wishing the folks behind Days of Elijah Gelato all the best in what is to come in the future!

Checked out the new Aphrodite — a pretty new ice-cream establishment that and just recently opened their doors along Desker Road in the Jalan Besar neighbourhood. For those who may be unfamiliar with the exact street where Aphrodite is located at, they are located just slightly diagonally opposite the Phat Chic Forever outlet here; also just a stone’s throw away from Berseh Food Centre. Decked in a rather simple but soothing decor theme, the cafe features white walls and wooden furnishing and fittings — clean, but inviting. All the gelato flavours here are made in-house; the same can also be said about their waffles and waffle cones here. Whilst they are currently serving up tea and milkshakes as the only choices of beverage here, they are also looking into serving up specialty coffee here in time to come.

Two types of waffles are being listed on the menu here; the Original and the Charcoal — the latter was unavailable for the day so we opted for the former instead, and also went with a scoop of the Aphrodite (also their signature flavour) Gelato, as well as the Drifting Snowflake Jasmine Gelato. The waffle here comes with a drizzle of maple syrup around the side as well, where patrons can dab the waffle on for a slight sweetness. We felt that the Original Waffle here is quite decent; it not only wafts of a distinct buttermilk fragrance, but was crisp on the outside yet fluffy within — one that was rather close to being cake-y yet not overly dense. We also like how the waffle doesn’t really come too sweetened here; much of the reason being so was due to how they had intended the flavours of which are to be supplemented by the scoops of gelato and maple syrup drizzled along the side. Between the two scoops of gelato we had opted for, the Drifting Snowflake Jasmine is the safer option between the two; essentially a flavour churned from Jasmine Tea, the “Drifting Snowflake” may sound fitting for the festive season, but actually refers to the type of tea leaves used, being the Bi Tan Piao Xue — it’s pretty light and subtle, but the floral and tea aroma remains rather distinct and noticeable without overwhelming the tastebuds. In comparison, the Aphrodite is a more daring approach — a combination of blue cheese and chocolate which is especially intriguing; the chocolate base provided much of the bittersweet notes, but ends off on a rather interesting hint of blue cheese that wasn’t particularly heavy that provided a flavoural contrast that wasn’t particularly intimidating, and actually works for us. Also appreciated how the gelatos here were smooth; all that whilst not being particularly milky, and carried its intended flavours throughout especially well.

It is very early days for Aphrodite considering that they had only opened their doors since Christmas Eve, but they are undoubtedly off a very good start. Interesting yet solid gelato flavours is pretty much in their blood here — think Brown Butter Spice, Thyme and Goat Cheese; all of which are flavours we are especially keen on trying to next time we are here. There has been much thought placed in their creations here, and it pretty much tells by its own — an earnest and down-to-earth operation where the folks behind the counter are serious on providing their very best for the patrons who comes through their doors. Wishing the folks behind Aphrodite all the best; can’t wait to be back soon to try the other inventive flavours which they have to offer!

As much as I had always enjoyed visiting The Better Scoop/Just Because Creamery in the past, it took me quite forever to give the Nian Gao Waffle a try — but they do say that it’s better late than never, and I guess this is one item that I am glad I finally gave it a go; so much that I probably will see myself ordering this on subsequent visits here especially if I am with a friend.

Executed just like how a mochi-infused waffle will be, The Better Scoop’s Nian Gao Waffle comes with a layer of Nian Gao being embedded inside the waffle. Initial expectations was on how the waffle could be overly sweet, especially with how some waffles can be already sweetened and that the texture of the waffle might be a little stiff — thankfully all the initial thoughts were dispelled when we started digging into the waffle. The waffle is crispy and plush; fluffy inside whilst being aptly dense — a good balance with the stretchy and chewy Nian Gao that wasn’t too saccharine nor sticky thus easy to slice apart. When had with the ice-cream that we opted for, we were surprised how the level of sweetness was still rather controlled — the Hoegaarden Rosée was surprisingly wheat-y with evident notes of the hops whilst carrying a very light hint of sweetness in its finish. The Tie Guan Yin is my personal favourite (and my usual must-have here if I am not trying anything new); strong roast-y tea aroma that isn’t too milky — especially comforting and a great palate cleanser to a heavy meal as a dessert.

Always have been a fan of The Better Scoop/Just Because Creamery for their offerings and earnest operations; a humble ice-cream parlour that serves up thoughtful creations where a lot of attention to detail are placed — down from the texture to the flavours, they have been offering patrons an experience unique to them with creative and inventive variations of waffles and ice-cream flavours that are painstakingly made in-house. If you have yet to check out their locations at Jalan Legundi in Sembawang or Braddell Heights Community Hub in Serangoon next to NEX, it is probably about time to give them a try!

The Marmalade Pantry has been around for quite a while — probably its most iconic locations will be that of the outlets at ION Orchard and Oasia Hotel Downtown at Tanjong Pagar. The group has recently launched two outlets of their latest concept, The Marmalade Pantry Petite, in the city recently — one being the outlet at Singapore Management University (taking over the former premises of O’Coffee Club Express), and another that takes up a new space dedicated for a cafe within Level 1 of BHG Bugis in Bugis Junction. While the former outlet carries a smaller menu, the latter actually serves up waffles, sandwiches and salad, as well as a lineup of tarts and the familiar series of Marmalade Cupcakes, cakes and pies that are available at their main concepts. Tai-tais will also be glad to know that the BHG Bugis outlet also serves up Tea Soirée — essentially a high tea set or set of scones for those looking for an English-style teatime offering.

While there are quite a couple of waffle dishes (also exclusively available at BHG Bugis) that caught our attention here — think Korean Spicy Chicken, Maple & Bacon, and Strawberries & Cream being served here, it was the Zucchini & Cheddar which was listed as a recommended item that we found ourselves ordering. Perhaps one that was more “plain-Jane” in terms of its aesthetics, the Zucchini & Cheddar Waffle is probably the one that speaks more to an older audience that aren’t too big on the “Instagramability” of the waffle. Here, the zucchini and cheddar are incorporated within the waffle batter; the shreds of zucchini and stretchy bits of cheddar reveals itself as one slices up the waffle. The waffle wafts of a buttermilk fragrance; all that with a slight crisp on the exterior on certain parts, whilst remaining a plush and fluffy interior that wasn’t overly dense. It is within the waffle that you get that slight saltish cheesiness in terms of flavour, and one could easily ante up those notes by dipping it into the sour cream provided on the side; further elevates that cheesiness. Considering the slightly heavier notes of the waffles here, perhaps opting for a tea option or a Long Black may be a better pairing than the Flat White I opted here.

The Marmalade Pantry Petite outlets are perhaps designed to be more functional in terms of its menu rather than for the full experience one will get at The Marmalade Pantry — they serve a pretty condensed menu where one would be able to find light bites and waffles, all alongside the iconic range of bakes as well. For those looking to experience The Marmalade Pantry in entirety, perhaps a trip to those outlets would be more apt, though The Marmalade Pantry Petite would certainly fit well for those looking for a spot to enjoy some sweet treats with specialty coffee/tea whilst in the middle of their shopping spree.

If Bedok is the “ice-cream” town of the East, then Yishun would probably be the same when it comes to the North — the town already boasts quite a number of ice-cream parlours as compared to the other regions in the north such as Woodlands and Sembawang; No Horse Run being the latest situated slightly deeper within the heartlands pretty near where Coba Coba is located.

Going for the Pandan Gula Melaka Waffles, the waffles required a bit of a waiting time considering how everyone that had made their visit to No Horse Run had seemingly ordered a waffle or two — with them only having one waffle machine to satisfy all the orders. We have also opted for our waffles to come with two scoops of ice-cream; one being the Lemongrass Pandan, and the other was the Smoked Milk with Cacao Nibs. Patrons can also opt for a sauce to go along with the waffles, which we went for the Childhood Milo — their signature sauce.

The waffles were actually pretty well-executed; liked how crisp and cakey these were whilst it comes perfuming of a light Pandan fragrance with a slight earthiness of Gula Melaka detected in its finish — provides slightly more contrast in flavours when compared to the average Pandan waffle. The Lemongrass Pandan ice-cream did come with a distinct hint of lemongrass, though probably not a flavour I would recommend to go for with the Pandan Gula Melaka Waffles given their common element featured in both — still pretty refreshing amidst the creaminess nonetheless. The Smoked Milk with Cacao Nibs was my personal preferred choice between the two — no doubt something not too surprising for those who have tried “smoked” ice-cream flavours which features a common hint of smokiness form the smoking liquid used, but was creamy and smooth while the cacao nibs provided a good contrast of texture with flavours replicating that of the bitterness of chocolate; great for those who love smoked ice-cream flavours, or yet to have tried such flavours. The Childhood Milo sauce was absolutely on-point; looking more like a thick chocolate ganache on first look, but it’s that intensely rich and thick malty, chocolatey goodness that makes it so alluring — maybe even better than Milo Dinosuar.

Despite its limited offerings when it comes to accompaniments to pair with their ice-creams, No Horse Run is a promising, new venture in the heartlands — innovative ice-cream flavours with well-executed waffles with a local touch, served with unique house-made sauces that makes it a real gem to have in the neighbourhood. Despite being pretty much early days for this establishments, it seems that they have already garnered quite a fair bit of attention from both cafehoppers and residents given how buzzy they were on a weekend afternoon. Dine-in seats are fairly limited, though they do have a few seats located around the aisles of the HDB void deck of one doesn’t mind. Probably a spot that I would love to check out again for the other interesting flavours that they carry, though would only likely to make the return once the crowd dies down a little — or would that ever happen ...

Not sure what’s with the location, but Sunset Way is pretty much seeing a boom of ice-cream/gelato parlours of the late; Burnt Cones being one of the three which we had checked out not too long ago, and Dawn’s Gelataria and Cafe being the second to have opened its doors pretty recently. There is also a third; Hundred Acres Creamery, which has is opening its doors soon to the public as at the point of writing.

Amongst the three ice-cream/gelato parlours that have opened or are opening in this neighbourhood, Dawn’s Gelataria and Cafe is the only one of three that actually serves full meals ranging from Benedicts to salad and pasta. Their expertise seems pretty much to be in their gelato though; the Amarena Cherry came with a milky base that is swirled with a “sauce” made from the said fruit; a flavour that was surprisingly deep and luxurious with its aptly sour undertones that was also pretty floral — a very unique flavour that goes well with the milk base that gives it an additional richness. The Rum & Raisin hits the expectations well; sufficiently boozy with nibs of raisins to chew on — both flavours are also smooth, sticky and creamy; pretty much on-point for gelato. The waffles served here are pretty old-school; more of the eggy sort than the buttermilk waffles that are often seen at ice-cream parlours of the late — not too dense, yet light and airy; pretty easy to finish.

Having tried Burnt Cones not too long ago, Dawn’s Gelataria & Cafe seems to be an establishment that chooses to focus on more conventional Italian flavours with an emphasis on exotic fruits, chocolate and nuts; a direction that seems to target a different audience from the more experimental, hipster flavours that Burnt Cones have to offer. That being said, Dawn’s would work better as a one-stop shop for families who would prefer to have their meals and dessert at a single destination, or those who prefer more “grown-up” ice-cream flavours in general.

Recently opening their doors at Whampoa West, Slickshots is a new cafe with a minimalist decor theme that serves up specialty coffee — the cafe also serves up gelato that is supplied by Sweet Cheeks Gelato (yes, that gelato parlour up at Potong Pasir) that can be had either in a cup or with a waffle cone, or also to be paired with their Golden Waffles or Espresso Waffles.

Wanting to opt for something more conventional, we found ourselves going for the Golden Waffles with our gelato — the Golden Waffles here are more of the eggy sort than the ones that uses buttermilk; the latter being the type of waffle which is more commonly found in ice-cream/gelato parlours of the late. The texture of the Golden Waffles are also a tad “bread-y” in comparison, though can also be said as lighter and airier, thus easier to finish. Opting for the Pistachio and Cinnamon Brown Bread gelato, the gelatos were smooth, creamy and sticky; consistent in texture without melting too quickly — the former flavour carrying an alluring nuttiness, while the latter does remind us of a cinnamon bun with its emphasis on the spice and was surprisingly balanced in its sweetness which was pretty much the same when we had tried at Sweet Cheeks Gelato previously.

Being tucked away at a rather odd spot within the HDB block that it is located in, Slickshots does feel like a spot that would work as a quiet hideout for caffeine addicts to indulge in some me-time; somewhere to enjoy a good iced-shaken filter coffee whilst doing some reading or working from the laptop — all that with pretty decent gelato if one is craving for a sweet treat.

And the ice-cream/gelato parlour craze does not end, being Hougang Green Shopping Mall this time round. Icebar is a spot that will be bound to attract the hipsters — dark interior, outlandish quotes that are lit with neon lights; one could simply describe Icebar’s character as rebellious, loud and flashy, especially for a cafe that is well-hidden on the second floor of the neighbourhood mall away from all the F&B tenants in the building located at the first level.

Skimming through the flavours available here, the decision was made for the White Chrysanthemum & Goji Berries and Milo Dinosaur gelato here — the former being our favourite of the two with its light, floral tea notes that was reminiscent to brewing chrysanthemum tea using the dried flowers; incredibly aromatic and almost herbal, while the goji berries add the earthy sweetness that gives the flavour sufficient sweetness. The Milo Dinosaur will not disappoint those who are fans of the childhood chocolate malt drink — sufficiently rich without biting the throat given the “heatiness” of Milo and just sweet enough without being cloying. Wished the waffles were executed better though; no doubt crispy and sufficiently fragrant, but was a tad dry and clumped up easily as one chews through them. Offering patrons with three different sauces (Maple Syrup, Chocolate Sauce or Caramel) to be drizzled over the waffles and gelato, our option of maple syrup was a great decision — goes especially well with the refreshing White Chrysanthemum & Goji Berries flavour.

Whilst there is room for improvement when it comes to their waffle, Icebar is certainly a good addition to the neighbourhood mall here, which is already filled with places I already have been visiting quite a bit over the years such as Arnold’s Fried Chicken and Chef’s Hats — the latter being a spot I had visited since my polytechnic days. No doubt somewhere which residents around the area would be found having their gelato at after a meal at the mall — pretty much a great hangout situated in the heartlands.