Month: March 2014

Parramatta Park + Parramatta Park Cafe; Kid-Friendly Sydney

March 31, 2014 / Parramatta, Sydney, Sydney Food, Western Sydney / 0 comment

When meeting a friend for breakfast recently, we chose Parramatta Park Cafe purely due to its location — exactly in the middle of where we each were staying in Hornsby and Liverpool. It’s the first time I’ve been to Parramatta Park since having Missy E, so it was a pleasant surprise to find another great area of Sydney to take a crazy toddler for a fun morning outing.

Parramatta Park is World Heritage listed. It’s the home of Old Government House and has evidence inside the park of 20,000 years of Aboriginal occupation. Parramatta Park became a public park in 1858 — one of the earliest parks in the world.

As well as the cafe we visited, there is a larger (and fancier) restaurant located in the Old Government House, plus several play gyms scattered all over the park. There’s also a stream running through the park, lots of walking paths and plenty of birds to amuse little tiny ones.

Parramatta Park Cafe opened in 2005 to offer locals and park visitors a casual breakfast and lunch option in a tranquil setting. The cafe overlooks the river and plenty of greenery. Grab a seat on the balcony and admire the view with your morning coffee.

Kids are frequent guests at the cafe – evident by the colouring in sheet-slash-menu and pencils that the kids are quickly given. The menu is more lunchy than breakfast, so we chose Kid’s Chocolate Shakes ($3.80) for the toddlers, and both my friend and I decided on the Vegetarian Omelette (with tomato, mushroom, feta and spinach served with sourdough toast, $14). The omelettes were massive, plenty of food for us to share with the kids. We asked for extra plates and vegemite for the toast. The shakes were pretty large as well — which meant plenty for me when E decided she only wanted a few sips. Score!

While we were dining I noticed a local mothers group turn up with their newborn babies. With a lot of room and obliging staff, they couldn’t have chosen a better location to meet for a stress-free breakfast.

Last Bite: A kid-friendly and casual breakfast or lunch option in Parramatta Park.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Parramatta Park Cafe
Byrnes Ave,
Parramatta NSW 2150
Prices: $$
Phone: 02 9630 0144
Hours: Daily 8am-3pm
Get Directions

THE BRAVERY: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Lavender, Singapore

March 31, 2014 / Food Reviews, Lavender, Singapore / 0 comment

The Bravery opened up almost directly outside where my girl friend lives, so I thought I’d be there within days to check it out! Turns out, I only managed to get myself there a few weeks ago. But now that I’ve been, I am definitely returning over and over again!

The Bravey is one of those hipster cafes that are popping up all over Singapore at the moment. I am totally not a hipster – the closest I come to being anything remotely hip-py is just having big hips after giving birth to two kids. Hah!

So, it has no signage, and thus is very easy to walk straight past without noticing it. It also doesn’t have a very obvious door – so you have to look for the panel that’s gold, which you simply push on to enter.

The interior is pretty stark and bare. Raw string of lights, raw wood tables and benches, and stools with round cushions that aren’t easy to sit on. But, somehow, it works, and simply adds to the industrial bare feel of the cafe.

The staff are cheery, friendly and helpful. The perfect trifecta of customer service.

The menu is modestly sized, but they are good at what they do. We really enjoyed the food there. The cafe was also not crowded (we were there on a weekday before noon), which added to the relaxed feel of the place.

My Flat White ($4.50) was a delight. Zero bitter aftertaste, and I could drink it with only a small dollop of sugar added.

I was thoroughly impressed with their Beef steak ciabatta with rump steak and onion jam, melted mozzarella and tomato salsa ($13.50). The steak was completely tender to the bite, with zero stringy or tough bits. Paired with all the other toppings? This was a match made in heaven and the large size of the sandwich was perfection.

I brought this home for Chris and he gave it a massive thumbs up too.

The Smoked salmon sandwich ($14) was simple and had nice delicate flavours, but for the price, it simply wasn’t worth it.. especially when compared to the beef sandwich above. It was a very petite portion, and so basic that one could easily do this at home.

The Crostini – aubergine and chickpeas on sourdough with mint leaves and crumbed feta ($7.50) was also a fairly small portion, but it worked, considering the price.

The other must-order dish is their Pancakes stack with bananas, ricotta cheese, honey and crushed pistachio ($15). Talk about delicious!! The pancakes were fluffy, beautifully moist, and went so well with the accompaniments. It would have been even better if the bananas were caramelized, but we still loved this dish.

Last Bite: The Bravery may have a small menu, but the dishes are excellent as is the service. The Beef Steak Sandwich and Pancakes Stack are a must!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

The Bravery
66 Horne Rd
Singapore 209073
Phone: 9452 4785
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wed – Sun: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

GIVEAWAY: Win one of two Huggies Ultra Pants hampers (+ free samples for everyone)!

March 27, 2014 / Giveaways, Singapore / 7 Comments

Click here to nab your FREE 3-piece sample of Huggies Ultra pants!

Because I am a pedantic person and simply must make sure I have the best, I set about purchasing EVERY SINGLE DIAPER BRAND there is in the market in Singapore when we moved here 3 years ago. I finally settled on Huggies and have been using the brand for both kids (Hunter was potty-trained a year ago so I stopped using diapers on him, but Carter wears them to this day).

Here’s what I look for in a great diaper for my kids:

Thin/flat in size – I carry a bunch of diapers when I go out, and since I go out every day, all day, I’m not willing to have a fat chunk of diapers taking up useless space. And you know what? Diaper brands vary greatly in their physical thinness – I know because I’ve bought them all.
Large surface area when worn – some brands made my look like a my kid’s wearing a g-string. And, no matter how cute their ass is, I do not want it hanging out the sides! I look for diapers that move with my active kid, and don’t ride up his ass.
High absorbency – I have zero tolerance for leaks. Nothing worse than picking up my kid in the morning and realising they’ve soaked through their clothes, sleepsack, AND the bedsheets! My kids wear one diaper for a 14-hour stretch, so the diaper needs to be highly absorbent, and prevent diaper rash.
Easy on/off – I don’t want to fiddle around getting the diaper on (kids are not the most patient), and I want to whisk the diaper off with little fuss and no messy poo smeared everywhere. Just to make it difficult for diaper-makers, I also want a diaper that my kid can’t rip the sides off themselves.

I’ve been using the standard version of Huggies Ultra Pants since Carter was about 8 months old. I started using the pull-up Pants style when he started crawling, simply because he would kick around and fuss during diaper changes on his back. It was WAY easier whisking the diaper down his legs, and he could stand up during changes.

They now have the new Huggies Ultra Pants, which are gender specific. It makes logical sense to start your kid on pull-up diapers once they start really moving, because it is SO much easier/faster to change them!

I’ve been popping Carter into this new version, and it’s even better than the previous version we’ve been using for so long, because the Huggies Ultra Pants nails every point I listed above in what I need in a diaper.

Carter uses these Huggies Ultra Pants (new boys version) exclusively, both day and night, because the absorbency is top notch. Thin to carry around, comfortable and wide to wear, zero leaks, and rips off in a split second. I’d buy these diapers again and again.

The sides are easy-open and are of this unique texture that binds the two sides together, without having clothes getting stuck to them. They are, by far, the easiest diaper sides to rip off. Yet, the technology makes it hard from babies to tear it off themselves from their angle.

When is it time to change? When the pee indicator changes from from yellow to blue (indicating the diaper is full). They roll up in a jiffy, and form a neat little packet to chuck out. The OCD person in me sighs with pleasure.

These are the available sizes for Huggies Ultra Pants. FYI, Carter wears an XL and he is 19 months old. They fit very well and will last him for quite awhile, I believe, since kids generally don’t grow as quickly (or fatter) at around his age.

They are now available at major hyper/supermarkets near you but if you would like to do some sampling first, check out below for some ways you can get your hands on some!

Huggies are giving away 1 female hamper and
1 male hamper of Huggies Ultra Pants!

a BWMB giveaway

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

Giveaways will run from 21-27 Mar 2014 inclusive.
Each hamper includes 2 bags of Huggies Ultra Pants in M size (36 diapers in each bag).
Winner may collect their hamper from the Huggies office.
Winner’s entry(s) will be verified according to the entry criteria(s).

Huggies are giving away a FREE 3-piece sample of the
new Huggies Ultra Pants!

(click here to get yours sent to your door)

Includes 3-pcs of Huggies Ultra Pants diapers, and a S$5 discount voucher to redeem at all FairPrice Super/hypermarkets for every 2 packs of purchases of Huggies Ultra Pants or Diapers

Thanks Huggies!

LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Orchard Road, Singapore

March 25, 2014 / Food Reviews, Mandarin Gallery, Orchard Road, Singapore / 1 Comment

We headed to Lawry’s The Prime Rib for a lavish lunch to celebrate my husband Chris’ birthday!

I love the ornate old-world elegance of Lawry’s, considering the restaurant is in the middle of Orchard Road. Lofty ceilings delight me, and the glass-walled windows let in so much natural light.

We kicked off with complimentary bread rolls. I know this is a yawn-some photo, but free bread always gets me. I’m easy to please.

We ordered the kids a Minestrone soup. They destroyed it.

We were treated to their signature Lawry’s spinning salad, where a simple salad (romaine and iceberg lettuce, watercress, shredded beets, chopped eggs and croutons, tossed with Lawry’s vintage dressing) is spun in a chilled bowl on top of ice. It’s a bit gimmicky, but very cute to watch, and great entertainment for the kids.

The salad is served with chilled forks, and is delicious.

My Australian rack of lamb was gorgeous. Drenched in a rich balsamic red wine reduction, it was decorated with bright cherry tomatoes and brussel sprouts. Sadly, there were only 3 cutlets on the plate. I needed about 6 cutlets to fill me. That said, they were tender and absolutely divine.

And… their famous Prime Rib. A trolley is rolled to your table and the chef deftly cuts off a slice for you. It’s doused in a watery gravy (which is odd, I’d have preferred it a lot richer), and a dollop of mashed potatoes. It’s served with two different horseradish dips – both are a great accompaniment, and one is sharper/spicier than the other.

The thing I always look forward to at Lawry’s is their Yorkshire pudding. Baked in its own individual-sized skillet, these babies are soft in the middle but light and crisp toward the edge. They’re addictive! Our kids gobbled most of it up, so we had to get another one.

The Prime black angus fillet mignon was the star dish, IMHO. The steak was small, but so delicately and perfectly cooked that it was like butter. The meat was one of the most tender I’ve had, yet still retained a lovely bite and flavour. It was one of the best steaks I’ve ever had.

The Mushroom sizzler arrived, well, sizzling! Assorted mushrooms cooked to give off a smokey flavour, and enough to share among a table of 4.

We ordered a chocolate based dessert with fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream. It made my toes curl in pleasure. The chocolate cake was dense but not too rich, and the fresh fruit brought a lovely sweetness-and-tartness to the dish. Hunter went a little wild over this one…

We also ordered a sort of chocolate mousse with bananas and strawberry ice cream. I really enjoyed the crunchy base, but the mousse didn’t do it for me (I’m not a fan of mousse).

Chris’ birthday Strawberry English Trifle was simple but well executed. The sponge cake was light and fluffy, and the strawberries sweet and juicy. I was surprised I enjoyed this one, because I normally don’t like non-chocolate or fruit-based desserts.

How old is Daddy?? Take a guess 😉

Last Bite: Lawry’s The Prime Rib serves a lavish and delicious lunch, specialising in red meat. Their Prime black angus fillet mignon was an absolute stunner!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes (in the mall)
Kids’ menu: Yes

Lawry’s The Prime Rib
333A Orchard Road
#04-01/31 Mandarin Gallery
Singapore 238897
Phone: 6836 3333
Prices: $$$$$
Hours:
Mon – Thu: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 11:30 am – 10:30 pm
Sun: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm

THE ORANGE THIMBLE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Tiong Bahru, Singapore

March 24, 2014 / Food Reviews, Singapore, Tiong Bahru / 0 comment

Situated along the popular strip of cafes along Tiong Bahru, The Orange Thimble is a hipster cafe priding itself on merging art and coffee into one space.

Step into the cafe and you’ll be met with vintage-yet-industrial decor. It works. The space seems tiny, until we realised that a small doorway at the back of the cafe leads to a spacious seating area(s) as well as an outdoor sheltered area. It actually turned out to be a pretty large cafe! The way it is segmented into various nooks make it a great place to have brunch, feeling like there is no one else around you.

The menu is fairly limited (see below) but prices are reasonable. There is NO service charge and NO GST – huge props to them and may more cafes follow their stellar example!

Our American Breakfast ($13.90) is pleasingly sufficient for a big eater. The sausage is delicious and juicy, the eggs are well scrambled (my kids gobbled it all up straightaway), and everything goes together very well to make this a more-than-decent big breakfast.

The Egg mayo sandwich ($9.90) is pretty gigantic, thanks to the large ciabatta bun. It contains salad and a generous helping of chunky-cut hard boiled egg mixed with mayo. It’s tasty, and props to the extra greens on the plate.

Their croissant ($2.50) is freshly baked and INCREDIBLE. The outside is flaky, and the inside superbly soft and buttery. The kids adore this, and so do I, so we promptly order another one.

The Iced latte ($7) is a little on the steep side, but at least it comes in a large glass. It still has a rich coffee flavour, despite being an iced drink.

The kids share an Avocado milkshake. They drain it to the last drop, so I suppose they give it the thumbs up! I did manage to sneak a sip in and was very impressed – the milkshake is thick and creamy, and the gula melaka syrup used is not too overpowering. Luscious.

The artworks on the wall are adorable – brightly coloured and featuring scenes around Singapore. Prices are listed so you can purchase them to bring home.

Last Bite: The Orange Thimble charges no GST or service charge, and serve up delicious food at very reasonable prices. The segmented layout of the cafe allows for more private dining, though we particularly love the sofas for young kids to lounge on!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

The Orange Thimble
56 Eng Hoon Street, 01-68
Singapore 160056
Phone: 6223 8068
Prices: $$
Hours:
Mon: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Tue – Thu: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 9:00 am – 12:00 am
Sun: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm

JEWEL CAFE AND BAR: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Little India, Singapore

March 22, 2014 / Little India / 0 comment

I wasn’t actually going to write about Jewel Cafe and Bar here, because we were only here on a (quick) dinner date and didn’t have the kids with us. But then I figured, hey, it’s a nice little cafe, and it’s totally a place where I would bring my kids for a spot of brunch. So why not?

The interior of Jewel Cafe and Bar looks pretty industrial, with hanging raw light bulbs and no-frills tables and chairs. We sat in the upper section and it was quieter and more contained there – an excellent area if you’re there with kids because it’s removed from the main bustling area downstairs. There are also sofas upstairs, which are great for the kids to lounge on.

The Umami Prawn Capellini ($23) was a hit with me. It could have been a little less salty, but it was delicious nontheless. A fusion between Western and Japanese cuisine, the pasta was topped with fat prawns, and a generous helping of bonito flakes that waved around in the wind. It’s different from regular pastas because, instead of a cream or tomato based sauce, they use a rich prawn stock. It definitely is a different experience to Italian pasta, but I really enjoyed it because of the Japanese flavours.

At first, we were HUGELY disappointed with the Southern Fried Chicken ($20). The piece of meat (on the far right of the photo) was exceedingly dry and tough and tasteless. It was pretty inedible. Chris said, very pointedly, “It’s pretty sad when the entire dish is about fried chicken, and they couldn’t do fried chicken right”.

Fortunately, the other two pieces (one being a drumstick) were much better, and were moist and tender. I would HIGHLY recommend asking for only drumstick and/or thigh pieces when you order, or you’ll get a piece of breast meat and suffer what we did.

Last Bite: Jewel Cafe and Bar serves a mean prawn pasta, with a lovely upper floor area that’s great for kids (and you) to chill over brunch.

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: No (a handful of steps up to the cafe)
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Jewel Cafe and Bar
129 Rangoon Road
Singapore 218407
Phone: 6298 9216
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue – Thu: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm, Fri – Sat: 9:00 am – 12:00 am, Sun: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm

GIVEAWAY: Win one of two $50 Mothercare vouchers!

March 20, 2014 / Giveaways, Singapore / 0 comment

Carter has an unfortunate super-fat-feet problem. It means that all the good $$ I spent on Hunter’s shoes (justifying that my second child could wear them) went down the drain, because Carter simply couldn’t fit into the majority of Hunter’s old shoes.

With a wide foot and a very high arch (actually I think it’s just fat), Carter struggles with the upper-part of shoes, which cut into the top of his feet. VERY few shoes fit him and make him comfortable.

So we checked out these See Kai Run ‘Ryan’ shoes from Mothercare. They’re made with nubuck leather (soft!) and with a flexible rubber sole that washes easily. Best of all, it boasts a generous width and wide toe box – CRITICAL for Carter.

Mothercare stock a range of See Kai Run shoes at their various branches. I actually feel a little daft trying to give the grand dame of kid stores in Singapore an introduction, because if you haven’t heard of Mothercare, then you haven’t been out shopping in Singapore before. THEY’RE EVERYWHERE! We stocked up on virtually every baby essential at Mothercare – both in Shanghai and in Singapore.

So I am delighted to share with you that:

Mothercare are giving away two $50 vouchers!

a BWMB giveaway

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

Giveaways will run from 21-27 Mar 2014 inclusive.
Winner’s entry(s) will be verified according to the entry criteria(s).
Winner may use the voucher to purchase any regular or sale item(s) at all Mothercare stores in Singapore.

Basically, Carter was wearing his See Kai Run shoes daily until he outgrew them – so I was happy 🙂 I’m probably going to get a larger size but in regular leather (the ‘Ryan’ or the ‘Jude’), once I spot it in a Mothercare store in his size!

Here he is pottering around in his See Kai Run ‘Ryan’ shoes. They are great for daily wear because they’re durable! These photos were taken a few months ago, hence why Carter looks shorter and younger..

Thanks Mothercare!

SPR MRKT: Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

March 19, 2014 / Food Reviews, Singapore, Tanjong Pagar / 0 comment

SPR MRKT has a simple premise – food, retail and art mingled together in one adorable shop front. It is predominantly a bistro, and secondarily a place where you can pick up a few bits and bobs of groceries, as well as knick knacks. They strongly believe in all things fresh and natural, and so have a daily menu that changes to feature what the fresh produce is that day.

I was delighted that, upon entering, I spotted a table smack bang in the middle of the cafe, offering complimentary chilled water flavoured with fruit and herbs – what a lovely touch! Classy move.

I got distracted with the “shopping” part of the bistro, and started poking around the goods for sale – all displayed in shelving against one wall. There isn’t a huge selection, but features some lovely beers, chips, produce, etc.

On a small table was also stacks of gourmet chocolate, as well as a basket with baked goods. I felt that the baked goods was pretty pricey for the size, so didn’t opt to take-away any back home.

Their menu is displayed up on the blackboard, and is pretty reasonably priced – though the Extras really do add up if you opt for those!

I was impressed with me Flat White ($5), which was smooth and cream with no bitterness.

The Garlic beef and Kurobuta pork sausages with fork-masked potatoes ($16) looked absolutely delightful when it arrived – the sausages were fat and juicy and glistening, with an onion relish draped on top. However, both sausages were actually pretty dry and tough. We’d expected juicy and tender sausages so we were a little disappointed with this. It’s not bad, but I wouldn’t order it again.

The Eggs Royale ($17), however, was fantastic. I enjoyed the English muffins that the generous slices of smoked salmon was laid on, and the eggs were poached perfectly. The hollandaise sauce was creamy but not overpowering, and I felt this dish was a real winner.

Last Bite: SPR MRKT has a unique food/retail/art approach that makes the charming cafe a lovely spot for a casual brunch. Their Eggs Royale were a winner!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

SPR MRKT
2 Mccallum Street
Singapore 069043
Phone: 6221 2105
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm, Sat: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

A Date With The Fish at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

March 19, 2014 / CBD, Darling Harbour, Indoor Play, Sydney Food, Sydney Life / 0 comment

On a hot summer’s day, E and I were invited to take a day trip to SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium with some friends. Yes, yes, yes thank you. What a great way to spend a steamy Sydney day – in decent air conditioning, watching fish.

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium has been around since 1988 in various incarnations. While it used to be a stand alone attraction, these days the aquarium is part of a large group of Sydney attractions, including SEA LIFE Manly, Madam Tussauds, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo (not Taronga Zoo) and Sydney Tower Eye. If you buy your ticket at the aquarium, expect to pay $40 for an adult and $25 for children aged 4 and up. Buy your tickets at least 24 hours in advance from the website and you’ll save up to 30%. Buy passes to multiple attraction online at the same time and you will save even more.

The aquarium is broken up into various exhibits. The first few aren’t terribly interesting for little kids so we raced right through (if you’re interested in our rivers and so forth, then these are for you!). The big hits with the kids were the little sting rays, the glowing jelly fish, the rockpool where they could touch shells and starfish, and the tanks of tropical fish with the floor to ceiling glass.

The kids also enjoyed running like lunatics up the tunnels that run under the tanks with the water and animals swimming over head. Sharks were a popular spotting, as were the giant rays and the dugong. This particular section has a step and rails on the sides so kids can climb up for a closer look. Watching the giant animals float overhead in particular was thoughtfully entertaining for our bunch of toddlers.

The aquarium is on the small side, but does have a few kind of sad looking penguins (yes, I’ve seen Happy Feet a few too many times), which oddly our kids weren’t interested in at all. They have shark feedings (which we missed) and a dugong talk (which was interesting for adults but not kids). There is a cute shark treasure hunt throughout the aquarium for older kids. Given a map at the entrance they have to find each station along the way and stamp their map, and get a little prize at the end when they hand it in at the gift shop.

Bring lunch if possible to save a bit of money. There is a large cafe area inside the front of the aquarium with plenty of tables and space to eat.

SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
1-5 Wheat Rd,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 8251 7800
Prices: $$$$
Hours: Daily 9am-8pm
Get Directions

Franny’s: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Park Slope/Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York

March 19, 2014 / Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food, Park Slope, Prospect Heights / 1 Comment

Franny’s is a firm neighbourhood favorite for families. As well as serving up a great pizza pie, Franny’s is committed to sustainable agriculture. They buy locally grown foods and serve seasonal produce. The vegetables, fruits, eggs, dairy, and fish are largely sourced from local and/or organic producers; all the meats at Franny’s are from sustainable sources, containing no hormones or antibiotics. It’s a place you can go to and feel really good about what you are eating there.

While this is all well and good, the question remains . . . Are their pizzas any good?? We dropped in recently with some hungry friends and proceeded to test out a significant section of their pizza menu, in search of the perfect slice.

Franny’s is a goodly size, with plenty of seating and space. We arrived at peak lunch hour with a party of four adults and two wiggly toddlers and were quickly seated at our table. Missy E was in a particularly squirmy mood since we hadn’t had time to stop at a playground beforehand to wear her out (not the smartest move we’ve ever made, but thank God we had the iPhones). Franny’s was our destination of choice because I was really feeling pizza that day, and our friends were big Franny’s fans. They also have a lot of tables so you’ve always got a pretty good chance of being seated straight away with no wait, even with a party the size of ours (Franny’s only tasks reservations for parties of 8 – 12).

Our umbrella strollers were stored in their stroller and scooter parking space (note — bring a folding stroller only as there is no room for the jumbo ones inside).

The service was adequate but nothing special. Not particularly fast, even though we had two toddlers with us who really did not want to be sitting down for long. We ordered four pies (it seems like a lot, but hey, don’t forget that pizza is a toddler crowd-favorite!). Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella and Sausage ($17); Tomato, Basil and Buffalo Mozzarella ($16); Wax Peppers, Onions, Olives, Oregano and Provolone Piccante ($17); and Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella and Meatballs ($17).

The pizzas come as one giant pie, requiring you to cut it up with cutlery yourself. The pies are pretty big — larger than personal, but not as big as family. If you’re particularly hungry and are sharing with a pizza-loving toddler, you and any other adults you dine with may want to order as we did (ahem, one each). The base is soft and pliable, with a crisp bottom (no soggy pizza!) and the high-grade toppings deliciously melt together. I’d prefer the toppings to be closer to the edge of the pizza since I prefer a higher topping-to-crust ratio. The pizza tasted as a great pizza should — mouthfuls of slightly sweet tomato sauce and stringy mozzarella.

Missy E ADORES pizza and was in absolute heaven. With the DIY pizza-slicing, we could cut her pieces into the perfect size for little toddler hands. Luckily I’d remembered her disposable bib, which was absolutely integral to saving the adorable outfit I’d dressed her in that morning. E eats pizza with gusto, shall we say. And in large quantities. Two adult size slices vanished into her tummy like she was a Toddler Pizza Houdini that day. Amazingly she sat still while she was eating — it was literally the only time she sat still for an entire meal. The rest of her time at Franny’s was spent running up and down the bench Alec and I were seated on. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned it before — but so far E is a vegetarian like me, so the only pizza she was sampling was mine.

Little E’s friend who was dining with us and her parents is a few months younger. Not quite so active, she’s usually happier to sit rather than stand/run/drive the servers wild like Cheese does. It was the cutest thing to watch the two little pizza fans gorging themselves, and knowing that at least it was a relatively healthy meal (for a pizza, I mean!). Pizza is often my fall-back for Cheese because I know she’s guaranteed to eat it. At Franny’s, at least I don’t feel so lazy for our meal choice, because of the super healthy ingredients.

For dessert, walk a few blocks over to Ample Hills Creamery to complete a day of deliciousness.

Last bite: Great pizza that will cost you a pretty penny but that you can feel really good about. Enjoy easting local, seasonal and organic produce, and give your kids some big chunks of pizza to gnaw on (and enjoy slicing it up yourself).

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Franny’s
348 Flatbush Ave
New York, NY 11238
Phone: (718) 230-0221
Hours: Sun-Thur 12pm-11pm Fri-Sat 12pm-11:30pm

Get directions.

Month: March 2014

Parramatta Park + Parramatta Park Cafe; Kid-Friendly Sydney

THE BRAVERY: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Lavender, Singapore

GIVEAWAY: Win one of two Huggies Ultra Pants hampers (+ free samples for everyone)!

Huggies are giving away 1 female hamper and
1 male hamper of Huggies Ultra Pants!

Huggies are giving away a FREE 3-piece sample of the
new Huggies Ultra Pants!

LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Orchard Road, Singapore

THE ORANGE THIMBLE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Tiong Bahru, Singapore

JEWEL CAFE AND BAR: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Little India, Singapore

GIVEAWAY: Win one of two $50 Mothercare vouchers!

Mothercare are giving away two $50 vouchers!

SPR MRKT: Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

A Date With The Fish at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

Franny’s: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Park Slope/Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York

Month: March 2014

Huggies are giving away 1 female hamper and 1 male hamper of Huggies Ultra Pants!

Mothercare are giving away two $50 vouchers!

Huggies are giving away 1 female hamper and
1 male hamper of Huggies Ultra Pants!