Westies will be pretty familiar with Burnt Cones, a gelato shop over at Sunset Way that has been praised for their delicious scoops. Up In Smoke, a sister brand of Burnt Cones has set up camp over at NEWest selling smoked waffles and gelato.
The joint has a sleek and modern feel, a product of the black dining tables, grey marbled flooring and wooden accents spread throughout. The saying, less is more comes to mind when describing the design of Up in Smoke as the tasteful interior design manages to make this quaint little space cozy and inviting.
World’s First Smoked Waffle?
While the smoking process is rather common, with items like smoked salmon and bacon, smoked waffles are definitely a first for us.
We spoke with Up In Smoke’s owner, Xavier, on the idea behind such an interesting menu item.
Xavier is also the owner of Torched, a coffee shop stall over at Sunset Way selling flamed and grilled meats. With his knowledge of smoking meats, he thought, why not infuse this method for waffles and smoke waffles?
By adding a little bit of salt into the waffle batter and smoking, it really helps to bring out the flavours through the smoking process.
He also mentioned that they might be the first in the world to come up with a smoked waffle.
The gelatos ($5 for Single, $9 for Double, +$1 for Signature flavours, +$2 for Supremo flavours) here are the ones you can get at Burnt Cones. However, Up In Smoke has 14 flavours available at one time, compared to 12 over at Burnt Cones.
You can find flavours such as Earl Grey, Black Sesame, and Butterscotch here. More unique ones would be Ube, Scamorza (smoked cheese), and Stracciamenta (mint, chocolate). Some of their flavours such as Coconut Lychee Sorbet and Strawberry Basil Sorbet are also vegan!
Brunch Items
Apart from the waffles and gelato, Up in Smoke also has a brunch menu if you are looking for something a little more substantial. Take your pick from breakfast staples such as scrambled eggs, sourdough toast, french butter, chicken jumbo sausage, smoked salmon, and baked beans.
Or save yourself the trouble of choosing by opting for The Lot ($20), which comes piled high with all of the goodies mentioned. Truly breakfast fit for a king.
Up in Smoke also offers Philly Cheesesteak, which is a sandwich containing thinly sliced beef steak, green peppers, onion and cheese. This Philadelphian classic is available in three variants, Regular ($12), Double ($18) and Smoked Double ($20).
Smoked Buttermilk Waffle
We ordered the Smoked Buttermilk Waffle ($10) with a scoop of Ube and a scoop of 85% Dark Chocolate.
It took around 10 minutes for our order but it was worth the wait.
Get ready your phones and cameras as the Smoked Waffle comes with a “mini smoke show”. Once the cover is lifted, you get an intense aroma of smoke, almost as though you’re standing in front of a BBQ grill.
Topped with powdered sugar, the waffle here is crispy on the outside, and slightly towards the denser side. Make sure to try it without the gelato at first to really appreciate the smokey flavors.
During the first bite, your nose will first be filled with the charred, smokey flavors, and towards the end, the flavors of the buttermilk waffle start to come in. It manages to be subtle yet strong at the same time.
Depending on what gelato you get, the taste combination will probably be different. We loved how the smokiness paired with the slightly bitter dark chocolate gelato, while the sweetness of the Ube really stood out.
If waffles are not your thing, try out the 70% Valrhona Chocolate Brownie ($6) or the Lemon Drizzle Loaf ($6).
Flat White
Besides gelato, you can also find coffee and other beverages here at Up In Smoke.
The prices for coffee here are relatively cheap, with a Long Black costing only $3, and a Flat White at only $4. Other beverages include Mocha ($6), Matcha Latte ($6), Hot Chocolate ($6). A selection of flavoured teas ($4) are available as well, namely Peach Oolong, Kyoho Grape Oolong and Lychee Oolong.
Xavier shared that this was so that customers can enjoy a good cup of coffee with their waffles and gelato.
Beans used here are Brazilian Beans, but we did find that the coffee had a slight tinge of acidity. While they are of a single origin, Up In Smoke suspects that the beans might not be from the same farm.
Update: Up In Smoke now sources its coffee from Sudden Coffee Roasters, which is also a sister brand. Bottled cold brews are available in store as well!
Gelato Cafe in Singapore with Smoked Waffles
Unlike Simple Cafe and Springleaf Prata that are located near the main road at NEWest, Up In Smoke is located within the NEWest building.
It might be a little difficult to locate where the shop is exactly, but you can easily spot them via their signboards.
While smoked waffles might not be common, it was an eye-opening experience to see how a method of cooking can be adapted to dessert as well. Hopefully, the cafe will find new combinations for the smoked waffle.
Up In Smoke
NEWest, 1 West Coast Dr, #01-67, Singapore 128020
Mon-Sun, 9am-11pm (Coffee, 9am to 6pm, Cheesesteaks, 11am to 9pm, Waffles, 9am to 10pm, Gelato, 11am to 11pm)
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg.
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