An offshoot of the famous Clinton Street Baking Company in New York City, this café is known more for its signature fluffy pancakes than its waffles. But, as you might have guessed, I opted to try the waffles instead.
The Chicken & Waffles consisted of a hefty, deep-fried chicken cutlet served on top of a similarly sizeable buttermilk waffle.
The Waffle is designed to be soft, so my request that it be served crispier didn’t really do anything. Unlike most soft waffles, however, this wasn’t disgustingly squishy or bready in texture. It felt more like I was eating a pancake that had been baked with a waffle iron. Combined with the sweet maple-butter sauce, it was not unlike eating a giant waffle-shaped hotcake. Not bad, but not what I was hoping for, either. 3/5
The Chicken was thick and crispy but, unfortunately, rather dry. It was over-fried and ended up coming out slightly burnt around the edges. The honey Tobasco sauce that was supposed to be drizzled on top of it was, oddly, pooled beneath the waffle instead. There wasn’t much of a Tobasco kick to it, either, which was equally disappointing. 2.5/5
The café was having a one-for-one promotion on all beverages at the time, so I took advantage and ordered two coffees – a cold brew and a cappuccino.
The Cold Brew was rather bland in taste; I typically prefer my cold brews to be less concentrated than normal, but this was a tad too light even for me – to the point of almost being diluted. I didn’t get much satisfaction from drinking it. 2/5
The Cappuccino, on the other hand, was just the way I like my espresso – strong and full-bodied, without being overly bitter. I probably enjoyed the cappuccino more than anything else I sampled here. 4/5
In terms of ambience, the place wasn’t anything special. But it was well-lit, and the décor was simple and clean enough to make for an enjoyable experience.
I could maybe see myself coming back to try the other things on the menu – especially the pancakes, burgers and brunch items – even if the waffles weren’t entirely my cup of tea.
Address: 31 Purvis St, Singapore 188608
Contact: 9654 6822
FB: facebook.com/clintonstsingapore
