Wowfulls - Hong Kong-style dessert in LES
A classic dessert from 1950’s Hong Kong is being revived here in New York City at Wowfulls in the Lower East Side.
Gai dàn jai – a type of egg waffle characterized by its crisp exterior and fluffy interior – “was once only found on the streets of Hong Kong,” according to the Wowfulls website, whose goal is “to create authentic 1950’s-style Hong Kong egg waffles, bringing these popular street snacks to New York City and adding a cultural twist.” The waffles are traditionally served plain, but Wowfulls takes the concept a few steps further: the waffle is folded into a cone, filled with ice cream, showered with toppings, then served in a cardboard holder emblazoned with the restaurant’s logo. Customers can choose from a wide variety waffle types, ice cream flavors, and toppings, ranging from marshmallows and strawberries to toasted coconut, French toast, and Froot Loops™ cereal.
Waiting on the impressive line proved an excellent opportunity to hear from the mostly young crowd. “The pictures I saw online looked delicious,” said Alexandra Bello. “But I’m going to have to kill myself in the gym tomorrow.” Her friends nodded in agreement. One added that the group decided to try Wowfulls after an endorsement from a peer.
“I had to make her try one,” said Thiago Lima, gesturing Julia, his girlfriend. Thiago has been to Wowfulls once, two months ago. “Last time, I was walking down the street when I saw the crowd. I almost didn’t want to wait, but it’s good I did.” Julia was unexcited, but Thiago was convinced that would change “after she takes a bite.”
Inside the restaurant, one customer I found standing between two tables was satisfied with the food but had one complaint: the size of the store itself. “I know rent is rough,” said Andres Guerrero, “but there are waaaaay too many people and waaaay too little space. The restaurant contains just two sets of tables and chairs, that, combined with the packed-in customers and outstretched selfie arms, leaves barely any breathing room.
Although the combination of waffles and ice cream is not uncommon, Wowfulls has garnered a lot of attention. Despite the temperature drop after the last two days, the restaurant was packed to the brim this Sunday, with a line that stretched out the door after lunchtime. Much of its success can be attributed to social media, especially Instagram, where the ‘Wowfulls’ hashtag contains almost 8,000 posts. Scrolling through the hashtag exemplifies an effective branding strategy. The product is presented in its container with an open waffle facing the holder, displaying the ice cream and toppings. The container itself shows the company logo and the name of the restaurant in large text, meaning anyone who sees such a post can be enticed by the food and know exactly where it’s from. The store itself has a wall covered in bright art and hashtags, providing a canvas that encourages customers to post on social media. Modern restaurants are also heavily reliant on online reviews, another area where Wowfulls excels. It maintains a 4.5/5 rating on Yelp, 4.7 on Google Maps, and 4.9 on Facebook.
Instagram posts display an effective branding strategy
Wowfulls opened its first brick-and-mortar location in April of last year at 309 E Houston St. Prior to this, since 2015, they were a food truck and catering-only business, serving large events like the Governors Ball and Electric Zoo music festivals. They also have a booth at Smorgasburg, a weekly open-air market in Brooklyn aimed at food enthusiasts.
Wowfulls sells its signature waffles at $9 each, which include a waffle, a scoop of ice cream, a liquid topping, and three solid toppings, all made to order.