November 2013 - Page 4 of 4 - Adventure, baby!

Month: November 2013

PAUL BAKERY: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Orchard Road, Singapore

November 6, 2013 / Food Reviews, Orchard Road, Singapore / 4 Comments

I’d been to PAUL Bakery when we lived in Shanghai, and we’d always enjoyed their coffees and pastries. I was delighted when they opened a branch in Takashimaya mall in Singapore, and now in Tanglin Mall (in July 2013).

PAUL prides themselves on their baked goods, but we’d decided to visit for lunch to try their lunchtime menu.

I was pleasantly surprised by the complimentary bread basket which was filled with sliced baguette. It seems fewer and fewer cafes are doing so in Singapore, so the ones that still do get a big thumbs up in my book. Specifically because my kids love bread (don’t all kids?!) and it keeps them occupied as they merrily chew on the bread whilst we await our mains.

I opted for the Ham, cheese and mushroom crepe. Oddly, it doesn’t exist on PAUL’s menu, which either has ham/cheese combination, or mushroom/cheese combination. But because I am a greedy pig, I asked for all three, and they complied.

I believe they charged me around $20 for this (the crepes on the menu run around $18 each) and I thought it was pricey for a small serving. It’s enough for breakfast or for a very petite eater, but otherwise, you’d be left pretty hungry.

Thumbs up, however, for the large roasted tomato on the side. It added juiciness to the dish and complemented it well.

They went fairly heavy-handed on the cheese, which I was delighted with. I would have preferred another slice of ham (could hardly taste it as it was one thin sliver), and for the crepe itself to be a little drier and crispier as it was a tad soggy. I suppose I’m used to the amazing crepes we had in Paris!

Their latte was superb and hit the spot. It was served in an adorable thick-walled glass mug, and had a rich foam over a punchy coffee.

Their dessert+coffee set is a staple of mine. This mini dessert platter comes with a tiny pot of creme brulee (Carter loved this), a small slice of chocolate fudge cake (absolutely luscious), and two macaroons (lovely).

It’s the perfect portion size for a dessert, and will leave you satisfied but not overly-full.

Last Bite: PAUL Bakery now has two convenient locations on Orchard Road, and offers a small but satisfying lunch menu. Our favourite? The dessert + coffee set!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes (in the mall)
Kids’ menu: No

PAUL Bakery
Tanglin Shopping Centre
163 Tanglin Road
#01-16/17
Singapore 247933
Phone: 6736 3257
Prices: $$
Hours: Sun-Thu 8am-9:30pm; Fri-Sat 8am-10pm

AlMar: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, DUMBO, New York

November 5, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, DUMBO, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

In the heart of DUMBO lies Front Street—which is somewhat confusingly located a few streets back from the waterfront. (Ditto for Water Street, which is not on the water, but that’s another story). Most eateries, bars and shops are either on or near this main artery, making it a good way to get in brunch, candy, and a drink at a bar all without leaving a single block radius.

When we had woken up on that particular day, rain was pelting down outside, so we chose the restaurant AlMar mainly because of its location (we knew we could get there via the handy F line, without getting too drenched.) We were also interested in checking out a dish there that I’d read about: the dreamy-sounding Egg In A Cloud dish (baked egg yolk floating on whipped egg whites, fontina cheese, smoked ham, toasted brioche, served with sauteed spinach, $12).

Our beginning was not auspicious. The hostess sat us down without menus, so no one came to serve us. After grabbing a nearby staff member, I managed to procure the menus, but things were not off to a good beginning. As an FYI to restaurants—rule number one when people come in with a baby or toddler is to help them get in and out as fast as possible! This makes for happy families and happy diners surrounding those families.

Once we had the menu situation sorted out, our server became aware of us, and things ran much more smoothly. We ordered the aforementioned Egg In A Cloud for my husband (the omnivore), and the Egg Toast ($12 —baked egg over melted fontina cheese, toasted brioche, truffle oil and asparagus) for me. We weren’t sure if Cheese would eat off either of our plates since she wasn’t feeling the best that day, so we ordered her her own, especially made, single pancake, since there wasn’t a kids menu. They were also happy to make something like a single scrambled egg for her if we wanted.

Our served warned us that our dishes would take 10 minutes to cook, which I thought was very thoughtful of him. We entertained Cheese with our trusty iPhones and the sugar bowl while we waited.

The Egg In A Cloud did not disappoint visually. It’s a spectacular-looking dish, with a big fluffy “cloud” of egg-white literally on top of the toast. My husband said it was “pretty good”, which is his standard response to food. When pressed further on what could make it “outstanding”, he replied that the brioche was a bit overcooked, so it overpowered the delicate egg-whites. So detailed. Thanks, Husband!

My Egg Toast looked a much simpler affair, and was absolutely delicious. Perfectly baked egg, loads of melty cheese (yes, I know, a heart attack waiting to happen); and a huge amount of my favorite vegetable, white asparagus, perfectly blanched, in a ring around the plate.

In typical form, Cheese wanted nothing to do with her pancake (which, thoughtfully was garnished with blueberries, syrup and a butter wedge), and instead wanted my cheese and egg on toast. That’s my girl!

Other tips: AlMar can get quite busy, so reservations are recommended (via phone). They’re a cash-only establishment, so visit the Chase ATM across the street on the way if you arrive without real money in your wallet.

Last bite: AlMar is a handy Italian eatery, serving up a solid brunch menu. High ceilings and plenty of space make you feel like you’ve briefly left New York.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes, but it’s outside.
Easy access: No. There are a few steep steps to get in.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

AlMar
111 Front St.
Brooklyn,NY 11201
Prices: $$
Phone: (718) 855-5288
Hours: Mon-Thur 8am-10:30pm; Fri 8am-11pm; Sat 9am-11pm; Sun 10am-5pm
Get directions

PRIVE @ KEPPEL BAY: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Harbourfront, Singapore

November 4, 2013 / Food Reviews, Harbourfront, Singapore / 5 Comments

Located on Singapore’s only private island, Keppel Bay, Prive was a favourite spot of mine to hang out with friends back when I was still living in Australia and visiting Singapore. And now, with two kids in tow, Prive is still one of the top spots for a meal.

Prive’s location is often confused with being in Sentosa. It’s not hard to see why. Situated right at the water, it offers lovely views of the yachts and a lovely walk by the water.

There was an incredibly sexy Maserati parked… right in the lobby. It was a show car, I believe. I’d sure buy it if they discounted it by 99% 😉

The calling card of Prive is the expansive space by the water outside (where kids can run/scooter/bike around), as well as their playground. It’s small and simple, but it’s a hit with the kids and enough to keep them occupied whilst waiting for the food to arrive.

Only downside? The playground is placed exactly where the sun hits. It is boiling hot if you’re there at lunch time. Many of the tables are situated in the shade, so I am flummoxed as to why the playground is in the direct sun.

The food is generally good. The price point is slightly on the higher side, but presumably due to their killer location and views. Their Norwegian blue mussels 300g with white wine, shallots, garlic and basil ($24) was delicious, with tender, soft mussels. Our only complaint was that the mussels were so teeny tiny it felt like you were eating… nothing, with each bite. It was a shame, as the white wine sauce was delicious (albeit a tad salty) and I enjoyed the tomatoes and fresh basil scattered through the dish.

I got the Ultimate fish & chips ($22) for the kids, but the beer battered dory was far too deep-fried for them. It was a high batter ratio, so it was difficult to scrape off the oily batter and give the kids the fish inside. It was fine for adults though, and tasty, though really oily.

On the positive side – the fish came lying on a bed of fries, enough to fill you right up 🙂

I saved the best for the last – the Sticky finger baby back ribs ($26) was a STUNNER! Easily their best dish and the kids gobbled it all up (Hunter the picky eater that dislikes meat, and Carter with his two barely-there bottom teeth). The with pomegranate molasses on top was a little odd (I scraped it off), but the meat was incredibly tender and could be cut with a fork. The ribs were chunky with meat and absolutely satisfying.

It was served with colesalaw and a delicious cajun-maple glazed hokkaido corn on the cob.

I requested for the Homemade brioche french toast ($12) to have toppings on the side, and it was a good move so the kids could eat the bread without all the sugary stuff.

The brioche was fluffy and light, with the eggy exterior crisp and fragrant. I was impressed with the sticky caramelised bananas ad roasted walnuts, which was very rich and sweet, but paired well with the plain french toast.

We were actually there for a family lunch to celebrate my birthday, and I’d also ordered a Red velvet cake so the kids could blow out the candle (what is it with kids and blowing candles on birthday cakes?!), but I think they forgot my order as after 15 mins it still hadn’t arrived despite it being a no-cook item. I cancelled it since we were already pretty full. So, unfortunately, no nice candle-blowing pics!

Last Bite: Prive @ Keppel Bay offers a kid-friendly playground and expansive area by the water outside for running/scootering/biking. Their ribs are a must-order!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes
Kids’ menu: Yes

Prive @ Keppel Bay
2 Keppel Bay Vista
Singapore 098382
Phone: 6776 0777
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 9:00 am – 12:00 am

BUONO GIVEAWAY: A Buono desk and chair set from Japan (worth $168)!

November 1, 2013 / Giveaways, Singapore / 3 Comments

So what happens when your baby is no longer a baby, and starts scribbling away?

Kids love to scribble with crayons, and they love to climb into little chairs. And out of them. And in again. And out. Ad infinitum….

What is it with toddlers and wee-sized chairs?!

The Buono desk and chair are by Japanese brand Yamatoya (who have been around since 1924), and designed for kids aged approx 1-5 years old in mind. The idea is that the set is adjustable (2 heights) to suit your child’s growing height.

It arrived in a surprisingly small box. I was expecting a big carton, but it was a flat box. “Oh no!”, I thought, “it needs to be built.” Turns out it was SO easy, I built it myself (and I am no handywoman). It just all slots in together, pop a few screws in, and ta da! The kids even got in on the action.

The main attraction was the chair. And it still is. Both kids love to scramble up and down on it, and just sit there looking very pleased with themselves. Fact is, Carter makes a beeline straight for the Buono chair the moment he steps in the door, and sits at the table all satisfied.

He then proceeds to pull all his crayons out and drop them on the floor, one by one. But that’s another story….

What impresses me about the Buono desk and chair is that it’s incredibly sturdy. It is strong to the touch, does not creak or bend, and has a divine solid feel to it. I’m especially picky about this when it comes to kiddy chairs – something too lightweight will tip over easily. The Buono chair is like a solid block of wood and withstands the kids pushing it around, climbing up and down it, and of course, sitting on it.

The set takes up to 60KG in weight! It means I can sit in the chair too. Uhhh.. if I shrunk my bum down a little.

The table has a B4 sized drawer that slides in and out really smoothly (drawers that get jammed easily or are shaky to yank in/out annoy me). It’s a nifty thing to store drawing books and a tray for crayons.

The set comes with two solid shapes – a blue circle, and a red triangle. Your kids can place erasers or knick knacks in the blue circle, and the red triangle has three little holes to stick crayons into.

As it turns out, the triangle is a HIT with Carter! He pokes his crayons in and out of the thing, and carries it around proudly. And both kids think singing Happy Birthday with the three crayons sticking out is a total riot (it kinda looks like a birthday cake). So I’m pleased it doubles up as a toy as well!

Yamatoya are giving away one Buono Desk and Chair set, worth $168!

a Brunch With My Baby giveaway

You can submit some of the entries more than once a day, so come back tomorrow to get more entries in the draw.

Giveaway will run from 1 Nov to 7 Nov 2013 inclusive.
All entries will be verified according to the entry criteria(s) before the winner is notified.
The prize will be delivered to the winner’s choice of address.

Psssst, you can see the Buono Desk and Chair in person at the Parenthood Fair next weekend (8-10 Nov!)

Thank you Yamatoya!