Living on the doorstep of one of Sydney’s amazing National Parks is a gift we don’t take advantage of enough, and with a recently updated kid-friendly café set in the most beautiful natural settings this is definitely something we will start doing more often. The Weir Café is a lively eating spot for Shire locals and tourists with table space at a premium on a sunny Spring day. Fortunately we arrived early enough to secure a table on the edge of the park and went about reviewing the breakfast (brunch) menu.
The Weir Café in its beautiful setting.Photo by Katia Barker
Bacon was on order for both Ross & I, with Ross choosing the Bacon & Egg Sandwich ($12.50) with a side of Chorizo Sausage ($4.50) and I opted for the BLAT ($15.00). Jenson nibbled his way through Raisin Toast ($5.90) with his drink of choice Banana Milkshake ($3.70), and with two coffees ($3.70 each) we were set.
Jenson was not in the mood to sit quietly or patiently this morning, so I took him for a wander around the park whilst Ross entertained our little lady (who ate her food, plus some of my brunch, and half of Jenson’s toast). The park area is fantastic for picnics and groups were setting up for parties and D.I.Y lunches. The Weir Café also offers picnic hampers if you are wanting to spoil yourself and let someone else do the hard work.
Jenson at Play. Photo by Ross Barker
The food arrived promptly and we tucked in. My BLAT was generous and tasty with a sneaky kick of garlic aioli, and Ross devoured his Bacon & Egg sandwich with a nod of approval. We agreed that both meals were good value and would definitely order again. Whilst there is no specific kids’ menu for breakfast you can order individual items to cater for smaller appetites, and there is a small kids’ menu for lunch (all $10.00 each).
BLAT ($15.00). Photo by Katia Barker
Bacon & Egg Sandwich ($12.50) with Chorizo ($4.50). Photo by Katia Barker
Feeding frenzy with the kids, Isla demanding more! Photo by Katia Barker
It would have been nice to sit back and order a second coffee and take in the scenery however the little people had other ideas and so we packed up once the last bite was gone and spent time exploring nature instead. Fortunately there was no waiting around for the servers at The Weir Café as you order and pay at the same time which is a good move when the little people say “let’s go!”.
Special times with the family. Photo by Ross Barker
Last Bite: The Weir Café is a unique, kid-friendly café set in a stunning location that is well worth the extra effort to take a trip and visit. Although you pay an $11.00 entry fee to the National Park there is enough to do for a whole days’ worth of fun, including hiring a canoe, kayak or paddle boat or various bush walks. Don’t forget to pack the scooter / bike / frizbee!
Come to think of it, I don’t often eat Italian food in Singapore. I don’t mean the random, mainstream Italian food catered for the masses (OMG I really sound like a food snob here! Eeek!! Sorry!) but rather classic, rustic, homestyle Italian. I guess partly because they tend to be fine-dining and pretty expensive, so I feel like I have to be celebrating an occasion to warrant the splurge.
Trattoria Bonissima has really good reviews online (yes I’m the type to go suss a place out before I eat there), and it’s not hard to see why. Helmed by Italian chef Andrea Badiali, Trattoria Bonissima is a casual, cozy restaurant serving hearty Italian food. All decked out in blue and white linen, it feels homely and lovely, with very warm and friendly service.
Inside Trattoria Bonissima
Carter, very comfortable sunning himself by the window
I was really surprised when I opened their menu. It boasts a really wide selection of dishes! Of course, it meant I was ummm-ing and ahhh-ing trying to figure out how not to order 305246 dishes for myself 😉
The food came out swiftly, and they even help you portion out the dishes if you’re ordering to share. A very nice touch.
Hunter going to town on their complimentary bread
The first dish (and IMHO the best dish) was the Stracciata – thinly sliced striploin on a bed of rocket, dressed with truffle oil, balsamic and parmesan.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
It was so good, we actually couldn’t quite believe it. I actually wouldn’t have thought of ordering this dish if I saw it on the menu, and so was very glad that we were recommended to.
It is seriously good.
The striploin is gorgeous. Silky, tender, melt-in-your-mouth. And what makes it stand out is this complex concoction of truffle oil and balsamic… which had us smacking our lips in delight. You know how balsamic sauce on a salad can just be too tangy and a bit much? I guess they must use really high quality balsamic.. and it’s also tempered with the fullness of the taste of truffle oil. The blend goes together like one freakin’ happy marriage and makes the beef just taste splendid.
It went very well with the juicy, sweet tomatoes, and is a wonderful appetizer that is a total MUST ORDER when you visit. Seriously, you’re mad if you don’t order it. The portion size is also hefty and excellent to be shared.
Boy, I pretty much typed up an essay on just this one dish. But oh geez it’s so bloody good I can barely stand it! I’d go back there for the Stracciata alone.
Stracciata – thinly sliced striploin on a bed of rocket, dressed with truffle oil, balsamic and parmesan ($19). FAINT.
The other appetizer was this astonishing tower of Calamari Fritti. Don’t be silly an order this appetizer just for yourself, as it’s large enough to be a main meal. You definitely need to share this.
The tumble of calamari come in large rings, dipped in a light batter and are all crispy and airy. At first, the light colour of the batter made me think it was undercooked (I’m used to the darker brown versions in Australia), but nope, the batter was all light and well cooked. I found the calamari itself to be not as sweet as I normally like them to be, but they were very good dipped in the aioli.
The restaurant also prides themselves (or, at least our waiter introduced it with a big flourish!) on their Pepperoncino flakes, which are dried chilli flakes that pack a potent punch of flavour. You can dip the calamari in this too, or sprinkle it on pizza/pasta.
Calamari Fritti ($16)
The Salsiccia – tomato, mozzarella, homemade pork sausage was a large pizza dotted with very yummy sausage. It is a very typical Italian pizza that comes with a scattering of ingredients, and you’re supposed to enjoy the fresh tomato sauce and dough.
I will be frank here. And I don’t know how else to put this without sounding like a greedy pig… but… I like my pizzas with thick crust! You know, Pizza Hut style? I know all the food connoisseurs and Italians are now rolling their eyes in disgust, but I like it thick crust simply because it…. errrrrr…. fills me up. I find that when I eat thin crust pizza, I can eat a whole ton and not be that full. I NEED MY CARBS.
So, if you’re a proper foodie and like authentic Italian pizzas, you’ll like it. If you’re kinda greedy like me, you’re better off sharing this with someone and ordering a pasta or main dish as well 😉
The Linguini Alle Cicale – crayfish in pink sauce was my personal favourite. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, and I’ve decided that ‘pink sauce’ is my favourite for pastas, which is basically a term for a tomato cream sauce. Trattoria Bonissima offer pink sauce for quite a few of their dishes and I am a total convert. I particularly like it because it’s not as rich and flat as a cream sauce, and not as tangy as a tomato sauce. It’s somewhere inbetween.
There were large chunks of crayfish in there, which were lovely and sweet against the sauce of the pasta. The portion size is substantial too.
Linguini Alle Cicale – crayfish in pink sauce ($22)
Here’s where we were a little silly and ordered TWO pastas that were almost identical. Duh! Kicking myself for not having ordered their Lamb Chops or Steak, which have rave reviews online. I forgot to when we were ordering! *facepalm*
And so ended up getting the Linguini Merluzzo Porcini – codfish, porcini mushrooms in pink sauce. It was, errrr, basically the same as the pasta earlier, but this time with fat slices of cod fish instead. So silly of us, right?! Fortunately, the cod fish was silky smooth and the porcini mushrooms were really tasty, so we were happy eating two similar pasta dishes… despite the “d’oh” moment 😉
Obviously I insisted on the Tiramisu. Can never resist this dish though I’m frequently disappointed by it in Singapore. I specifically like my Tiramisu very wet and moist, with a high cake ratio.
This one is spot on.
What more can I say? Look at the photo below!
Tiramisu perfection
I’d heard that the Lava Cake was a must order, so promptly got that too. Made with rich French chocolate, this little molten pot of goodness gives you the choice to flambé – which they light up at your table – excellent entertainment especially if you have kids there. Be warned though, the alcohol does mean the sweetness of the chocolate is brought into stark contrast with the alcohol flavour – so this particularly suits those that aren’t too fond of super-sweet desserts.
It’s served with vanilla ice cream, which brings down the richness of the molten chocolate (and boy, is it molten, almost like a thick chocolate pudding!). I would prefer a creamier vanilla bean ice cream though.
Lava cake
Doesn’t this make you want to *poke* your finger into the photo and take a lick?!
Me with Chef Andrea Badiali (who was willing to take a very touristy shot with me without complaint. Haha)
There’s also a big sign in the restaurant with this cool offer: Get a complimentary dessert of the day (worth S$9) with every S$50 spent, paid by Amex card.
Be careful when visiting their Facebook page, it contains heaps of photos of their food… not good to view on an empty stomach….
I was there for lunch, but I actually think it’d be really nice for a dinner date. It’s cozy and serves up some fab food. Plus, I’m craving that Stracciata again!!!
Last Bite: Trattoria Bonissima serves up delicious home-style Italian food. Their Stracciata and Tiramisu are a must-order!
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Jimmy Monkey is so nondescript and in such a random location (in a housing area!) that I don’t think anyone would stumble upon it. You’ll have to know about it and be specifically looking for the cafe.
Jimmy Monkey
The Australian cafe is tucked into a little corner and is actually pretty dim inside, considering it was a bright and sunny day outside. It’s industrial-style and has large wooden tables for communal dining, as well as a couch area (which we scored, hurray!) which is great for kids.
Most of the patrons were on laptops, with not a kid in sight. Except mine. It doesn’t seem to be positioned as a mummy-and-kids-lunch place, but rather for the mod/hipster folk.
The interior
I’d heard that they were good for their coffee, and it was true. My latte was a satisfying and strong roast, pretty potent. The only disappointment was that it came in a tiny cup, which I could finish in two gulps. I would have been absolutely satisfied and delighted if it came in a cup twice the size, for the price charged.
Latte
The Vegetable Frittata was a large wedge and filled with generous chunks of soft veggies. I personally don’t like frittatas (so.. eggy and… weird) but we’d ordered it for Hunter and he liked it. I can’t remember the price, but I remember thinking it was a little on the high side considering the low cost of ingredients in it.
Vegetable Frittata
I found the Breaky Muffin with egg, ham, hollandaise sauce, roma tomato and rocket a stunner. The muffin bread was thin and slightly crisp, and the ingredients inside were so fresh that they individually stood out. I especially liked how they used proper ham (instead of the really really thin pre-sliced one). The size of the muffin is petite, so order only if you have a small appetite, or if you’re prepared to order something else on the menu to fill you up.
Breaky Muffin with egg, ham, hollandaise sauce, roma tomato and rocket ($14)
I enjoyed the large and fluffy Banana and chocolate chip muffin. It was served warm and with a small pat of butter on the side. Hunter gave it the thumbs up 😉
Banana and chocolate chip muffin ($4, I think)
But, by far, the best dish was their French toast with golden syrup & fresh berries. Their rendition was a WINNER! Slices of French toast stacked up high, and enough to satisfy. Outstanding value for money. The French toast was not too soggy, but beautifully crisp on the outside. A must-order.
French toast with golden syrup & fresh berries ($15)
My own little monkey-butt
One little monkey, jumping on the bed..
Jimmy Monkey’s a good place to hang out if you’re kid-free and want a quick bite to eat. The staff are friendly and very helpful, and it’s not too crowded on weekdays. Personally, I’d go there for a mid-afternoon snack – French toast and coffee. Their two best items IMHO!
Last Bite: Jimmy Monkey offers a lovely brunch menu with well-brewed coffee. Try to get the couch table, for your kids to sit and play comfortably on.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Jimmy Monkey Cafe
9 One-North Gateway
#01-51 One-North Residences
Singapore 138643
Phone: 6777 8470
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 8:30 am – 8:30 pm, Sat – Sun: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm
A new and very lovely place has popped up in the Serangoon area, called Rokeby. Pronounced roc-ker-bee, the Australian-style bistro is spacious and airy, and a wonderful place for brunch with the family.
Our kids LOVED it!
Hunter being a gentleman and holding the door open
Inside the sunlit interior of Rokeby
The absolute, hands-down best part of Rokeby (and parents with young kids will probably agree wholeheartedly with this) is their kids play area – a little corner with kiddie-sized tables and chairs, and stacks of toys and books! Plus, there’s also nice lounge chairs for parents to sit at, right beside the kids area. It’s perfection. If only more cafes had this sort of set up!
Us in the best section of Rokeby! The kids were having too much fun with the toys to bother looking at the camera…
“YAYYYYY toys!!!” said the kids. “YAYYYY toys!!!” said the parents, who can eat a meal in peace (sorta) ‘cos the kids are kept occupied.
The Vegemite Down Under was a simple but satisfying dish. The thick and soft slices of toast were excellent, and they were slathered with just the right amount of vegemite. There was also a generous tumble of soft scrambled eggs on top, though remember to scoop them off the toast quickly if you prefer your toast to be kept un-soggy! I would have loved this dish even more with some cheese on top of the vegemite.
It normally comes with baked beans, but Chris hates the stuff, so we swapped it for fresh avocado. The avocado we got was kinda brown and squashy which was disappointing, but I performed some avocado-surgery on it to remove the gross bits and Hunter gobbled the rest of it up.. as well as half the scrambled eggs and toast.
Vegemite Down Under ($10.90)
The French Toast came out very very basic looking. I guess I’m used to seeing thick-cut toast and lots of fancy accompaniments, so the version at Rokeby looked rather drab and unexciting.
However, they cooked it perfectly. It had the perfect amount of egg, wasn’t too soggy or dry, and was lightly crisp on the outside but moist on the inside. Oddly, it wasn’t served with maple syrup and I had to request for that.
French Toast ($8.90)
The Chocolate muffin looked fat and delicious in the desserts display case, so I ordered it, but it was pretty normal. It was more crumbly than moist, but at least they warmed it up so the melty chocolate drops studded on the top were nice.
Chocolate muffin
Rokeby boast an excellent section of Aussie coffee, teas, wines and beers. We had a Latte each and thought it was excellent. Creamy, rich and flavourful, and not too acidic. It really hit the spot.
Lattes
Me, trying very hard to keep both kids occupied
I personally thought Rokeby could ‘dress up’ the food a little more to give it a bit more of a ‘high quality’ kick, and think of the little things like ensuring there’s butter/maple syrup served with French toast, and serving water without being asked to (I had to ask twice as it was forgotten the first time). But, they are really new so still getting to grips with things.
Still, it was a fantastic place for a family brunch, and the kids really enjoyed having their own space to do something, instead of being cooped up in a high chair. We’ll be back!
Last Bite: Rokeby Bistro nails it with a kid-corner filled with toys. Their food is simple but satisfying, and their coffee is well executed.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Nook has a really kitschy but alluring offering of make-your-own pancakes. It’s a simple concept, but executed oh so well!
Why can’t I just make my own pancake batter and do it at home?, you ask.
Well technically you can. But here, you get that large iron plate smack bang in the middle of the table so everyone can have a go easily (instead of you sweating over a skillet in your kitchen trying to churn out the pancakes for the hungry folk sitting at the table). And, best of all, the pancake batter comes in squeezy bottles that make it SO MUCH FUN! And yes, you can just pour your batter into these bottles at home too, but who can be bothered to wash them out afterwards?
And of course, kids love the place.
Hunter was fascinated and delighted with the whole concept. He didn’t make his own pancakes – a combination of him not liking being around “hot” things for fear of hurting himself, and also because he was very happy just eating our creations. But, he loved watching us and was filled with glee every time a pancake was plonked onto his plate.
Inside Nook DIY House Of Pancakes
We got 1 buttermilk and 1 dark chocolate, which makes enough pancakes for 2 people, despite the bottles looking deceptively small. You also get to choose your sides, which you can see here. We picked banana slices and oreos.
And off you go!
The hardest part is getting the heat right. First, it was too hot, then too cold, then finally it was just right. So we wasted probably about 1/4 of the pancake batter just trying to figure it out. A bit annoying.
That said, the pancake batter is excellent. Fluffy and moist, with lovely flavour. We loved them. And Hunter certainly did.. he ate so many I got a bit worried he might pop!!!
PROMISE NOT TO LAUGH at my creations below.
I know I am not creative and a crap artist, so hence the demented-looking pancakes. Hey, Hunter appreciated them!
Ship, Car, Train, House (can you even tell?) 😉
“CHOO CHOO!”
Approved
We also ordered the Truffle me up – thick buttered brioche toast with eggs, ham and cheddar cheese and drizzled with truffle oil. Boy, this was really good. Simple ingredients but they melded together beautifully. The brioche was buttery soft and fluffy, and the ingredients were so tasty combined with the scent of truffle oil. Deeeelish.
Truffle me up
And because my brain totally short-circuits when I see the words red velvet, I simply had to get the Red velvet pancakes. This is a must-order IMHO. Frankly, it looks helluva lot more appetizing than my DIY creations, and it was tasty to boot. Moist and lovely, with a cream cheese filling. Excellent.
Red velvet pancakes with a cream cheese filling
This place is an absolute hit with kids, and it’s still fun to go with gfs. You can make silly pancakes and see who’s the best artist. Except don’t compare with me please 😉
My only beef is the location – it’s in a bit of a random place so we have to head home straight afterwards since there’s nothing else to do there…
Last Bite: Nook DIY House of Pancakes guarantees a fun time for kids (and big kids too).
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Nook DIY House of Pancakes
21 Lorong Kilat #01-03
Singapore 598123
Phone: 6466 1811
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Sat – Sun: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
They say good service goes a long way in the F&B industry. I absolutely, wholeheartedly, agree. A little place that absolutely blew me away is Habitat Coffee. It’s been around for a little over a year, but is far from where we live, so I never got round to checking it out til last week. I’m really glad I did.
My lil poseur outside Habitat Coffee
Habitat Coffee is located right near my favourite chicken rice joint Nam Kee. It’s a cosy little cafe that has a comfy couch in a little nook – this section is excellent for kids by the way, so grab it if you have a kid(s) in tow! They can wander around the little area and sit back on the couch, so they don’t feel as constrained as they would in a high chair. Plus, they have direct view of the coffee-making and people-watching, which might keep them quiet for awhile 😉
Desserts and coffee counter
Our couch in the little nook. Excellent for stuffing Carter in the corner!
Carter and his “will you pick me up, pretty please?” look
I enjoyed the food too. It was very reasonably priced, and arrived swiftly. The Shepherd’s Pie arrived piping hot in a ramekin, and looked small but was actually pretty filling. I enjoyed the buttery and fluffy potato mash, though the filling is a tad salty. I also liked the bruchetta served on the side, with juicy diced tomatoes.
Shepherd’s Pie
The Shrooms dish (poached eggs and sauteed mushrooms on English muffin, topped with hollandaise sauce) was superb. The eggs were perfectly poached with creamy molten yolks, and the grilled mushrooms make an excellent accompaniment. I actually think I prefer this grilled mushrooms version to the traditional smoked salmon one! On thing is that between the juicy mushrooms, sauce and egg.. you can’t leave this dish standing there for long, or the muffin underneath will get soggy. Something to note if you have kids that need feeding first or require your attention so you eat slowly.
The Shrooms – perfection
Their Cheesynara was lusciously covered in a cream sauce and dotted with lots of sliced chicken cheese sausage and bacon. And this is incredible to say, but I wish they had given more pasta because there was so much ingredients! It was delish.
Cheesynara
Their Latte is smooth, rich and delicious. I loved it! What else can I say?
Latte, served with a yummy biscuit (that Hunter was trying to grab)
I was most impressed with their Plain waffles. At a ridiculous price of $4.50, it was 4 quarters served with a pot of chocolate and a pot of syrup. Man, these Belgium waffles were good! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect. I would absolutely go back and order this again.
Plain waffles served with chocolate and syrup
Upon recommendation, I also had their Warm brownie with salted caramel ice cream. The brownie was done very well – moist and chocolately. I actually don’t remember the ice cream being stand out, but I liked that they were generous with their scoop.
Warm brownie with salted caramel ice cream
Not satisfied, I ordered yet another dessert – this time for takeaway. It was a GIGANTIC slice of Red velvet cake. It doesn’t look bit in the photo, but trust me, this cake is huge. One of the nicest red velvet cakes I’ve had.. this one was spongey and moist, and absolutely delicious. Only downside is that they put some cherries in there, and I can’t stand fruit in my dessert, but that’s just me!
Red velvet cake
There’s also a different rendition of red velvet cake, which they call Baileys black velvet. OH MY GOODNESS YOU MUST ORDER THIS.
The Bailey’s gives a punch to the chocolate cake, and the icing is brilliant. It’s moist and full of flavour, and Hunter absolutely loved it (here’s hoping there wasn’t TOO much alcohol in it, hah!).
Baileys black velvet cake
Hunter gobbling down his waffles. This is him after I went “Hunter, can you give Mummy a ‘cool’ pose?”
Oh yeah, and about the service. They folk working there are simply lovely! They were very good with Hunter when he was wandering around exploring their cafe.. taking the time to talk to him and amuse him. Kind behaviour and willingness to amuse kids goes a L-O-N-G way in my book. They didn’t mind us parking ourselves on the couch, and the kids scrambling around on it. They were patient when cleaning up our table, and very sweet to the kids. That, in my book, is reason enough to go back. And happily, they’re near where our church is, so we can go there for lunch!
Last Bite: Habitat Coffee boasts excellent food and coffee, with friendly staff. It’s a lovely place to chill out with the kids over brunch.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes, though with two or three steps to get in Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Habitat Coffee
223 Upper Thomson Road
Singapore 574355
Phone: 6456 2567
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue – Fri: 11:00 am – 10:30 pm, Sat – Sun: 10:30 am – 10:30 pm
With a name like Chillax Massage Cafe, I’m thinking it’s something a bit dodgy 😉 But I’d read about it online and was keen to try it out, especially since it’s near our Church and so is convenient for us on a Sunday.
Who needs the gym when you can build your biceps carrying 2 toddlers?
Inside Chillax, complete with photobomb by Nae
Hunter and his new sons+daughters sunnies, from the Nottoobig store
Peekaboo
Our cool kids, complete with matching Elly outifts
One thing that should be noted is that the entire cafe is el fresco. Read: no air-conditioning. Something to take into consideration if you’re there at mid-day and it’s sweltering hot outside. They do have lots of fans blowing though, so even though the sun was out, I didn’t think it was too bad. Then again, I was in a little sundress. Chris, however, was in jeans and a collared polo short, and said he was hot as all hell.
I do like the casual atmosphere and the outdoors aspect means it’s quite child friendly. It was really empty on a weekend though – we were there for Sunday lunch and there was only one other table besides us.
Service is friendly and polite. The food came out pretty quickly and in decent-to-big portions. I was pretty impressed!
My gf’s husband, the nut, ordered a Seared Beef Salad ($14). I don’t even know what to say about this.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s ($16) – check out that perfectly poached egg!
Wagyu Beef Rosti ($22) – can’t tell in this photo, but the portion size was impressive. Pity they charged $1.50 more for some ‘extra sour cream’ without telling us prior!
Carbonara ($16) – Excellent and I would order this again. Creamy, luscious, tasty. It hit the spot!
Brownies with ice cream – lovely presentation! Yummy but not outstanding brownie.
Iced Latte ($6) – lovely
DUDE, GIVE ME THAT BEER
Overall, I thought the food was pretty good. It makes for a nice brunch with friends, and the area is nice for a walkabout afterwards. There’s also a pet store a few shops down that fascinated Hunter to no end, because of all the little dogs leaping around in there (though I always feel sad for animals in pet stores!).
Last Bite: Chillax Massage Cafe has a lovely casual ambience and decent food. It should be noted that there is no air-conditioning, though. Remember to check out the pet store a few shop fronts down!
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Chillax Massage Cafe
28 Maju Ave
Serangoon Garden Estate
Singapore 556698
Phone: 6244 5529
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Thu: 11:00 am – 12:00 am, Fri – Sat: 11:00 am – 2:00 am, Sun: 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Apart from Casa Tartufo, Uma Uma Ramen, and California Pizza Kitchen, there aren’t many good food options available at Forum. So I was very interested when a new cafe called Benjamin Browns opened last month.
It’s an open-concept cafe adorned with beautiful flowers and plants on their gigantic central table. I really like the casual let’s-do-lunch atmosphere of the cafe. Of particular interest to me is the pastries, cakes and breads by the counter, where the coffee is made.
Benjamin Browns
Pretty lighting
Love the pop of colour those little boxes bring to the decor
The Mushroom soup came recommended but to be honest, I actually don’t remember what it tasted like now.. so I guess I wasn’t blown away 😉 If I remember, it was the non-creamy version.. with lots of minced mushrooms (I love it when restaurants blend their own fresh mushrooms for soup) in a watery base.
Mushroom soup
I believe this was called Eggs Benedict or Eggs Royale? I didn’t take notes. Whoops! But see that egg? PERFECTION. Not a whole lot of hollandaise sauce unfortunately but it was still delicious. Oddly, it came on raisin bread (???). On the plus side, it came with a healthy portion of smoked salmon, and a beautifully crisp hashbrown and grilled tomato.
Eggs Benedict/Royale
I normally get a bit worried when ordering Spaghetti Carbonara, because sometimes they come out really weak and lacking flavour, or too sticky/claggy for my liking. I like a rich and creamy sauce, but ‘wet’ enough.
But I’m glad I decided to take a chance here. The pasta was coated in a smooth sauce that wasn’t too thick or watery. It was pretty delicious! I would have liked an egg yolk in there to stir through the sauce, but it was still good as is.
Spaghetti carbonara ($17)
The Beef Bolognaise was really impressive. It came out looking way larger than my Spaghetti Carbonara and had a very decent serve of ingredients. My gf polished it off, so I guess it wasn’t bad 😛
Classic beef bolognaise ($16)
I enjoyed my Latte. It was in one of those small cafe cups (man I wish countries would outlaw them and insist on large coffee cups!) but the coffee was creamy and flavourful. Nice touch with a little biscotti on the side!
Latte and Cappuccino
I reckon Benjamin Browns is a nice spot to pop into for a casual brunch or afternoon tea. And because the cafe is fairly open, it’s also quite baby friendly, which is a big plus for me!
Random photo of Chris’ mini-me.. right down to the work shirt and jeans!
Last Bite: Benjamin Browns offers a relaxing lunch with a menu that’s very kid-friendly, and is open-concept, great if you have a stroller in tow.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: Yes, in the mall Kids’ menu: No
Benjamin Browns
#01-20/21 The Forum,
583 Orchard Road
Singapore 238884
Phone: 6887 4117
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
It’s pretty novel to have a cafe nestled away in a university! Mum told me about Late Platea few months ago, which I’d never heard of before, and I’ve been eager to try it out ever since. You really do need to hunt a bit for it, since there isn’t exactly large signage outside, but the little cafe is actually quite spacious with a lovely open area outside.
Chalkboard menu
They do a lovely latte. Though, I was pretty shocked to see it arrive in a teeny tiny glass for the price. To give them credit, they do put out large jugs of warm and cold water that diners can help themselves to – thumbs up for that.
A very small (but good) latte
Hunter was angel-child throughout. Mainly because we were very lucky and there were guys tree cutting just outside the large glass windows. SCORE! Hunter, being the vehicle-and-construction-crazy boy, was absolutely fascinated watching the guys go up and down in the contraption, and sawing the trees, and watching the branches come crashing down.
“Loooook! Guy up in the tree!”
The lady at the cashier was polite, but nowhere near warm or friendly. Surprising for someone in a customer service roll in a cafe that isn’t busy at all. There was also a guy waiter there, that noticed when I dropped by teaspoon but couldn’t be bothered to pick it up (not that I expect him to immediately, but it does impress me when waiters are sharp enough to notice!). When I picked it up myself, he also didn’t offer to bring me a new one, but just looked away. I had to go up to him to ask for a new teaspoon, but he did oblige with no issues.
I thought their best dish was the Eggs benedict on kalamanta rosemary scones with citron hollandaise and smoked ocean trout. The scones were so tasty! Much better than the traditional english muffins. The poached eggs were cooked to perfection – oozing gooey yellow yolks. I would’ve loved more hollandaise sauce, but overall the dish was delicious and I’d get this again anytime.
Eggs benedict on kalamanta rosemary scones with citron hollandaise and smoked ocean trout
We also had the Wild mushroom pasta with garlic and fresh herbs, tossed baby spinach leaves and Parmesan. This was the most reasonably priced at under $12, and for that reason is a recommended dish. It’s modestly sized, but does include lots of mushrooms which makes up for it. It’s a subtle and simple dish that is actually quite nice.
Wild mushroom pasta with garlic and fresh herbs, tossed baby spinach leaves and Parmesan
There was also a seasonal dish that we ordered.. something about Pan-seared snapper fillet. I thought this was merely so-so. The fish fillets were pretty thin, and had bones in them! Isn’t the point of a fillet to be bone free? It also meant I had to be super careful when feeding Hunter some 🙁 Apart from that, the dish was alright. Nothing spectacular, but nothing awful either.
Pan-seared snapper fillet
Carter was pretty chill the whole time, since we scored their fabulous table with sofas. Love that when you have kids! So I could just prop him up in the corner of the sofa and he was a happy chappy watching us. He likes being ‘in the social circle’, so as long as he’s included, he doesn’t give me grief 😉
“You guys all eat and drink… and all I get is a teether?!”
Hunter, absolutely delighted with the tree-cutters outside!
Last Bite: Late Plate offers a casual brunch with good (albeit tiny) coffee. Try to snag the couch seats in the corner!
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Late Plate
11 Kent Ridge Drive
#01-03 Shaw Foundation Alumni House
Singapore 119244
Phone: 8328 3127
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Wed: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, Thu – Fri: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm, Sat: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Check out Au Chocolate’s website and you’ll get a pretty accurate feel of the whimsical, beautiful experience that greets you when you enter. It spans across a couple of shopfronts and incorporates a cafe as well as a retail shop selling lollies, chocolates and souvenirs. It’s the exact sort of place that sends me into a frenzy 😉
Au Chocolat
Pretty menu
The interior is warm with soft yellow lighting and a cozy atmosphere. There’s a mini train track running along the ceiling with an adorable mini train circling around – this proved to be absolutely fascinating to Hunter who spent ages checking it out.
Check out the train running up the top (above Dad and Hunter’s heads)!
Their Chicken and mushroom crepe was done beautifully. It came in a large portion and was totally stuffed chockers with chicken and loads of luscious mushrooms… and drenched in a delicious cream sauce. It hit the spot and was thoroughly enjoyable.
Chicken and mushroom crepe ($18)
The Aebleskivers (Danish pancake pockets filled with crunchy Granny Smith apples compote infused with cinnamo) looked really pretty on the plate but were rather standard. There were only 6 small balls of pancakes.. which I thought was fairly dismal for the price. Would not order this again.
Aebleskivers (Danish pancake pockets filled with crunchy Granny Smith apples compote infused with cinnamo) ($16)
Entranced by the train
Their Au Chocolat hot fudge was a teacup-sized pot of goodness and warmth. It was, literally, molten chocolate fudge. Not too sweet, which was good.. but rich and creamy. I think it would have been even better if served with a dollop of fresh cream! The $9 price tag is rather surprising though… as the cup isn’t very big.
Au Chocolat hot fudge ($9)
Their selection of sweet stuff to takeaway is pretty astonishing. I spent ages trying to figure out what to get 😉 Everything is beautifully made and presented, and it all looked so enticing!
Sweets display
Walked away with a Raspberry brownie. Normally, it would never have crossed my mind to order a dessert with fruit in it.. but the friendly lady was giving away samples and one bite and I was sold. The raspberry is some sort of powder scattering on top of the brownie, and to be honest, has no taste – which was a relief to me. The brownie itself was EXCELLENT – easily one of the best brownies I’ve had. It was very very moist and dense, with zero nuts (cannot stand nuts in my brownies!) and decadent. I believe this was about $5 which I thought was reasonable. Loved this brownie so much I’d definitely get it again next time I’m at MBS.
Gorgeous packaging for my Raspberry brownie
Last Bite: A cozy cafe with a toy train track attached to the ceiling – a sure-hit with the kids. The crepes are delicious, and their fries are a winner.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: Yes, in the mall Kids’ menu: No
Au Chocolat
Bay Level L1-03
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Singapore 018972
Phone: 6688 7227
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
The Weir Café in its beautiful setting. Photo by Katia Barker
Jenson at Play. Photo by Ross Barker
BLAT ($15.00). Photo by Katia Barker
Bacon & Egg Sandwich ($12.50) with Chorizo ($4.50). Photo by Katia Barker
Feeding frenzy with the kids, Isla demanding more! Photo by Katia Barker
Special times with the family. Photo by Ross Barker
