As Tragic Comedy of “My Art Corner” invited me to go for this new manga cafe, I gladly accepted it since it is perhaps not very often that you have a cafe with manga/anime being the context of the place. It is definitely a very interesting place, as I went there with two friends, as well as RDrake to get the trading figures of Higurashi.

This manga cafe is adeptly called Manga Oasis cafe and it strives to be a place for Singaporean manga enthusiasts, as well as artists who wants to contribute. Let me give you a short review on the cafe itself, and whether it is worth visiting for you.

Address:
Suntec City Mall #03-025J/J/K
MY.PLAYGrOund
3 Temasek Boulevard
S(038983)

The entrance

The cafe is definitely very distinctive, with the color green very striking. As you get closer to the cafe, the ambiance of the area is very classy, and it does evoke a relaxing feel. However, that is one huge qualm I have. Due to its position in Suntec City, it is not exactly the most easy place to get to as I would have gotten lost without a guide to bring me there. Do take this with a pinch of salt, since I am very well known to have an absolute lack of directions.

The cafe also requires a more manga look at the entrance of the place. It is problematic when I walked toward the place, and had to wonder for awhile before realizing that it is actually a manga cafe. The owner of the cafe addressed this issue when asked, and he has plans to either hang some pictures drawn by our local artists, or make some stand up posters like Akira-sama on the front of the cafe. So, if you are an artist, and is keen to have your pictures hung around this cafe, just contact the owner when his website is revamped.

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The food

Here is the menu. Despite the limited range of food, I can truthfully say that the food is affordable (a sandwich and hot chocolate for 4.50). The chunky chicken mayo sandwich is good, and there is a generous amount of chicken and mayo. You can tell that I really like the food in this place. That’s what a foodie looks for.

Currently, they only have egg tarts and sandwiches.However, the owner is very apologetic for the lack of choices, and promised to add more things and combos to the menu. No lunch menu as yet though, since it is quite troublesome for a manga cafe to have such heavy food.

I am also honestly tell you that if they ever want to make a strong point other than the manga feature, it must be their food. It is very bloody delicious for the cost a. I actually like the hot chocolate because it is not the cheap milo crap that I tend to drain at some coffee places. No, I am not going to tell you where I have the disastrous “hot chocolate”. It’s thick enough to get the strong fragrance and taste, and the owner imported the hot chocolate from USA.

For coffee addicts, this place is definitely for you, as Norrie, the female friend that I brought will confess. I do not drink coffee, but she is a huge coffee addict. According to her words, she said that the coffee is well worth the money she paid for it, especially compared to the very expensive latte that she drinks usually at Starbucks. I mean, you will usually sit around for at least two hours in this very cozy cafe. With a hot chocolate, some sandwiches and a manga at hand, the cost is really low. I do hope that the owner is earning enough to earn any form of profit since I really like the food here. I got to try the cheese tart next time, because according to Norrie who ordered it, it is filled with a delicious amount of cheese.

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Interior design

For those who are addicted to the Internet, it is good that they have a hotspot access throughout the whole shop, since Suntec City provides wireless connections. Just take note that there is only one power point in this cafe, so remember to charge your battery a little before you come over. The lights are definitely very comfortable to the eyes, and you will not feel too tired when you pick out the manga to read on the shelf. The above image is actually very nice, but it is a huge pity that it is not very clear. I suggested to the manga owner that there should be some backing on the sticker to make this stand out a bit more, and he said he is considering.

I will say that I particularly like the glass display panel. In my opinion, this is a very good thing. The glass panel, if you cannot see clearly due to my poor photo taking skills, are comics of the Celestial Zone that he has gotten the license to display. I also found that there is a signed photo of JJ Lin in the glass panel. I didn’t know that JJ Lin likes manga. I wonder if he can be our manga/anime spokesperson. Hah!

You can see RDrake looking at the manga collection. For now, most of the manga collection is donated by anime fans. There is currently a small selection of comics such as Fruits Basket, Celestial Zone, Ouran High Host Club and some assorted series as well. If you have some manga that you no longer have any use for, why not donate it to this manga cafe? I am sure that the owner will appreciate it.

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Service

On service, the owner is definitely a very friendly boss. I really like how he keenly appreciates the feedback rather than dismiss is randomly. It is good that at least someone listens to his customers on what they want, because we are generally very reasonable people when our backs are not forced onto the walls. I think that he is still trying to get much more feedback on the cafe, to improve it and get more publicity for it. I also suggested for the design that the menu should be integrated on the table itself, since the two book versions that we are given to see what is available is not really that user friendly. Placing the menu right on the table will be great.

It is a place that the manga owner confesses, that he is very flexible when it comes to customers staying in the place. He also often has considerate customers who will go to the side of the shop instead of sitting on the tables if it is a packed crowd. In a way, I guess the service dynamics is very good because it becomes a form of trust and respect.

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Conclusion

If you like a quiet place in the heart of the city, and has a distinctively manga feel, this is the place for you. Despite some of the flaws of this manga cafe, the food, ambiance and service of the staff in this cafe has given me enough reason to return. I particularly consider the food to be the strength of the cafe, and hope that they stay with this high quality of food. I am also certain that there will be more changes with this manga for the better, so why not visit it when you have the time, and see it for yourself?

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