hvala

Around 7pm, I met my friends at Somerset 313 for dinner. Wishing to be thriftier, we went down to 313 Basement for a wider selection of food. There was takoyaki, xxl chicken, sushi, and other delicious food. My girl friend and I had an ayam pengyet while my guy friend had a bowl of soba noodles. After a quick dinner, we proceeded to explore the list of cafes that I had found, around town. Since Hvala was the nearest and most convenient, we adjourned there.

Hvala was nestled in a small shopping mall, named 111, behind 313. I would normally frequent 313 and then head home, so it was a pleasant surprise to visit its neighboring malls. 111 was easily accessible via Somerset MRT, but yet a special find. It boasted shops with $12 chirashi don, for example. Definitely would come back to explore it again.

At Hvala, we ordered one drink each; matcha ice blended for my girl friend, and iced latte matcha for my guy friend and I. He wanted a hot latte actually, but we were told that it was not available. It seems as though, like their cafe style, their menu was very specific, without any frills and fuss.

The latte macha had such a strong umami matcha taste that it tasted like seaweed. However, the pairing of macha and cold milk was heavenly.

Later, we shared a tiramisu cake, which was so tempting that we forgot to take a picture of it before our meal. The cake was light and fluffy, with just the right amount of coffee powder. It was soft to eat and the mascarpone simply melted in our mouths. The ladyfinger cake batter was a bit dry, but that added to its charm; as it provided a rough-soft balance. The coffee powder provided the last bit of perk-me-up and granulated texture to round out the cake. It could have been a little stronger in coffee taste though. However, overall, between the three of us, we finished the cake in no time at all.

Overall, I really liked the space, for it was minimalistic and beautiful with a touch of Japanese elegance. Everything was very white and its interior reminded me of the earth, with comforting colors of dark brown and wood. There were clean and straight lines everywhere, with not one item was out of place. They also had a cascading flight of steps in the interior which was very minimalistic-class.

Tables and chairs were available, but the waiter directed us to a seating area where we got to seat Japanese-style, cross-legged. I enjoyed the experience thoroughly but my friends, with some leg pain, weren't too keen. There were some dark brown tables with light brown chairs, the flight of steps with cushions, a Japanese seating area, and a few tables made out of wood.

Overall, it was a beautiful and enriching experience. It was really touching to see their dedication to the Japanese craft, and I ordered a black sesame cake on the way out, just to try.

It was a great experience 9/10 and for sure, would come back again. :)