Clinton St Baking Co Singapore Is The Hottest New Cafe In Town
Clinton St Baking Co Singapore serves up fluffy pancakes, chicken and waffles and more hearty American fare in a cosy, down-to-earth setting.
By ISABEL ONG,
Sure, there might be more than one joint here that serves up pancakes drizzled with honey and topped with an assortment of berries, but how many can lay claim to the fact that their dish was voted the best in New York City - twice? It's an accolade that was bestowed on Clinton St. Baking Co.'s blueberry pancakes by New York Magazine, and New Yorkers have been drawn to its floury, fluffy goodness since co-founders and husband-and-wife team Neil Kleinberg and Dede Lahman set up a humble shopfront in Manhattan's Lower East Side 14 years ago.
The 60-seater cafe space here (its first outpost in South-east Asia) held a soft launch at its Purvis Street digs last Saturday, drawing a full house of hungry folks eager to try items from the classic American fare on offer: Eggs benedict served on chunky buttermilk biscuits with a dash of cayenne pepper, tabasco and lime juice; buttermilk fried chicken served on a warm Belgian vanilla waffle; and a stack of those award-winning pancakes served with homemade maple butter (note: this is not maple syrup; it has a thicker, more gooey consistency) and three toppings of choice - blueberries, banana walnut or chocolate chunks.
Also on the menu: A selection of quintessentially American baked goods that Clinton St. Baking Co. is most well-known (and well-loved for). Besides scones, muffins and cookies - all made according to chef Kleinberg's exacting recipes - there's a decadent chocolate and vanilla cream cake and a New York-style blueberry cheesecake, which comes with a graham cracker base that's made from scratch (take that, Sara Lee).
The cafe interior is modelled after a family-friendly American diner - light wooden furniture is used throughout, alongside other design elements like polished subway tiles and chic pendant lamps hanging above the bar counter.
This affinity for all things American is clearly a winning formula: In New York, the waiting time for a table takes up to two hours or more, and we're expecting no less enthusiastic a response from local foodies. 31 Purvis Street, open 8am-6pm daily, tel: 6684-4845 (no reservations taken)
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