Wafflist @Kala Ghoda, Mumbai; A Sweet Haven

Many years ago, in a small and young town called Mangalore, the Ideal Ice Cream Parlour or the newly opened  Café Coffee Day were the only two places that offered cool, fashionable and easy on the pocket options if you were looking to spend some quality time with friends. Over the years, many new options and formats have emerged, but the charm of sharing a great dessert has no match.

The Wafflist, a new café now open in Bandra and Fort, is a haven for those with a sweet tooth, serving multiple dessert options that are both fun and innovative.  As the name suggests, most dishes have a waffle base with delectable toppings to keep you coming back for more.  I got a chance to visit and review their store at Fort, which is located a short walk from the iconic Starbucks at the Horniman Circle, on the way to the BSE Building. This place should appeal to vegetarians too, as all waffles are Eggless.

What impressed me most when I entered the place is the color scheme and décor, which is bright, colorful and vibrant. The look and feel is unique with brickwork visible across the store, lined with a large space for your personal post-it message on one side andthe other side containing large prints of the different waffles on offer. The theme is Red, but it does not overwhelm you at all.

The waffles are made right in front of you at a large work station, which is a good touch as it brings a fast food feel to the place. There is a small table for 6 on  the ground floor, with a large seating section on the first floor. The light is quite interesting, with large incandescent bulbs emitting a soft glow.

We started our experimentation with the Cookie Rookie and the Oh! Banofee. They arrived in style, with very clean presentation in a box that can house a serving of ice cream. My first taste of the Cookie Rookie was great, and I had a hard time stopping . The waffle is loaded with chocolates that are fresh and crunchy. The waffle was well made and not too hard. I was a little disappointed with the Oh! Banofee, as it was a little chewy and excessively sweet. I was yearning for water after only my first two bites.

Then arrived the Nutty Buddy, a serving of Chocolate Syrup, Nutella over Banana Waffle. I somehow felt that the banana and waffle combination was a bit too sweet owing to the base, especially without any whipped cream or ice cream to balance the flavors.

After suffering from a high and a low in quick succession, I received the best dishes yet –The Waffle Fries with some great dips, the Kit Kat Shake and the Before 8:15 (a Mint and Chocolate Hot Shot). The Waffle Fries were delicious and highly recommended. The Dips available are Schezwan, Harissa, Sweet Chilli, Spicy Mayo and the Sun Dried Tomato. Each one is good while my preference was for the Sun Dried Tomato and Sweet Chilli, to counter the sweetness from the many dishes before.

The Kit Kat Shake was delicious – thick, not too sweet and quite refreshing. The Mint and Chocolate Shot was  interesting – but a bit too heavy for my palette.

The last two dishes on the menu were the Rosti and the ZoZo Waffle (served with Rasberry Sauce and Chocolates). The presentation on the ZoZo Waffle (with ice cream) was quite disappointing, nothing like what you see on the menu. It seems to be something that is hastily put together and tastes as such as well. The  Rosti was well presented barring the generous amounts of oil on the pan – not that I should complain after having tried an unprecedented number of desserts. The dish was mild in taste and would pass if served hot.

My overall experience was above average, given the range on offer, but I sorely missed a softer version of the waffle (may be due to the lack of eggs in the base). I also missed a good whipped cream that could add levels to the flavors.

I would still recommend that you give it a try and check out the drinks, which are quite something, and try the Cookie Rookie. If your palette is slightly on the sweeter side, the Nutty Buddy would appeal as well. There is something on offer for everyone, especially the vegetarians.

Ratings out of 5

Food: 3 | Ambiance: 3.5 | Service: 3 | Overall: 3

Meal for Two: Rs. 600 inclusive of taxes| Alcohol: No | Credit Card: Yes|

Timing:  12:00 – 00:00 pm | Wheelchair access : No

Address: Opposite Allahabad Bank, Mumbai Samachar Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra

Telephone: 7039293039

Disclaimer : This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant. Due judgment and care has been applied by the author to remain objective and unbiased in the review; however readers may exercise their own discretion.