As far as fast-casual eateries go, Geláre is hardly the leader of the pack. But that’s because everything else here takes a backseat to the waffles and ice cream, which are their bona fide specialty.
Having been to multiple Geláre outlets over the years and amassed quite a collection of photos, I figured it was time I did a review of one of the more overlooked and reliable places in Singapore to get your waffle (and ice cream) fix at.
Classic Half Waffle (with Coconut Ice Cream): A good option if you’re looking for a light dessert before or after a meal. Geláre’s half waffles always come out nice and crispy. Complimentary maple syrup is included, but I usually choose to have it with a scoop of ice cream (Coconut, in the above pic’s case, which unfortunately seems to no longer be an available flavour – that’s a pity, because it was good, tasting quite strongly and naturally of coconut without being too sweet like a lot of coconut ice cream tends to be). 3.5/5
Banana Craze Waffle: A whole Belgian waffle topped with sliced bananas, caramel sauce and whipped cream. For some reason, Geláre’s full waffle always comes out a tad underbaked for me, so I usually request that they bake it longer for that lovely crisp bite, but feel free to have it as it is if you prefer your waffle fluffier. I always say, one of the marks of a good waffle is it still being delicious without ice cream, and this was definitely that. 3.5/5
Waffle a la Mode (with Raspberry Sorbet): A plain waffle that I chose to have with chocolate sauce and their now-discontinued raspberry sorbet. As much as I hate the way Geláre serves its ice cream in this weird conical shape, I adored this flavor and was sad when it got taken off the menu. I could definitely see myself being a more regular customer again if they brought it back. 4/5
Muddy Buddy Waffle (with Irish Mocha Ice Cream): This is probably the waffle Geláre has become most known for. Their classic waffle served with a single scoop of ice cream and topped with lots of Milo powder, crushed Oreos, mini marshmallows and your choice of sauce. For whatever reason, mine came with cone crumbs instead of mini marshmallows (which probably worked better for the dessert, anyway). I chose Irish Mocha for my ice cream (which sort of tasted like a non-alcoholic version of Baileys) and hazelnut for my sauce (which tasted exactly like Nutella). The whole thing was extremely rich and crunchy and decadent – way too much of a chocolate and sugar overload for me to finish alone, so unless you have major sweet tooth I would recommend bringing someone along to share this beast of a waffle with. 4/5
[Note: Even though the Muddy Buddy is supposed to be comprised of a classic plain waffle, mine seemed to have chocolate chips baked into its edges. Odd, but I’m certainly not complaining about the tasty freebie.]
CocoCheese Tower: A limited-time Xmas special, I have no idea what the ‘Coco’ in this waffle’s name is supposed to stand for as I certainly couldn’t taste any coconut in it. Topped with a mascarpone-like cream cheese and espresso powder, and garnished with blueberries and cherries, this seemed like it was supposed to be tiramisu waffle. However, it lacked the level of sweetness tiramisu should have (and this is coming from someone who dislikes desserts that are too sweet), and was made even worse by the horrid sauce it was served with (which tasted like stale diluted coffee?!) The waffle itself also seemed to be baked different from the usual one and came out terribly soggy. At over $14 when you factor in service charge and the fact that it doesn’t come with ice cream, this was easily the worst waffle I’ve had at Geláre and not something you’d want to order to get your Christmas cheer on. 2/5
Chocoreo Waffle with (Caramel Fudge Ice Cream): There are few things in life more satisfying than a chocolate chip-infused waffle. Geláre’s also comes topped with Oreos, M&Ms, chocolate sauce and a scoop of ice cream. I went with Caramel Fudge as my choice of ice cream, which would’ve been a good flavour on its own, but with a waffle like that was just way too sweet. Don’t get me wrong – this was a damn good waffle on the whole (a pure chocolate and sugar overload like the Muddy Buddy), but considering how well a waffle like that can stand on its own, it would be nice if you were given the option to have it without ice cream. 4.5/5
Address (Star Vista outlet):
1 Vista Exchange Green, 02-27, The Star Vista, Singapore 138617
Website: www.gelare.com.sg
