Taking over the former premises of Dimbulah Coffee at South Beach Tower is Waga Waga Den, a sleek futuristic Japanese cafe by the folks behind Black Cow, serving coffee, matcha, and Japanese snacks.
Cafe At South Beach Tower
Acting mainly as a takeaway coffee joint, Waga Waga Den only has 1 seat indoors. Most of their seats are outdoors, which might not seem attractive to Singaporeans thanks to our tropical weather. However, during the time we visited, which was around 9:30am to 10:30am, the weather was still bearable and was quite cooling with the occasional breeze.
The cafe is probably a hit among the office workers nearby, and you can tell that the cafe has its pool of regulars already with the staff addressing certain customers on a first-name basis.
Menu at Waga Waga Den
At Waga Waga Den, their espresso-based drinks are made using a house espresso with Brazil beans as the base, combined with Finca Concepcion, Pixcaya Bourbon fully washed (Guatemala) for cocoa notes.
Apart from their signature Cloud ($8) & Concrete ($9) coffee, you can find items like Black ($5), White ($6), Cortado ($5), Mocha ($7), Einspanner ($8) and Dirty Oat Matcha ($9) under their espresso menu.
Non-coffee drinkers can indulge in items like Cold Brew Hojicha ($7), Prana Chai Latte ($8), Shaken Lychee Tea ($8), Umeshu ($12), and Sake Mojito ($15).
For their Matcha Latte ($8) and Matcha Affogato ($12), they are made using single-original, single-estate, single-cultivar Matcha that’s cultivated in Uji, Kyoto.
There’s also a rotation of seasonal single origins which are ideal for pour-over ($7-$15).
Food-wise, they have a Snacks menu which seemed suitable for those wanting a quick bite for breakfast/post-lunch dessert alongside a Savoury menu which is only available from 11am till sold out.
For the Snacks menu, you can find items like Mochi Red Bean Zenzai Soup ($12), Vanilla Red Bean Ice Cream Monaka ($12), Coffee Affogato ($10), and Kokuto Greek Yogurt Maple Pecan Granola ($7).
On the Savoury menu, there are items like a Wagyu Beef Onion Sandwich ($15), Momen Tofu Maki Roll ($15), Wagyu Steak Bento ($38), and Waga Salad Shirataki Beef Noodles ($20).
Cloud Coffee
We tried the Cloud ($8) which is undoubtedly one of the drinks that most people would be inclined to. This is Waga Waga Den’s take on an Iced Cappucino, which featured a cocoa powder top with small bumps, resembling a cloud.
Despite looking like it would have been a sweet drink, the Cloud was far from sweet, in fact, you can taste the pronounced bitter notes of the latte, which was nutty and chocolatey. Do take your photos promptly as the air bubbles do flatten over time.
Warabi Mochi
The Warabi Mochi ($9) was well executed, with a soft, fluffy & chewy texture that required not much effort when placed in the mouth. We loved the balance of soybean powder with the sweetness of the syrup.
However, for the price point, we only got 8 pieces of mochi, which might be a dealbreaker for those who appreciate menu items that have more value for money.
Azuki Butter Brioche
The azuki bean and butter combination is familiar to us, as we see it occasionally during our visits to cafes in Korea. Here at Waga Waga Den, the slab of butter and azuki beans are served in a toasted charcoal brioche bun.
We loved the contrast between the cold slab of butter and toasty charcoal brioche, and how the azuki beans had just the right amount of sweetness.
Modern Sleek Japanese Cafe in Singapore
Waga Waga Den hits all the right marks: a central location, a sleek-looking space, delicious coffee, and snacks. The only thing we hope for is probably an expanded dining space, but the current format of the cafe is also what makes the space unique.
Waga Waga Den
38 Beach Road, #01-14, South Beach Tower, Singapore 189767
Tues-Fri, 8:30am-3:30pm, Sat, 9:30am-4:30pm
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg
*Follow MiddleClass.sg on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram for more food, travel, and trending stories!
