Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

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April 13, 2015 By cheryl

Spoon (Edinburgh): Haggis and Harry Potter

Jams

J.K. Rowling, as you might imagine, is big in Edinburgh.

The Elephant House, with its sweeping picture window views of Edinburgh Castle, is constantly packed with camera-toting tourists, as Rowling wrote bits of Harry Potter there — back when she could still wander the world incognito, of course.

Besides this cafe, however, there is one other spot that is something of a Rowling shrine — though one that’s considerably less mobbed, as it’s morphed into something else since its Rowling years: Spoon, a bright and cheery first floor restaurant that used to be Nicolson’s Cafe, otherwise known as the place where Rowling wrote some of the early chapters of Harry Potter.

As much of a fan as I am of the series, I’ve never wanted to get in the perennially long line at the Elephant House. Spoon, on the other hand, not only doesn’t have the lines but is also a restaurant whose food I’d heard good things about.

So on a drizzly Sunday, D.B. and I set off for a little look-see …

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Filed Under: Breakfast, British, Brunch, Restaurants, Scotland, Scottish, Tales From the Road, Travel Tagged With: Bacon, Black pudding, Breakfast, Brunch, Edinburgh, Egg, Elephant Cafe, Haggis, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Nicolson's Cafe, Sausage, Scotland, Spoon Edinburgh

November 19, 2014 By cheryl

The Nomad (New York): One Last Feast For The Road

The NomadThe thing about starting the tradition of sending a visitor off from your city with a terrific last meal is that well — you’ve got to keep that going.

I’d quite royally spoiled my fashion editor friend Clifford Pugh when we feasted on delicious stuffed clams and vegetable crudites in a memorable green goddess dressing in New York City, right before he hopped on a plane back to Houston after the September fashion shows. So when Clifford came back to New York this month (for my birthday!), I knew I had to plan something good for his final lunch here.

The place had to be comfortable and chic, like Clifford, and the food — well, after our last meal at The Clam, I knew it had to be pretty darn great.

Which is how we found ourselves converging on a place that instantly came to mind: The Nomad, at the rather fashionable Nomad Hotel …

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Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Brunch, New York, Restaurants Tagged With: Bloody Mary, Coffee, Daniel Humm, Eggs, Manhattan, New York City, The Nomad

August 14, 2014 By cheryl

Coltman’s Delicatessen & Kitchen (Scotland): The Pleasure of Peebles

IMG_0361There’s a charming story about a lord near the tiny town of Peebles, located in the rolling hills of Midlothian, Scotland, right by the beautiful River Tweed.

When the conversation turned to Paris once, this lord recounted how a local woman once sniffed: “I’ve been to Paris and I’ve been to Peebles — give me Peebles for pleasure anytime.”

Which may have been why Dorset Boy chose to take me to Peebles on our very first Sunday drive. I’ve been to Paris, after all. Peebles, on the other hand — now this was virgin territory.

What was in store? A cozy little cafe named Coltman’s …

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Filed Under: Bacon, Breakfast, British, Brunch, Restaurants, Scotland, Scottish, Tales From the Road Tagged With: Black pudding, Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Delicatessen, Edinburgh, Eggs, Peebles, Sausage Roll, Scotland

July 22, 2014 By cheryl

Mile End Delicatessen (Brooklyn, N.Y.): Poutine Paradise

PoutineAs you might imagine, I have a gigantic soft spot for fries, gravy, meat and cheese.

Separately, each of these rocks my world. Faced with them together? I get instantly weak-kneed.

Recently, I’ve had the extremely good fortune of living near Mile End Delicatessen, a little New York City mini chain that specializes in poutine, that scrumptious Canadian dish that combines fries with cheese curds and meat gravy.

And so, on a recent Sunday, I just happened to wander over …

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Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Brooklyn, Brunch, Jewish, New York, Restaurants Tagged With: Boerum Hill, Breakfast, Brooklyn, Brunch, Canadian, Coffee, Eggs, Gravy, Jewish, Mile End Delicatessen, New York, Poutine, Sandwich, Stumptown

February 28, 2014 By cheryl

Anna Blume (Berlin): A Towering Brunch

“Brunch,” I was told my first day in town, “is big in Berlin.”

Having just come from New York, a city where weekend brunch is practically a religion, I almost snorted, wondering how different or striking this meal could possibly be in Berlin.

As my host led me down the cobblestoned streets of the city’s fashionable Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood, however, I quickly realized my folly …

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Filed Under: Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, German, Germany, Tales From the Road Tagged With: Anna Blume, Berlin, Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Cold cuts, Eggs, Flower, Germany, Kurt Schwitters, Prenzlauer-Berg

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