Clinton Street Baking Company and Restaurant - Pancake Nirvana Has Landed

Clinton Street Baking is famous in Manhattan as one of the most popular joints for bakes and pancakes. The husband and wife owners have also published a cookbook and appeared on many culinary TV shows.

They have now set up shop in Singapore and we are privileged to be the first in this region to have a Clinton outlet.

Nicely tucked in the shophouses along Purvis Street, it is a superb location for attracting both office workers and the hipster crowds.

It is opened early in the morning at 8am and closes at 6pm. Sadly, they are not ready to do dinners yet. But what you get during the day will likely satisfy those who crave for a more classic American fare.

Southern Breakfast

Large portions dominate the cafe interior here as this is after all, American grub. We seldom see grits here and this Southern Breakfast plate may just satisfy those who been wanting to try what grits taste like.

It is somewhat more grainy than a polenta, and it is rather mushy in texture. But the hearty cheese infused flavours in the grits come through rather nicely. But it is the southern American classic of fried green tomatoes that won me over. It is just one of those American classics that is comforting and addictive all at once.

Elsewhere, you can ask for eggs any style and the scrambled eggs are pretty decent, though less creamier than what I would have liked. The candied bacon is good too, so all in all, a hearty breakfast platter for those who need something substantial.

Eggs Benedict

We must be tired of eggs ben by now. Thankfully, their version hits the mark on a couple of levels. First, the hollandaise is freshly made and the colour and texture clearly shows. The buttery and eggy tones are blissfully rich.

What is more impressively are the buttermilk biscuits that are appropriately crusty on the outside and flaky and crumbly when you bite into it. The ham used is also of a good quality and is nicely cured with maple for a beautiful bite and texture.

Chicken and Waffles

The classic Chicken and Waffles dish is a bit of a letdown, however. The waffle batter fails to stand out and there is much less of that freshly baked aroma that I could detect.

The chicken is also somewhat dry as they have elected to use the breast meat for this dish. The flavours do come through though as the chicken is really well seasoned, and you still have that amazing maple butter alongside which helps to bring the whole dish together in a very uplifting manner.

Pancakes and Warm Maple Butter

On to the main highlight of Clinton, and it is their award winning Pancakes with Warm Maple Butter dish. A visually arresting plate of stacked pancakes with a beautiful golden, crusty colour that had me at hello.

You can choose to have either blueberries, banana walnut or chocolate chunks. The blueberries with its more acidic citrusy is probably the best option. The delicious maple butter is a must with the pancakes, and trust me, you have probably never had this good of a maple syrup as this.

Drizzle the whole butter syrup on top and cut into it. It resembles a well made crepe cake but it is that amazing batter and execution that ranks this as the best pancakes in town now.

Extremely pillowy and fluffy inside, the pancake sponge magically melts in your mouth with just the slightest of chewing. That gorgeous, buttery, sugar, lilting taste of maple butter enhances the pancakes to an indescribable feeling.

This is what pancakes is all about. It tastes like the best homemade pancakes you can ever discover in the world. And then, multiply that by about thrice. This is how good and amazing the pancakes taste. I can wax more lyrical, but trust me, just get your palates here pronto!

Classic Sides

There are also some sides that you can choose, and the pick of the lot is the addictive hand cut fries. They also have house made cakes that are typically more over the top with their portions and their stronger flavours.

The prices may be a bit steep when you compare it to the average out of town cafes, but for the branding and the reputation that Clinton brings, it is certainly worth it to come here at least once. But likely, you will return a few more times for that amazing set of pancakes.

Indeed, pancake nirvana has arrived.

Clinton Street Baking Company and Restaurant
31 Purvis Street