So I happened to have one of those (rare but existent) cravings for waffles this particular afternoon, and because we were already in the town area, my friend suggested this new place and why not we go try.
So we went.
At first I thought the place might be in one of those millennial-style little lanes surrounding the Core Downtown area but, no, it wasn't.
It was right smack in the middle of town, in a quiet but long-standing hotel along Bencoolen Street called Summer View.
I don't know if this cafe is owned by the hotel or run separately by someone else, but stepping into it is akin to stepping into the namesake of the hotel in which it stands.
Bright and sunny with cheerfully painted walls and neat, white furniture, The Forage Cafe livens you up almost immediately as you enter.
You don't even need to know that it is Singapore's first honey-themed cafe to make your mood feel fresher.
You already do.
The menu, by the way, is interesting.
I had a hard time trying to decide whether I should have their Signature Waffle Sandwich or their Mains.
The Chicken a la Kiev stuffed with cheese and herb butter (plus mashed potato and pasta salad) seemed enticing.
But so did their Roasted Cauliflower Steak, which had pesto, cheese, pine nuts and multifloral honey.
A part of me wanted to go for the Classic Fish and Chips (because I'm boring) but a larger part of me got caught up in the varied offerings of the Waffle Sandwich.
It's very difficult, I tell you, to resist trying to order something like a Smoked Salmon Waffle Sandwich, a Turkey Ham and Cheese Waffle Sandwich, or a Jalapeno Beef Ragu Waffle Sandwich.
I wanted to try all.
Because how do you resist smoked turkey ham, melted cheddar and mozzarella cheese and truffle mushroom with a honey buttermilk waffle?
And how do you not want to have something like smoked salmon, egg mayo plus melted cheddar and mozzarella cheese with a honey buttermilk waffle?
Between the both of us, the choice eventually got whittled down to the Smoked Salmon, and the Jalapeno Beef Ragu.
I was in favor of egg mayo and smoked salmon because I like egg mayo and smoked salmon.
But I had to admit that the latter had much more on their plate- beef ragu, turkey ham, sunny side up and corn chips- all of which I didn't mind, all of which I ate.
So we went for the Jalapeno Beef Ragu Waffle Sandwich.
The first thing I noticed when the plate arrived at our table was just how full and packed the plate looked.
Now, one might not think it important, but it is- especially when you're a bit too familiar with places where the plates are big but the servings small.
I didn't see that at The Forage Cafe here.
The plate, full to the brim, made me want to just dive straight into the meal and munch through the pile.
But we were sharing- my friend and I- so we decided to do it strategically.
First things first we had a couple of corn chips (we were hungry).
After that we had one piece of the quarter-sized waffle with the (minced) beef ragu.
Following that we divided up the other piece of quarter-sized waffle and had it with the multifloral honey.
It was surprising how the flavors and textures of both beef ragu and soft chewy waffle dough mixed so well together.
I'd thought they would startle each other.
But no, they actually blended together rather well.
I had a great time savoring the beef, and a bit of egg white from the sunny side up, with my half of the waffle.
I had an even better time cutting up my other half waffle into little squares and dipping them into the fragrant, organic multifloral honey.
The honey gave the waffle just the right note of sweet on the tongue.
It also gave contrasting flavors of salty and sweet when I munched it together with the buttery waffle.
I loved the meal.
The vegetable salad was nice.
The fruit salad was nice too.
This won't be the last time I'm having a meal here at The Forage Cafe.
Next time I come, I'm going to whack the Smoked Salmon (and egg mayo!) waffle.
If I have an appetite, I might go for their Truffle Fries, Soft Shell Crab, or Crispy Calamari too.
Not so much for the fries or the calamari, more for the smoked paprika mayo and the sriracha mayo.
Maybe I might have one of their Signature Honey Drinks- the Wild Milkway with wild honey, Dahongpao tea, fresh milk and herbal jelly sounded interesting.
So did their range of Floral Teas too.
Like the Earl Grey Rose Sakura that has not just Earl Grey and Rose Sakura but has Strawberry and Apple, and the Rooibos Orange which has Sakura Leaf, Rose Lavender and Rosemary.