Occupying a beautifully refurbished, three-storey conservation shophouse in Chinatown, Grids Coffee is a hybrid ‘lifestyle cafe’ that operates as part restaurant, part art gallery, and part events space.
The menu touts an array of Japanese-inspired grain bowls, brunch fare, salads, skewers, and specialty coffee. And desserts, like waffles—which were, of course, what I made a beeline for the minute I stepped inside.
At $14, the Nutella Chocolate Mochi Waffle seemed a little on the pricey side, especially considering that you only get half a waffle and a smaller-than-average scoop of ice cream. I also had reservations about the waffle’s batter, which I was told is made from glutinous rice to give it its mochi-like texture.
Up to this point, I’ve had good and bad experiences with mochi waffles, and have found them to be a tad gimmicky, like croffles.
Fortunately, Grids’ mochi waffle is exceptionally good, with a perfectly light and crisp golden-brown exterior that houses a thin but delightfully chewy baked mochiko interior. I greatly enjoyed eating this waffle, and would’ve happily paid extra for a full portion if that option was available.
The salted caramel ice cream was another winner, though it tasted more like burnt toffee to me. Either way it was delicious, and made even more so by the bed of chocolate crumble it was served on top of. The chantilly cream was another wonderful touch, and so was the generous swirl of Nutella. All the components of this dessert worked, in fact—together and on their own.
I’d go so far as to call it a perfect dish, and hope it remains on the menu. (Grids’ menu has apparently gone through three changes already, but there’s no need to fix what ain’t broke!)
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Address: 200 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058749
Contact: 9665 4398
Website: www.grids.sg
