Haato (Ridgewood Close)

Haato is a feeling, you don’t give or receive haato.

You just feel it. It comes to you so long you open your heart

Haato celebrates the Art of Giving from the heart … to the heart

you won’t See it, Smell it, Touch it, but you can Feel it, its always around you…

Every scoop of Haato is a special experience.

Haato is a unique brand of gelato based on traditional recipes from Japan. It is one of the first gelato counters in Singapore to offer freshly made gelato that is free from artificial colouring and preservatives.

With their flagship outlet (formerly known as Gelato di Crema) at Liang Court Shopping Centre has been serving gelato for more than 16 years and continues to earn rave reviews from people all over the world. Haato is perfect for any occasion. A premium quality treat to be shared with friends and loved ones.

For the hungry pack, Haato @ Ridgewood serves food ranging from Japanese pasta and Japanese don. For sweet delights, enjoy an affogato or waffles with gelato. So drop by this quaint cafe at Ridgewood Close (off Pandan Valley Condominium and Ridgewood Condominium) for a quiet afternoon and some savoury food. (And not to forget the gelato of course!)

Haato @ Ridgewood is rather inaccessible and difficult to find. For one, it is off Pandan Valley Condominium, and if you are coming by Public transport, you need to stop at Ulu Pandan Rd, with the walking distance about 10-15min. Lucky for us, my usual foodie companian Hong Yi and Wee Hong drive, we went there by car. Even so, we spent some time looking for the place as we went one round around Mount Sinai rise before we realise its the wrong way, and found Ridgewood Close. However, despite all the hassle, Haato @ Ridgewood greets me with a delightful surprise when i got there.

Located at Ridgewood Condominium, the place where Haato’s at is actually a row of shops below the Condo. The interior of Haato is actually smaller than i expected, there are also outdoor seats though. Well, if i were to compare with Island Creamery or The Daily Scoop, , i would say Haato win hands-down for its laid-back and chill-out environment. You can order Gelato and sit there chat with your friends whole day. Who says you need to go to Demspey to chill out?

Unagi Pasta ($6.50)

The Unagi Pasta ($6.50) is great value for money. A generous slice of unagi (eel) engulfed in homemade sauce is served with warm Japanese pasta. The taste is not too strong and subtle, very much like home-cooked food. However, the portion is a tad too small.

Chicken Katsudon ($7)

I like this one. Like all Katsudon, the egg cover the layer of chicken and rice underneath it. Nothing special you’ll say, but then sometimes ordinary food taste extraordinary in the company of good friends, and good environment.

Chicken Teriyaki Don ($7.50)

Not too bad, considering the price is relatively inexpensive, and the fact that you are here more for the Gelato than the Japanese Don. But really i think the portion could be a bit bigger : )

Double Cone Gelato chocolate banana & Sweet Potato with Honey chestnut ($4.50)

Chocolate Banana (left) was great, the chocolate Gelato with a hint of banana flavour within. The Sweet Potato with Honey & Chestnut was more disappointing though, relatively tasteless. The double scoop was very generously given by one of the staff. Definitely value for money at $4.50.

Waffle with single scoop Gelato chocolate hazelnut ($6)

Chocolate Hazelnut, my favourite! I always like to order hazelnut ice cream whenever i go to a ice-cream palour. Nutella! The waffle took about ten minutes or so. The Waffle mix is made in-house using an exclusive recipe. Toasted to perfection – crispy on the outside and warm and moist on the inside, it tastes heavenly even on its own. First bite of the waffle was cripsy and soft, and i would say this is one of the better waffles out there.

The Gelato simply melts on my tongue together with the waffle. However the scoop was not as generous as the one above (the double scoop), because this time it was another staff who scoop the Gelato. He gave much smaller scoops for both our waffle compare to the one who gave us the double scoop cone.

Waffle with single scoop Gelato milk tea ($6)

For something different, yet close to home, try the Milk Tea gelato, which tastes exactly like the “Teh Tarik” found in local coffee shops. Milk tea fanatics would like this very much on swelteringly warm days, instead of their usual hot cuppa.

Actually my conclusion of the waffles, they are wonderful, but don’t order Waffle with Gelato, just take waffle with melted butter and treacly maple syrup instead. Reason is simple, the waffle is so good on its own that you don’t need the Gelato to compliment it. Besides, its more worth it to take double scoop at $4.50 than a single scoop on waffle at $6. Furthermore, i found that you could taste the Gelato better on its own, than together with the waffle, because the hot waffle sort of cover the Gelato flavour. So just take Waffle with butter syrup, den a couple of double scoops to share around.

Haato @ Ridgewood is a delightful place to chill-out, will definitely go back again, i’ll take bus the next time if i have to. If you find it far, there are other outlets at Wheelock, Liang Court and Serangoon Gardens. Check em’ out! Their Japanese Don and Pastas might not be the best, but they are there to act as compliments to the Gelato. Total Bill of $37.50 for three person was really not expensive at all. Oh ya, there are board games around to play while you chill with friends. And always feel free to ask for sample of the Gelato if you are not sure which flavour are nice, the staff will always provide you with samplers if you ask.

You are always welcome to visit ladyironchef for a full-up on this trip. Whatever written above are my geniune feelings expressed in words that may be subjected to my personal distortion or bias. Please do not feel emotional or distress should you have any violent objections. Kindly click the little X at the upper, extreme right of your screen if negative adjectives would be derived. Otherwise, feel free to furnish me with comments, may it be positive or negative : )

" From our heart to yours "