char-grilled

I visited Clinton Street Baking Company New York version in Dec 2013 (full story) and has been pining for the best pancakes ever.

The problem: 15,323km (and likely a two hour queue of famished humans) stands in between me and the best pancakes ever.

I was back in Tokyo last December for a business meeting. And I had a couple of hours before my meeting at 10am on a Tuesday morning. Thanks to Google, I discovered that the famous Clinton St bakery cafe had a franchise in Tokyo. Problem solved. Without further ado, I embarked on my journey to the Tokyo edition located in pretty charming Omotesando neighborhood. People were cycling to work or school. I was the first customer to an empty shop at 8am.

Needless to say, I ordered the blueberry pancakes (¥1,500 or ~S$16). They were almost the same as NYC version. Fluffy and soft, it was like eating my pillow. The secret is they fold egg whites into the batter which made the pancakes light and tasty even on its own without the blueberries. The sweet blueberries elevated this dish to be the best pancakes I've ever eaten.

A lovely brunch ended with me taking a super crowded subway back during peak hour. It's worst than Singapore because they really push you into the cabin. Like stacked pancakes.

Address: 5-17-1 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo (nearest subway: Omotesando)

Tel: 03-6450-5944

I have been wanting to go to Penang for a long time but can't find the right time to do so. But for the time being, I can settle with a replacement for the two-hour flight: Penang Seafood Restaurant, a tze char place located next to Aljunied MRT, Singapore.

And as the name suggests, Penang Char Kway Teow is available.

The restaurant is a typical coffee shop layout with alfresco tables as well as tables in the indoors which are air-conditioned. We were ushered to our alfresco table by a boisterous uncle who was busy taking orders in Hokkien,Chinese and English.

Penang Char Kway Teow (CKT) ($5 for small). The must try item. The flat noodle in Penang CKT is usually thinner than normal CKT which I think helps to ensure that each strand is well coated with sweet soy sauce and tastes of wok hei. I also noted that there are less eggs and lards in Penang CKT but it's still an aromatic dish in the end. Tip: It's quite spicy by default so do ask for less spiciness if you have a low threshold for spicy food.

Salted Egg Sotong ($13 for small). Another must try. The chewy Sotong was deep fried till crispy and coated in a sticky yellowish salted egg yolk. The basil leaves enhanced the taste and freshness of the squid.

Baby spinach soup ($10 for small). To alleviate our guilt for ordering too much oily food, we got the baby spinach soup. The broth was well balanced with sweet and salty tones. The baby spinach was soft and easy to eat and I love the red goji dates. My eyes feel healthy already.

We washed down our food with refreshing iced lime juice ($2). Served as a great appetizer too.

Great food and great prices. And it's so conveniently located next to the MRT station. Highly likely that I'm going back soon.

Address: 76 Geylang Lorong 25A S(388258)

Tel: 96889778 / 68413002

Sawadee kha! It's long time no see kha! I found a lovely Thai restaurant in Bugis recently called Sawadee.. without the Kha. Thai food is one of my most favourite cuisines. And surprise surprise, Sawadee has some awesome dishes.

The interior is elegant and exudes Thai charm. The prices are also very elegant. I would say a normal dish (small serving) costs around $12 to $18. Bigger servings typically cost more than $20. No GST but there is service charge. We didn't have much issues on what to order because everything on the menu sounds so nice!

The duck curry ($15+) impressed me- a unique curry that was enhanced with real lychee and pineapple slices which gave a sweet fruity tone to the spicy thick curry. The creamy gravy was perfect with a bowl of rice. The only imperfection was the portion - too small!

We also ordered the otah ($15+) which was elegantly presented in seven portions in a clay plate that helped to keep the food warm. The fish paste was tasty, succulent, and well marinated with coconut milk and fish sauce.

We only ordered two mains between the two of us.. as we wanted to try the desserts.. One dessert for each of us :)

Mango sticky rice ($6+) - The warm sticky rice was wondrously topped with coconut milk and tiny crispy soya beans. And the main star, golden yellow mangoes, were just like the ones from Bangkok.. Juicy and sweet.

The red ruby ($4+) is a traditional Thai dessert that is made of crunchy water chestnuts and coconut milk. The icy dessert was a refreshing end to our meal.

Service staff was elegant, courteous and they seem to be real Thai. However I think their boss was less courteous. In fact, he was scolding them most of the time. So embarrassing.

Overall, I would say this is some really good Thai cuisine, albeit a little pricy. No need to go Bangkok anymore. We can have authentic Thai food at Sawadee. Can't wait to be back for another meal at Sawadee.

Address: 9 Tan Quee Lan St #01-01 TQL Suite S(188098)

Tel: 6238-6833

Update: Download the Holler Out app and enter promo code "weekendeatwhat" to enjoy 10% discount off spending more than $50.

Because yesterday was Peanut Butter and Jelly (PBJ) day, I thought it would be good to honour and commemorate this wonderful brunch item.

And also to give a shout out to all the PBJ lovers on where to find a really good PBJ toast. That would be at Artistry.

Wow at the fluffy PBJ French toast ($14) that is stuffed with raspberry jam, and topped with berries compote. And of course the vanilla icecream!! What's a good brunch if it doesn't end off with icecream, right?

Looks small but it's actually quite big.

Artistry signature crab burger ($20) is one of a kind with its squid ink buns. The crab meat patty was topped with onion-tomato relish, and served with truffle fries. It was quite salty for me so I preferred my PBJ.