Ronin @ Hong Kong Street - Dapper Haunt

Ronin

Happy 2014! I know I've been away for a bit - had the most magical time at Christmas and New Years' (mostly at house parties) with loved ones - I hope December has been absolutely wonderful for you too. Have you been to Ronin? The latest café by the guys behind the Plain is also the most dapper yet. Man, it's been a long time since I've felt such a strong urge to gush about a place to everyone I know.

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Drury Lane Café, Duxton - Relaxed, Unpretentious Café

Just when I thought there couldn't possibly be space for another café at Duxton, I discovered Drury Lane. Great coffee, relaxed atmosphere, good prices - honestly, I'm not sure what more I could have asked for.

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Comman Man Coffee Roasters, Martin Road - Great Coffee, Delicious Food

Common Man Coffee Roasters

Not all places that serve great coffee serve equally inspiring food. Sometimes, not everything that sounds inspiring on the menu wind up tasting good. Common Man Coffee Roasters manages to avoid both pitfalls - clearly, having the word 'common' in your name doesn't necessarily make you such. Only problem is, you'll have difficulty getting a table. Don't ask me how I managed to squeeze myself in there on a Sunday morning. This place is packed.

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Kith Café, Quayside Isle - Quick Escape

Kith @ Quayside Isle

If you're wondering where the crowd has gone on weekends, the ones in-the-know have all migrated to Quayside Isle. It's bustling but not overcrowded, if that even makes sense, and just perfect for a lazy Sunday. I spent all morning reading magazines and basking in the sun, fully relaxed since Quayside Isle is new and foreign enough for me to quite easily kid myself into thinking I've gone on a weekend escape. And isn't that all we need sometimes?

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In the Kitchen: Fluffy, Fool-proof Pancakes

In my books, the best feeling in the world is waking up to breakfast made with love. The second best feeling? Watching that special someone tuck into the breakfast you've made. If it's home-made pancakes, all the better. And I've finally got the perfect, idiot-proof recipe in my pocket.

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40 Hands, Yong Siak Street - Confessions of a Twenty-Something

Flat White, $5

Maybe one day I'll realize how much money I've spilled spending weekend after weekend waking up to idyllic brunches (read overpriced eggs), then spending the rest of the day having fair trade coffee from exotic locales. Maybe it's excessive, superficial, even foolish. But for what it's worth, I feel alive - sipping coffee, completely unwinding burdens of the week past, having random, witty discourse with close friends, enjoying the laid-back music, and half wondering how is it that all these cafés have such amazing playlists... One day I'll wisen up, maybe. But not today, not yet.

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Weekend in Kuala Lumpur - Hello, Bangsar!

Antipodean Café

I used to think that "real" travelling means only doing local things and eating local food, until I realized that locals don't just do local things or eat local food, do they? We live in such a borderless world that local cultures are hardly limited to long-time traditions. Increasingly, cultures (in open economies, of course) are evolving, interacting with globalization and giving rise to seemingly generic phenomenons - take brunch for instance, a quintessential sunday luxury that is popular almost everywhere. But really, as long as we enjoy it, does it matter if you're doing the same thing except in different countries? To me, traditionally, visiting Kuala Lumpur equated to eating up a storm of street food. But what if you knew about an enclave with chic restaurants and bars coupled with eclectic, boutique shopping? Everyone, meet Bangsar.

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Brunch at Artichoke Café & Bar, Singapore - Just Perfect

Pares Balta Cava Brut (Bubbly), $9

I think I've found the most charming Brunch destination in Singapore. Everything from the decor down to the food was simply marvelous. I loved how they brought together Mediterranean flavours and influences from some of my favourite cities - Spain, Greece and Morocco. The result is unexpectedly wonderful - you get to enjoy Cava from Spain, strained Yoghurt and smoky Haloumi from Greece, Shakshouka from the Middle East, and so on, all in one place.

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Sunday Brunch at The Plain - My New Favourite

Laid-back Interior

Not that I had an old favourite. I don't think I've ever walked out of a brunch so satisfied! Not in Singapore, that is. It's hard to say what exactly it is about the Plain that totally draws me in, but I'm especially impressed that everything we ordered were done so well. The menu may be limited, but it certainly seems as though everything in it has weight. I have no complains about the laid-back, just slightly quirky decor, either.

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Sunday Brunch at Epicurious, Robertson Quay, Singapore

Yoghurt Parfait with Honey, Granola and Mixed Fruits, $7

We got out of bed early last Sunday morning for a brunch mission. Alright, we probably weren't that early. Epicurious was already a busy, busy scene and Eggs Benedict was sold out. Hold on a minute. Why do they limit the number of Eggs Benedicts anyway? Still, we gave Epicurious a shot. Since it was sunny, I figured it would be great to start things off with some cold yoghurt. It was refreshing and delicious - a glorious combination of yoghurt, honey, granola and mixed fruits. Sure, I can easily pull this off at home, but it's nice to be dining sometimes, you know, gazing out at the river, soaking in the sun... you know what I mean.

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Food For Thought, Queen Street, Singapore

I guess it's hard not to like this place. It just feels so calm and tranquil here, don't you think? I've actually dined at their other location along North Bridge road, which was a cosier but less tranquil space. The first time, it was a surprise 20th birthday lunch my lovely friends threw for me. Happy memories. The next few times, I guess I just wanted to return to somewhere cosy.

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Wild Honey, Ion Orchard, Singapore

My lovely mother decided to bring the family to Wild Honey for sunday brunch. This was actually a first for us as a family. My parents love the idea of Beach Road Prawn Mee for breakfast, or dim sum brunch at Wah Lok, but a western sunday brunch? Unless we're on a holiday. So this almost felt like a pretend holiday!

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Strictly Pancakes, Prinsep Street, Singapore

How's your weekend going? I had a lovely brunch here with M yesterday. I'm really curious: How do you like your pancakes? Thick? Soft? Fluffy? My ideal pancake is really fluffy, soft and not too thick. The ones here come pretty close, though I'd love it if it was just a little fluffier (and a little less dense)!

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Brunch Club & Supper, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

So quaint, isn't it? As you walk up the steps leading to the restaurant, it's almost as if you're walking up steps to a cosy little cottage tucked in a nice European town. A piano painted bright yellow greets you as you step into the restaurant, along with the friendly staff behind the counter. My friend pressed down on one of the piano keys and the note reverberated gently. The piano looked so adorable in yellow paint it could easily pass off as a toy. It conjured images of beautiful summer cottages, warm sunshine, and cheerful piano pieces.

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