Coffee Alley - Taipei

Interesting Coffee Choices
On my first visit to Taipei I took note of the coffee fanaticism. It looked to have recently blasted off and dropped the boosters.  Just thirteen months later it's arrived at the outer rings of Jupiter, at least at Coffee Alley. Ordering a "tiramisu latte" seemed like a good idea.  My logic was something like this: I like tiramisu and I like latte.  She was a skin deep beauty, so pretty for her picture, but lacked depth and charm.  The powdery topping lodged in my lungs like asbestos and I nearly coughed up the bland espresso.

Panini Durini - Milan

Pork Belly Perfection
When I moved to Brooklyn, nearby Carroll Gardens was still rough and tumble.  I used to tiptoe over for an Italian sandwich once in a while.  I sported a sidewalk gaze and acted humble, hoping to pop in and out without any static.  The sandwiches were worth the risk but their equivalents in Italy might tempt you to greater feats of daring.  Whole other level of tasty!  At Panini Durini I chomped down on a memory-rending combo of pancetta tesa, caciotta dolce and peperoncini, aka black-peppered pork belly, sweet cheese and peppers.

Mom's Favorite - Berlin

Inter-Movie Snack
I'm not the best planner and when it comes to film festivals I'm overly ambitious.  On Saturday, I loaded myself up with back-to-back Berlinale movies with nary a space in between.  Mom's Favorite came to my rescue.  They quickly set me up with a slice of cake bigger than my big head and a bowl of coffee they call milchkaffee in these parts.  Now, I don't know about momma, but this one didn't quite end up as a favorite.

Miss HoneyPenny - Berlin

From Cold to Colder
I was so enthralled by the idea of the Berlin Film Festival that I didn't stop to consider that it's held in Berlin, in February.  I was already cold when I arrived and I still haven't warmed up.  I've been eating non-stop, not because I find German food that enticing, but because I need protection against the German winter.  Miss HoneyPenny was close to the hotel and open early so I gave it a try.

Little Spoon - Bangkok

Monsoon Protection
Sunny Bangkok can take a turn for the soggier faster than you can duck into a cafe for cover.  When I sat down at Little Spoon I was a bit damp but fared better than most.  Thai rain attacks from all angles - even upwards.  The unfortunate were stuck outside, caught like laundry in a violent rinse cycle.  I patted myself dry while waiting for my latte and blueberry cream cake to arrive.

Sukhumvit Soi 38 - Bangkok

Street Food for Dummies
As luck would have it, we are staying just two map dots away on the skytrain from a nice eating street, Sukhumvit Soi 38.  The nice thing about the street is that the vendors have picture menus with English translations.  So, instead of ordering like a mime, pointing at unknown foods and making thumbs up signs, all I had to do was use my finger to point at a picture.  First up - fried chicken chunks with rice.  Not quite as good as the chicken we had on Day One, but not bad at all.

The Pigeon Hole - Singapore

The Cool Cafe Wars Are Brewing
It's like 00's NYC all over again.  Here in Singapore a cool cafe opens weekly.  In an eyeblink, we've gotten The Pigeon Hole, Loysel's Toy, Sarnies, Orange Thimble, Drips, Smitten and undoubtedly a few others while I wrote this post.  If you're an office-less worker like me the Pigeon Hole is remote-bot heaven. They have comfortable tables, coffee and free wifi.  After 20 minutes of work and 40 minutes of net-surfing I dug into their signature chocolate bread-and-butter pudding.  It's described on the menu as velvety creme brulee topped with chunks of fluffy buttery croissant and chocolate chips.  I wonder, is that really a croissant on top or pieces of you tiao?  The latter, I hope - that would be cooler.

Cupcakes with Love - Singapore

The Coming Cupcake Craze Crash
Cupcakes have gone global, they're multiplying like a virus.  Cutesie-poo cupcake shops have been popping up in Paris and now I'm seeing them sprout in Singapore.  Kinda reminds me of real estate in '07.  You knew things were crazy and it was going to end badly, you just didn't know when.  I enjoyed my visit to Cupcakes with Love and I wish them well but I suspect they're like a Miami condo a few years back.  It's all about timing.

Loysel's Toy Cafe - Singapore

Hi, I'm Lactose!
I have a buddy who never quite finishes his sentences.  If you ask him to have a latte he'll say "I can't, I'm lactose."  He's missing the all important "intolerant", which imparts a noticeably different spin.  I've been intolerant my whole life but have chosen to pretend otherwise.  However, with a nod to the power of milk sugars, I've been trying to warm up to soy.  Loysel's Toy Cafe makes a great soy latte and that's no easy feat.  Their strong espresso tastes as if it's mixed with milk.

Blue Bottle Coffee - Brooklyn

Sometimes Less is Smore
It's all fun and games until it backfires.  I'm talking about the trend where you take an old favorite, break it down and build it back up with fancy-schmancy ingredients.  Case in point: the uptown smore I got at Blue Bottle Coffee.  It sported a name card explaining how the graham cracker was made from scratch, all the better to house the hand-crafted marshmallow and single-source cocoa bean chocolate sauce (I'm exaggerating.)  Sorry, but when I think of smores, I think of this.....

Popelini - Paris

Then What Happened?
When I arrived back at work, fresh from Popelini, they were still arguing.  The limey was gesticulating so hard, he batted his shiny thin tie over his shoulder and left it there.  None noticed the long trays of cream puffs I'd placed in the middle of the table.  Each was annoyed I was blocking his view of the idiot on the other side of his argument.  I began to wonder about my colleagues - how can they be so passionate about work?  Hello, there are rows of tiny choux à la crème, people!

Golden Cake Vendor - Taipei

Pay Dirt, PB-Style!!
After just one bite I fantasized about hiring her to setup her stall outside my apartment.  I dreamt of opening my front door and yelling "two more peanut butter, please."  Moments later I'd bite into this freshly cooked cake with a vein of molten chunky peanut butter.

Francois Payard Bakery ("FPB") - Manhattan

Missing Paris?  Nah, Couldn't Be....
I got the drop on this place from Dessertbuzz.  It's officially called FPB but that P stands for Payard, a big name in French pastry.  It made no sense - I'll be back in Paris in a week, but somehow there I was, ordering French pastries from his new shop on Houston.  Dodo's gonna mock and tease me for sure.  I can't explain it - I guess I was just curious to see how it stacks up against the Paris shops I frequent.  The apricot danish was bursting with flavor but could have been a bit lighter and flakier.  To be fair, I was there at 5pm, they're probably different in the morning, fresh from the oven.

Four and Twenty Blackbirds - Brooklyn

They'll Shut Your Pie-Hole
After reading about Four and Twenty Blackbirds over and over on Blondie and Brownie, I jumped the R train to check it out.  Just a few posts ago I wondered if anyone could make a pie in this city, now I have my answer.  I'm a sucker for any salty-sweet combo and their salted caramel apple pie hits all the right notes - flaky homemade crust, tender apples that aren't overly sweet and a salty aftertaste.  I knew this was my kind of place when they confirmed that they make their own whipped cream.

Once Upon a Milkshake - Singapore

Fourth Time's a Charm
I'd been to Once Upon a Milkshake before and was forced to accept some lesser flavor like mocha. I've peeked in a few other times but they were always out of it. Just take it off the menu, already. Stop teasing me. The other day, one more peek. They have it!! I burst through the door so hard everyone momentarily stopped fondling their iBaubles.

Flor Patisserie - Singapore

It's a Matter of Taste
Imagine yourself in a dream, floating high above the earth. You're not scared, you feel safe and happy. The sun is warm and bright, causing you to squint. It's beauty like you've never seen, all the colors are glowing. Sugary white clouds billow around you, beckoning you, and in your dream state you know they're edible. You close your eyes, open your mouth and gently bite. How does it taste?

Wheat Baumkuchen - Singapore

Treecake from Germany via Japan
If you've not been to Germany or Japan you may not be familiar with baumkuchen, or "tree cake", so named due to its layered rings. Wheat Baumkuchen is a recently opened cafe in Toa Payoh that specializes in nothing but. I dropped in for one on my way to the nearby golf range hoping it might lengthen me a few yards.

Apom Chooi - Penang, Malaysia

Banana Pancakes - Nonya Style
I was so full but Puffin talked me into one more thing! The word apom means pancake in Malay, Chooi is the name of the vendor himself. His brother Guan works another stall only 30 feet away but apparently they're not on talking terms. Gotta love the internet - don't know if any of that is true but it makes for a good story - check out the source for this post here.

Eastern & Oriental Hotel - Penang, Malaysia

How Do You Say "Sucked" in Malay?
These scones look great, right? They weren't and neither was anything else at the E&O high tea. It sounded like a good idea but with 20/20 hindsight it was foolish. Who travels to Penang, surrounded by some of the best street food and goes to some froofy high tea and an old, colonial hotel? (I'm raising my hand now....) Idiot!

Leong Chee Kee - Penang, Malaysia

Getting Lost for Baked Goods
I'll wander around for a long time and have Puffin ask people for directions if there is something sweet at the end of the trip. Leong Chee Kee is lauded for its coconut biscuits and we searched hard for this hard-to-find bakery. The coconut biscuit was a let-down, definitely not the best thing they make. Good thing we found something there which was way better.....