All posts tagged: breakfast

在上海: Where to Breakfast like a Shanghai Localite

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So you’re in Shanghai, a city where the pace of life is not for the slow-walkers or easy-goers. Restaurants on the city’s iconic riverside are all gorgeously situated with a view of the Bund. With the increasingly glitzy tastes of Shanghai locals, French cuisine is the undeniable crowd-favorite these days. But what if you want to have a taste of old Shanghai, the Shanghai where street food is validated by the amount of people waiting in line–including regulars that have visited these run-down food carts since childhood. Where do you go? Ignore the Micheline Stars Trek to downtown Shanghai where you can still taste authentic breakfast foods and see street vendors serve fresh orders of egg rolls, sticky rice shaomai, and more.

Holiday Brunch at Clinton St. Baking Co.

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Happy New Years! Top of my 2015 New Years Resolutions List was exploring more popular food spots so in the spirit of that, I squeezed in a holiday brunch with my family at Clinton St. Baking Company recently. This popular Lower East Side shop is known for its delicious blueberry pancakes, Belgian waffles, and brunch overall. I first heard about Clinton St. Baking Company in Tokyo this summer actually. But I also quickly learned that Tokyo’s pancake craze means delicious pancakes only if you can endure enormously long waits–after all, lines can go for hours at this popular brunch spot! But, what girl doesn’t love a delicious stack of pancakes? I seriously appreciate brunch with great pancakes, especially if they fit my golden rule: fluffy on the inside with slightly crispy sides. So this time, despite the hour wait (which was much shorter than the one in Tokyo I’m sure!), I persevered. A new year means renewed strength to wait for good brunch right?                             Hands down, Clinton St. Baking Company is delicious–the …

Enjoying Souffles and “Green Eggs and Ham” at Lauderdale

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Let me just start off by saying, Lauderdale serves a version of Doctor Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham named ‘Mama’s Garden Omelette’ and I am nearly positive this delicious gruyere-filled dish is why Sam-I-Am loves Green Eggs and Ham so much! (If you have fond memories of Dr. Seuss like I do, then you’d probably understand why the prospect of having green eggs is so extremely exciting.) Lauderdale, located next to Roppongi Hills on Keyakizaka-dori, has been a hot spot for both foreigners and locals since its opening in 2009. With servers fluent in both Japanese and English, Lauderdale is a great breakfast option for families and expats working in the Roppongi area (and if you have pets, they’re allowed on the terrace seatings!) Serving a mix of French bistro-fare with international influences, its notable menu items include Hot-Out-Of-Oven Souffles, Buttermilk Pancakes, and a variety of French-Styled Omelettes. Sam, my Tokyo brunching buddy, and I heard that grabbing a seat on the terrace is virtually impossible on weekends so we opted for a quieter weekday breakfast instead.

Aussie Breakfastin’ at Bills in Omotesando

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Bill Granger really knows how to make a delicious breakfast to brighten my morning! Having tried his famous ricotta hotcakes before in Notting Hill’s Granger and Co., I was determined to repeat the delicious experience in Tokyo. But, as all serious Tokyo brunch and breakfast lovers already know, the line for Bills in Tokyo’s posh Omotesando area is notoriously long (up to 3-4 hours!). Located on the 7th floor of Tokyu Plaza, a space-fortress like complex designed by award-winning architect Hiroshi Nakamura, Bills is nestled within the Plaza’s ‘Omohara Forest.’ In other words, breakfasting or brunching at Bills Omotesando is both a delicious and gorgeous experience. So if you want to check out Bill Granger’s Omotesando branch, an early start is a must! My friend Sam, who’s been studying at Sophia University for the past semester, met me bright and early at 9am for this breakfast of champs. And to my not-so-secret delight, we managed to get a table right away. Within minutes of us sitting down, the friendly staff (fluent in both Japanese and English) took our orders and prepared our drinks. Sharing Bills’ famous Full Aussie Breakfast and Ricotta Hotcakes with …

Saying Goodbye to London at the Riding House Café!

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Time passes by too fast sometime, and certainly when you are on the adventure of your life in London. Today was my last day in London before flying back to the US, and then afterwards, Asia for the summer. Arriving last September in London, I honestly had no idea the once-in-a-lifetime adventures I would get to embark on. Samantha was the first girl I met in London—the type of girlfriend once you meet, you are comforted by because you are ecstatic to finally have a fabulous new friend to go on this adventure with! Therefore, it only seemed fitting to end London off by going on a last girl date with Samantha doing what we do best: brunchin’. Surprising me, Samantha picked The Riding House Café, a brunch spot that’s been on my list of to-try before I leave London. Walking into the café, the modern-style brasserie was a gorgeous place boasting an abundance of natural sunlight, lovely teal bar-chairs, old-style lamps, and decorative bookshelves. Although we sat in the back lounge where it was slightly more intimate than the front room, I …

Nordic Bakery’s Cinnamon Bun Heaven

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It’s my partner in crime Christina’s last day in London and to say goodbye the proper way–from a foodie to another fellow foodie–I thought it’d be appropriate to check off a bakery we’ve been wanting to visit! The Nordic Bakery, a Scandinavian-style cafe that is simplistic both in design and food choice, is an absolutely lovely little find. If you’re craving some sweets–and by that I don’t mean a piece of chocolate–Nordic Bakery has phenomenal Cinnamon Buns. Densely layered, sticky, deliciously sweet, this is every cinnamon and pastry lover’s ideal indulgence. Especially with a nice cup of cappuccino, Nordic Bakery knows how to make the perfect Saturday morning breakfast.

Peter Gordon’s Kopapa: ‘building to store food’

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  If you want some amazing smoothies and fresh seasonal items, Peter Gordon’s Kopapa is the perfect breakfast spot. Located right in the up and coming Seven Dials area, Kopapa is best enjoyed on a sunny day–so be sure to snag an outdoors seat if you can! Bright and early, I could not think of a better person to grab breakfast with than my good friend Talia, who is my partner in crime on the weekends when we go on morning runs and then splurge sessions on market foods. Eating with Talia, who is gluten and dairy free, has also opened my eyes to a whole new world of eating–one I will definitely be blogging about later (but essentially, frequent trips to Whole Foods and our favorite vegetarian restaurant, Food for Thought, are inescapable weekly routines!) While we weren’t able to grab an outdoor seating this morning, do try to snag one if you’re lucky to find any open spot! People watching in the Seven Dials should be on Timeout London in my opinion. Anyways, Talia and I decided to start …