Burnt Cones Review: Clementi Cafe Open Till 12am With Yam Gelato And Waffles

Burnt Cones has ice cream and brunch in Clementi

Westies are graced with many trendy cafes that are worth a visit, including Burnt Cones’ OG outlet in Clementi—also the only outlet of theirs which opens till midnight. Fret not if you don’t live in the West, the chain also has several other outlets in Thomson, Medical Drive, Kent Ridge, and West Coast. Burnt Cones serves a slew of gelato flavours, but their niche is the slightly charred or smoked waffle cones which gave rise to the cafe’s name! 

Food at Burnt Cones

Something interesting about this ice cream cafe is the range of cones ($1) they offer. Take your pick from the light, medium, or dark cones when you get a scoop of ice cream. 

Light, my favourite of the bunch and the first of the trio being the least “burnt”, boasts eggy and buttery undertones and a crunchy texture. The medium one would be your regular waffle cone, while the dark one is bittersweet, yielding a crispier texture.

Pair the cones with a selection of their various gelato flavours on rotation. A Premium Single Scoop is priced at $5 and a Double Scoop is priced at $9. Their Signature Single Scoop and Supremo Single Scoop go for $6 and $7 respectively. 

Other than classics such as Madagascan Vanilla, Oreo, 85% Dark Chocolate, and Pistachio, there are also notable novel flavours featuring Reese’s Peanut Butter and Fior Di Latte. It is also noteworthy that though this cafe is not halal-certified, their food contains no pork, lard, or alcohol.

For me, the mark of a good gelato shop is how good its Pistachio ($6) flavour is. We got it in a double scoop cup with Bacio ($5) boasting a good mix of chocolate and hazelnut flavours, which automatically comes with a whimsical “dragon’s breath” effect, giving out smoke at the brim. 

The Pistachio gelato ticked all the right boxes. It was smooth, creamy, and thick with a roasted nutty aroma. The robust notes of pistachio are rounded off with a milky finish, making each lick pure bliss. 

The intense Pistachio, however, made the Bacio pale a little in comparison. I was expecting a good balance of hazelnut and chocolate flavours, but the overly sweet hazelnut sent the gelato a tad off-kilter. 

The Buttermilk Waffles ($7) here is a definite must-try, something worth standing in line for. I’ve personally been back for this slightly charred yet fluffy waffle too often than I would like to confess. 

Burnt Cones’ waffles sport a darker hue than typical waffles. This Maillard browning—hopefully done purposefully by the staff in the kitchen—gave each piece a beautiful contrast of outer crispiness and inner fluffiness. Slightly burning the waffles is a clever move, as the delicious caramelised crust was a nice touch for this buttery treat. 

There are also vegan-friendly sorbets such as Strawberry Basil ($5) and Mango Passion ($5), which are brighter flavours that will go well with the indulgent waffles. While I found them a little too sweet, my sweet-toothed colleague thoroughly enjoyed her share.

For those who are more adventurous, there is Ube ($5), or purple yam, which tasted like a sweetened orh nee dessert in ice cream form. There is also Scamorza ($5), or smoked cheese, which reminded us of a super creamy smoked ham served cold. 

They also do a new set of seasonal flavours each month, with their most recent two being the Dubai Chocolate and White Grape Sorbet flavours. The former sees a glorious blend of pistachio and milk chocolate with a crunchy addition, while the latter is said to be a good mix of creamy and tart flavours.

Burnt Cones also serves coffee, tea, and a menu of savoury brunch items from 9am to 1pm. Start the morning with a simple Sourdough Toast w/ Butter ($6), with bread sourced from local bakeries in the area. 

For something more hearty and mom-approved, The Lot ($16) is a balanced breakfast featuring toast, chicken sausages, turkey bacon, salad, and a bed of luscious, soft scrambled eggs.

I’m not usually in favour of ordering breakfast platters in cafes as they are just made up of processed food, vegetables, and eggs—something one can easily put together at home. Thankfully, The Lot’s scrambled eggs were expertly whipped into a creamy consistency. It was dreamy and delicious, perhaps due to the generous amount of butter used in the process.

The turkey bacon and sausages are slightly charred and also on the salty side, but nothing the bread and eggs can’t counter. 

Ambience at Burnt Cones

Though small and minimalist, Burnt Cones sits approximately 20 indoors, and more at their alfresco spot outside. There is always a perpetual queue at meal times, so be ready to wait for a table. I highly recommend ordering scoops for takeaway, as the area has a nice park nearby, with sightings of otters and slow tortoises bobbing about in the lake.

The verdict

The unique concept of this ice cream cafe, along with friendly staff, good food, and dessert got me vowing to return. The only gripe I have about Burnt Cones would have to be how cloyingly sweet some flavours were. 

If you’re looking for more sweet treats, check out our Jay N Twins Kunafa feature for the viral cheesy and sweet kunafa. Else, check out Gelato Garden in Haji Lane, known for their spinning gelato in flavours such as Durian and Peach Oolong! 

Address: 105 Clementi Street 12, #01-02, Singapore 120105
Opening hours: Daily 9am to 12am
Tel: 9711 1097
Website
Burnt Cones is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork, lard, or alcohol.

Photos taken by Lim An.
This was a media tasting at Burnt Cones.