While we’ve seen many local F&B businesses shutter after years of operations, others unfortunately may not don’t last as long. GMDC x Seal, a cafe known for its unique rosti-waffle hybrids, has temporarily closed after less than 3 months in business.
The closure came suddenly with no warning or explanation— the business simply put up a post on its Instagram on 16 Jan 2024, vaguely announcing that “due to unforeseen circumstances”, the cafe would be shut until further notice. At the time of writing, there is no word on when the business will reopen, or if the closure is permanent.
Seal gained internet virality for its signature Röffle, a rosti-waffle fusion. The röffle was created by cooking rosti within a waffle iron, making the sides extra crispy. Each röffle was served in the style of a burger, with savoury ingredients being sandwiched within two röffle pieces.
Each röffle would cost S$10.80 or S$12.80 each, available with fish, chicken, lamb and beef fillings. Those who preferred regular rosti would be able to order “dinner” sets, which would come with a rosti, a waffle, a protein and coleslaw.
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Seal operated from within Excalibur Centre along 71 Ubi Crescent. While the business racked up quite a following shortly after its opening, reviews were pretty divided, with some customers criticising the small portion sizes, steep prices and long waiting times- some customers reportedly waited up to an hour just for their food to be served.
My colleague, Kai Le, had an unpleasant experience, too— according to her, the rosti was burnt and extremely oily, while the beef had been overcooked.
Evidently, she wasn’t the only one who was dissatisfied with her meal— at the time of writing, the cafe has garnered a measly 2.4 star rating on Google with 47 reviews.
As the cafe has not been announced to be permanently closed, there is a good chance that it will be reopening sometime in the future, hopefully with new and improved recipes and shorter waiting times.
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