Writer Andriel does a comprehensive review of all the stores on campus selling SMU’s favourite comfort food.
An emanating warmth. That intoxicating fragrance. Your lips slightly quivering, you make the first move. Soft, supple and tender to the touch, but you pull back - it got a little too hot there.
No, I’m not talking about your first kiss (I have no experience with that).
I’m talking about that very first bite of your steaming hot waffles, fresh off the waffle iron, right after another gruelling class. Sure, it might be too hot for consumption, but you persist anyway, because there’s no better comfort food that warms your body and spirit from within.
And blessed is SMU; we have TWO stalls on campus selling these decadent treats. But value-for-money can never trump marginal utility, and there’s no better way for me to test the utility of campus waffles than a taste test of all of them.
With that, let’s dive into the most important debate of the decade - not Harris vs Trump, but TRIPLETS VS KHOON!!!
*Cue Super Smash Bros. Brawl main theme*
The Waffle Hypothesis
But wait! No good research is done without quantitative and/or qualitative analysis.
I decided to conduct an anonymous poll on the SMU Confess Telegram Channel. With a sample size of 314 voting between the two contenders – Triplets, tucked away near Koufu, and Khoon, located on Level 1 of the backwaters of SMU SOE/SCIS 2 – the results came in overwhelmingly in favour of Triplets, which garnered nearly 80% of the votes.
I was thoroughly amazed - did Triplets really make such amazing waffles? Or did it simply have a locational advantage? My quantitative survey couldn’t reveal any underlying reasons behind the preferences.
Qualitative analysis it is.
Unfortunately, I did not manage to get decent responses in a separate submission to SMU Confess, so I resorted to the next best thing - coercing my friends and classmates. Although my "Intro to Psych" prof said during class that coercion is poor research practice, let’s be real here – I do have a deadline to meet for this article.
Fortunately, I didn’t have much difficulty finding participants, given the popularity of waffles among SMU students.
“There’s a larger variety of flavours at Triplets,” said Victim 1, when I abruptly switched the topic of conversation to waffles on a random MRT ride home.
“Triplets is very conveniently located, right at the Concourse,” said Victim 2, when I asked her about her preference towards Triplets during a break halfway through class. She added that she was not aware of Khoon’s existence, as she could not be bothered to walk to SOE/SCIS2 except for classes.
While these reasons were valid, they did not explain whether Triplets really made better waffles. This is where I come in - I will sample a waffle from each stall and conclude which produces the superior waffle.
To review the quality of the waffles themselves, unblemished by toppings, I will only order plain waffles, and each waffle will be judged based on its affordability, fragrance, thickness, taste and texture.
Let the Hunger Games begin.
Tribute 1 - Triplets
Let’s begin with our reigning champion! Triplets might be popular for good reason. I got myself a plain waffle for $1.62 at student price.
The first thing I did was to catch a whiff of the waffle’s freshly made fragrance, but to my dismay I barely smelled anything. To make things worse, its folded thickness came in at a measly 2cm, which, given its acclaim, was disappointing to say the least.
But all that would not matter to me if the waffle tasted good. Like they say, it’s not about looks, but personality.
Unfortunately, its taste and texture were equally unimpressive. The waffle had a mildly sweet floury taste, and that’s about the best description I could give. Despite decent caramelisation on its crust, it was utterly one-note, completely devoid of comfort food flavour.
To no one’s surprise, its uninteresting character extended to its texture - completely dense and flat. Let’s hope Khoon performs better.
Tribute 2 - Khoon
In the other corner (of campus), we have Khoon! I got my waffle for $1.60 at student price.
The very first thing that struck my attention was how much of an absolute unit Khoon’s waffle was. Its sheer folded thickness came in at approximately 4cm, double that of Triplets. Size really does matter.
I closed my eyes and smelt its gentle fragrance – did I detect notes of butter and vanilla? Without a second thought, I dug into those familiar folds.
Look at that subtle off-white colouring. The tasteful thickness of it. Oh my God, it even has a caramelised crust.
The waffle tasted as good as it looked. Slightly sweet, with a rich creamy flavour containing hints of egg and vanilla, it confirmed my suspicions that its structural thickness was held up by egg proteins.
Yet it did not feel heavy; its light, fluffy texture gave every bite a melt-in-your-mouth quality. And to top it off, its mildly buttery crust provided a savoury counterpoint to its overall richness. I really could’ve gone for a second piece.
The Final Verdict
Both competitors gave it their all in this battle for honour, but alas, I must choose a winner.
The title of Most Delectable Campus Waffle goes to…Khoon!
Khoon’s waffle triumphs with its thickness and classic waffley goodness. Specifically, its rich and creamy flavour reminds me of all my favourite comfort food. You know, that warm, pleasant taste and flavour that’s almost akin to a nice long hug from your favourite person on a particularly unpleasant day.
Of course, where there’s winners, there’s also losers, and unfortunately for Triplets, it falls short of Khoon.
I’m sure some of y’all are upset, but Triplets still has its merits - its convenient location and variety of toppings definitely gives it an edge if you’re looking for flavoured waffles.
Triplets even has an online order link that allows you to order your waffles in advance (albeit without student price) so if you’re looking for a quick fix in between your back-to-back classes, Triplets has got you covered.
But hey, this article’s just my opinion. The best waffles are the ones that make you the happiest; we all got our own comfort food.
(This article is not sponsored by any particular stall. That said, The Blue and Gold sponsored writer Andriel’s waffle samples, and he jumped at the offer.)
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