AN UNLIKELY COMBINATION

A food item that is both a feast for the eyes and mouth. Join Hanisah as she uncovers

the history of Bojio Caf and its popular menu item.

The bustling crowd dies down as one nears Bojio Caf which is tucked away in a small

corner of the Westgate shopping centre. The smell of molten cheese wafts through the air of

the caf and a gentle hum emanates from the Raclette cheese melter as a service staff member

heats up the top of a cheese block in preparation for an order made. The crowd starts to form

in the afternoon from 4:00 p.m. and the caf servers begin to shuffle more urgently from table

to table.

Photo taken by Hanisah Rashid of Bojio Caf

Raclette is the latest variation of the melted cheese trend in Singapore that has been popular

among Singaporeans with its elaborate and mouth-watering presentation. One of the eateries
offering this cheese, Bojio Caf, offers a unique take on the recent food trend with its

Raclette cheese toast. The menu item consists of Shibuya toast, a Japanese style brick toast

that is coated with honey and is butter-fried. It is then topped with hot Raclette cheese that is

scrapped off a cheese block. The hot cheese melts into the centre of the toast, infusing the

savory flavor of the cheese and sweetness of the toast together.

Photo taken by Hanisah Rashid of the Raclette cheese toast

Bojio Caf recently opened in June 2017 at Westgate and is the new addition to the Meet &

Melt family-owned caf chain founded by Mr. and Mrs. Chan. The caf chain opened its first

outlet on August 2015 with the aim to create a healthier dessert alternative that can be

enjoyed by all. The idea first came about after Mr. and Mrs. Chans daughter refused to allow

her child to eat the ice cream and waffles in a dessert shop for fear that it would be too sweet

for her. Devastated by their grandchilds downcast expression, they formed a resolve to find a

way for her to enjoy the desserts with the permission of her mother. Hence, they decided to
make their very own ice cream that could be enjoyed by their grandchildren because it was

less in sugar with no preservatives added.

Mr. Ryan Yeo, 39, an associate partner at the Bojio Caf, mentioned that the homemade ice

cream enabled the caf to stand out from the rest as it presents a distinct flavor that cannot be

matched. Each caf in the chain also provides a different unique selling point in addition to

the homemade flavors. Mr. Ryan highlights how Bojio Caf also offers many variations of

toasts for customers to choose from which is uncommon among most cafes.

The cafs also stress on constant improvement of their product. The recipe has been changed

16 times since the caf first opened to better suit customer preferences. The daily operations

of the caf have also been changed to upgrade the performance levels in food preparation to

limit customer waiting time. The efforts to improve the taste of the product have definitely

shown effect, with customers expressing their delight over the menu items at Bojio Caf.

I ordered the original lava toast with mentaiko sauce, [and found that] the mentaiko sauce

itself is very good. Both sweet and salty. Its quite a good mix, says Ms. Cai Yi, 26, a

shipping executive.

Mr. Tan Chih Chiang, 31, a social worker, greatly enjoyed the Raclette cheese toast he

ordered because of the melted cheese and the way it blends in with the bread when he eats it.

He also shared that the dish is best experienced hot.

Both Ms. Cai Yi and Mr. Tan also stated that they found out about Bojio Caf through their

mutual friends posts of the food items on Instagram. The caf mainly promotes itself through
social media platforms. A wall in the caf is seen to be covered in printed Instagram posts of

their food submitted by customers. This enables the staff to show appreciation to customers

who took time to spread the word about Bojio Caf to their friends and family. The urge to

post the cafs food items on social media may also be due to the presentation of the food

served.

Lim Hui Wen Marissa, 26, a service staff member of Bojio Caf, reveals that she believes the

creative presentation of the food items is what sets the caf apart from the rest. The

presentation is very appealing and easy on the eyes hence she feels that customers would

have a greater urge to brag about the food served in the caf to their friends by posting the

elaborate creations on social media.

The use of unique presentation is very apparent in the Raclette cheese toast as the cheese is

served on the spot and scrapped off a cheese block with masterful precision using a knife.

The hot molten cheese would slowly drip onto the toast and spill on its sides, providing a

mesmerising visual that many would want to capture on their phones.

Photo taken by Hanisah Rashid of the Raclette cheese toast

Bojio Caf is located at Westgate 3 Gateway Dr #02-28 Singapore and is opened daily from

11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Cheese lovers who are interested in trying a different cheese

experience may enjoy the savory and sweet flavors of the Raclette cheese toast served at the

caf.
 Interviewee Information

Interviewees full name #1: Ryan Yeo

Age: 39

Profession: Associate Partner of Bojio Caf

Contact details (emails or phone numbers): 98200888

Interviewee's full name #2: Tan Chih Chiang

Age: 31

Profession: Social Worker

Contact details (email or phone number): 98756957

Interviewee's full name #3: Cai Yi

Age: 26

Profession: Shipping Executive

Contact details (email or phone number): 97826588

Interviewees full name #4: Lim Hui Wen Marissa

Age: 26

Profession: Service Staff member of Bojio Caf

Contact details (emails or phone numbers): 8228 3785

Word Count: 881 words.

 Resources

https://www.facebook.com/CafeBoJio/

http://eatbook.sg/bojio-cafe/

http://danielfooddiary.com/2017/04/27/bojiocafe/

http://www.raclette.com.au/raclette_info/what_is_raclette.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jill-donenfeld/shibuya-honey-toast_b_6840044.html

http://sethlui.com/best-shibuya-toasts-singapore/

https://www.facebook.com/pg/meetandmelt/about/?ref=page_internal

http://thehungrygeek.com/2016/03/10/meet-melt-the-most-delicious-dessert-in-singapore/

www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/melted-cheese-is-hot

www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/food/what-readers-are-snapping-and-eating-8