March 2014 - Page 2 of 3 - Adventure, baby!

Month: March 2014

MIAM MIAM @ WESTGATE: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Jurong East, Singapore

March 18, 2014 / Food Reviews, Jurong East, Singapore / 2 Comments

I thought long and hard before deciding to write about Miam Miam @ Westgate, because I prefer to focus on positive reviews. We had a very very poor customer service experience (they lost my credit card and were very disinterested in getting it back for me, until my husband hit the roof and insisted) that spoiled our entire meal, but I decided to wait it out for 1-2 weeks til I’ve calmed down – to write about the food and be as factual as I can about our experience. I am writing about it below in the same order of events that occurred.

Located in the new Westgate mall, we chanced upon Miam Miam and decided to pop in for an early dinner. There were 3 adults and 3 children, and since the restaurant was largely empty when we arrived (on a Saturday early-evening), the staff were quick and very helpful with setting up high chairs and settling us in.

I love their bright blue, sunshine yellow and clean white decor. The restaurant is spacious and cheery, and their menu is an interesting French-Japanese mix of dishes. A lot of it is pictorial, which always really satisfies my hungry eyes.

We asked for “iced water” and were informed that “water is chargable at $2/carafe, non refillable”.

We nearly fainted.

A simple cafe, charging for plain drinking water? I guess you all know by now I have huge issues with places charging for water – all it says to me is that they reaaaallllyyy need the extra cash, at the expense of pissing customers off. When diners are charged a 10% Service Charge to their bill, I expect iced water to be complimentary.

Anyway.

I really enjoyed the Riz Noir – squid ink rice with assorted seafood ($16.50). It’s a small-sized dish, but arrives cutely in a black pot. The black rice is mildly flavoured and subtle, and dotted with seafood which is probably frozen seafood because I didn’t detect the fresh sweetness of fresh seafood. It was still good, though, and the lightly-scrambled eggs were divine – so creamy and the mild flavour paired well with the rest of the dish.

The Lobster bisque pasta ($18.80) had a large prawn on top, not lobster. It would have done better with two prawns, because there simply was not enough ingredients/meat to go around with the pasta! The pasta sauce was rich and creamy, and a little on the salty side, but overall the dish was decent.

Their Mac and cheese ($14.50) is tiny, more of an appetizer or to share among a few people. The cheeses used were strong and flavourful, and the dish was well-received by the kids. Oddly, large shell-shaped pasta is used, so some parts of it are a bit dry/hard whilst others are fine. A more liquid sauce (as the dish is a bit dry) or smaller pasta would have made this a winner.

We were FULLY geared up to have their French Toast, which looked awesome on the menu and I figured would be a hit with all 3 kids. Our ideas were quickly deflated when we were told by the waitress that it takes “20 mins to cook” (!!!). The dessert souffles? Same deal.

I love the idea that it’s all cooked-to-order, but please, inform diners that there is a long wait for dessert so they can pre-order. I’m pedantic about this because young kids simply won’t sit around doing nothing for so long, whilst waiting for dessert to arrive.

Regardless, we went ahead with the French Toast order and waited.

And waited.

And waited……….

Finally, Chris got agitated and asked “Where is our dessert?” and they went to check.

And promptly came back with……………………. a parfait ice cream instead.

Eh? We waited almost half an hour for an ICE CREAM in a glass?? Evidently, they’d first entirely forgotten our dessert order, then got it confused with something else when we asked.

No apology was made.

After all that time, it was into the kids’ bedtimes and we had to get outta there. We settled on a Matcha ice cream which arrived in this incredibly odd and tiny cup (see below). It was actually quite comical, I’ve never seen a smaller ‘ice cream bowl’ in my life! That said, I believe it was about $2, so that wasn’t too bad.

We were now desperate to get out of there, as it was late. The other adults rushed off with the kids to wash faces/hands, and I got the bill. I gave them my credit card and waited for them to come back to get my signature.

And waited.

And waited………

Finally, I walked up to the cash register inside. There was nobody there.

Confused, I hailed down a passing waitress (which happened to be the same one that took my card) and said “Errr… can I sign now?” and she sheepishly said “I lost your card and can’t get it out.”

SAY WHAT?????????????????

I had no idea how to respond. And why was she doing other things instead of getting my credit card back??

I ended up going behind the counter to see what happened, and realised my card had slipped into a tiny gap between the cash register and counter. A long and hard ruler would be needed to try and dig it out.

No one seemed very interested in getting my card out, since there was nobody there. Then the lady manager came over and started fiddling around, to no avail.

I asked, “HOW did it even fall down there?”

And she replied, “I’m just trying to help you out.”

SORRY???

Help ME? Like it was a mistake I made, and caused such an inconvenience for the restaurant?

There was no apology made.

She suggested I either 1) cancel my card and get one reissued by my bank, or 2) wait until they get it out and they will mail it by post to me.

I was desperate to get my kids home, so I agreed on #2. But when I met up with Chris, he completely balked at the thought of leaving my credit card there, and went back to them.

I’m not sure what happened after that, because I plonked both kids into the car and drove them home myself to put them to bed myself… whilst Chris stayed behind to sort it out.

But Chris said something along the lines of he wouldn’t leave until they got my credit card out, and he would call the police to report credit card theft if they didn’t make an effort.

So they ended up getting it out, gave it to Chris, and he FINALLY came home (after having to pay for a taxi home himself, they never reimbursed him).

Hilariously, they actually swiped my card to charge us – after all that! When Chris asked, they actually said “Oh don’t worry, we’ve already charged you!”. Chris explained to them that they ruined our night, and prevented him from being at home to spend (precious) time with the kids before bedtime, and wanted a refund. To their credit, they ended up giving us a refund.

We were never given an apology.

I still feel a bit traumatised when I’m Westgate and walk past Miam Miam, because the memories of feeling so shocked, annoyed, and helpless is still really fresh in my mind. I don’t fault the dropping/losing my credit card – it’s just a simple human mistake. What I am upset with was the blasé attitude (no one informed me about what happened until I gave up waiting and came in to check, and there was no one there trying to get it out), and the absolute zero apology we received. I just felt like I was a huge burden to the staff, having to ask them to recover my credit card THEY lost .

So if you’re after a casual meal with food that’s a bit different, Miam Miam’s the place to go. Just be mindful of their service (Hungrygowhere doesn’t rank them too well), and be careful of your credit card!

Last Bite: Miam Miam’s casual and cheerful decor complements their unique French-Japanese dishes, and their heavy lean toward desserts is sure to appeal to your sweet tooth. It’s a shame we had a poor customer service experience there!

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

Miam Miam @ Westgate
#01-21/22 Westgate
3 Gateway Drive
Singapore 608532
Phone: 63699065
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm

[EDIT:] The management at Miam Miam wrote and expressed their apologies over the debacle, and will be training their staff to handle such (rare) situations better. It was, all in all, a mistake. But it could have been handled better by staff there.

Regardless, we are impressed that Miam Miam proactively and promptly wanted to correct the issue after reading the post – thank you.

BOSSES RESTAURANT: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Telok Blangah, Singapore

March 16, 2014 / Food Reviews, Singapore, Telok Blangah / 0 comment

I’ve walked past Bosses Restaurant so many times at Vivocity, but had no idea it was a restaurant. It actually looks more like a dark nightclub (or Chinese triad gang hangout) from the outside! It doesn’t help that the only english word there is “Bosses”, with no obvious reference that it’s an eatery.

But, oh my, what an impressive restaurant it is! Walk through the narrow and dark corridor (full of mood lighting), and it opens out to a HUGE restaurant, all encased in glass windows, overlooking the water. Everything there is themed in jet-black, unusual for a restaurant, but it works – it’s pretty cool.

It looks like a fine-dining Chinese restaurant, and perhaps it is in the evenings, but in the day time, there is a lively buzz of chatter and most of the diners there are doing business lunches.

My kids were the only kids in the restaurant, but they were SO well looked after by the staff. The staff were incredibly patient, genuinely friendly, and very nice with the kids. I admit, I was a bit eye-bally with them at the start (I get like that when I’m in a fancy looking restaurant because I start to break out into a nervous sweat wondering if my kids will make a ruckus or break anything and shame me forever)… but the staff really won me over and made me feel relaxed within minutes.

Their yum cha menu of a huge variety of dim sum was SLAM DUNK WINNER with the kids!!! They ate so much, and with such gusto, I am totally insisting on this place the next time we are at Vivocity.

We got the Signature fried noodles with superior soya sauce ($6.80) which was not overly salty, but featured lovely springy oodles in a lightly-flavoured sauce. It’s a simple dish, but excellent. Hunter loved it so much he…….. wait for it…… self-fed. This is a BIG DEAL because the kid does not self-feed – food simply doesn’t interest him enough.

The Shanghai xiao long bao ($6.50) was had a thicker and chewier skin than Din Tai Fung’s version, but I preferred it this way because it gave the bao more “oomph”. The meat was tender and juicy, and the kids both lapped this up.

I’m not a huge fan of Prawn and asparagus rice roll ($7.80) because I always find rice roll dishes a bit bland, but my kids loved it gobbled most of it up.

My favourite – Szechuan fried beans. I am a bean fanatic, especially when it’s cooked like this. It wasn’t too spicy, but did have a delicate kick, and the beans were cooked to perfection. Still dreaming about this dish right now…

The kids each polished off one Supreme minor char siew bun ($4.50) each. The BBQ pork (char siew) within wasn’t overly sweet – often they are at many restaurants, and that annoys me because I think the sweetness takes away from the delicate flavour of the fluffy bun. This was done very well.

The Queen of Shumai ($6.00) only came with 3 pieces in the bamboo box, which I was disappointed about (too few!). But they were large and fat, and I liked the whole prawn sitting on top. It was delicious dipped in the accompanying chili sauce.

The Deep fried cod fish was ordered off their regular menu, and was around $20+ I believe. Expensive, but all was forgiven when I saw the kids NOM IT ALL UP!!!!

The cod was delicate and flaky and moist, and the batter encasing it was crispy and seasoned to perfection. These “fish nuggets”, as the kids call them, were AWESOME. I loved them, they loved them. We were all very pleased. A must-order!

It seems I am incapable of visiting a yum cha joint and stepping away without ordering their Salted egg yolk bun. Bosses Restaurant call them Signature custard lava bun ($6.00), though these are called “liu sha bao” in Mandarin and I believe the “liu” bit means “to flow”.

And, man, does the inside flow out!

Bosses version is FREAKING AMAZING. It is worth going to the restaurant solely for these babies. The yellow bun was soft and fluffy, and the insides oozed out in the most luscious and sexy way. Mmmm…. oh man it was good.

Last Bite: Bosses Restaurant offers gorgeous views of the water, impeccable service, and stellar yum cha during brunch. Every single dish we ordered was a hit with the kids and/or adults!

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

Bosses Restaurant
1 HarbourFront Walk
#02-156 VivoCity
Singapore 098585
Phone: 6376 9740
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Tues : 11am – 9pm, Wed : 12pm – 9pm, Thur – Sun : 11am- 10pm

GIVEAWAY: One Maxomorra onesie (worth $32) from Elly!

March 13, 2014 / Giveaways, Singapore / 8 Comments

One of our favourite kids clothing boutiques, Elly, has just launched a whole range of Maxomorra goodies today!

Maxomorra hails from Sweden and features ridiculously cute patterened designs made from organically grown cotton. I was pretty overwhelmed when I popped into their store (Maxomorra is stocked both at Elly and their sister store Twelve, both located in Cluny Court), and was faced a whole rainbow of bright colours!

Pretty cute huh?!

Elly are giving away one Maxomorra onesie (worth $32)!

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.

Giveaways will run from 14-20 Mar 2014 inclusive.
Winner’s entry(s) will be verified according to the entry criteria(s).
Winner may select design and size of their choice from all available stock (sizes 50/56 (0 to 6 m), 62/68 (6 to 9 m), 74/80 (9 to 12 m), 86/92 (18 to 24 m)).

Elly are offering FREE shipping for any order over $80!
Use code: BWMB

Code is valid until 20 March 2014 inclusive.
Valid on orders shipped to any address in Singapore.

Made of soft and durable organic cotton, the Maxomorra range features those onesies/rompers (above), as well as a LOT of other styles for babies and older kids (you’ll have to go to the store to see them in-person, they’re not online cos they’re limited stock only!)

The clothes get softer after each wash-and-wear, yet the colours stay super vibrant. I suppose they must be very comfy to wear, because both my kids love being in them! No prizes for guessing that these Maxomorra tractor-print long pajamas are for Hunter, my vehicle-fanatic. He wigged out when he saw them.

I mean, reaaallllyyyy WIGGED OUT.

He was so excited to have not one, not two, but about twenty gazillion tractors all over him!! On the downside, now he keeps wanting to wear this particular set of pajamas every night, so they’re getting kinda smelly……..

I tried to take nice photos of him, whilst eating breakfast, wearing his cute Maxomorra pajamas. These photos were as good as we got….

Carter loves his aeroplanes, so he got a Maxomorra aeroplane-print short pajamas. Personally, I reckon this style can be worn outdoors, and not just in bed – the tee looks super cute paired with jeans, and the shorts are so eye-catching paired with a plain top!

Both my kids are the same size in clothing, so here’s Hunter rocking the same set outdoors – they were having a pajama party at his playschool. How cute?!

Maxomorra also do boxer shorts, that are excellent for popping on when you’re at home. This is what Hunter wears when he’s home – they’re soft, comfy, and easy to pull down for when he needs to use the bathroom.

He actually really likes them specifically because of the dinosaur print. He has a pair of dinosaur boots, so he pairs them together and stomps all over the place, roaring very scarily!

He calls himself the HUNTERSAURUS.

There are also Maxomorra bodysuits ($28), briefs ($16) and girls hipsters ($9) in the store. I love the Daisy print for girls! Though, a little birdie told me that the Cats print is the most popular..

A lot of the Maxomorra stock is running low at Elly, because they only received one batch of it. So pop on down (or contact them to reserve what you want) to their store at Cluny Court quickly, if you don’t see what you want online.

Thanks Elly!

THE LIVING CAFE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bukit Timah, Singapore

March 13, 2014 / Bukit Timah, Food Reviews, Singapore / 1 Comment

So I’m being really cheeky here….. because I didn’t actually eat at this place! But, I wanted to share it with you if you’re into the healthy-living and eating stuff.

The Living Cafe is all the rage among the healthy group – popular with expat mums and exercise fiends.

So what was I doing there?

I was in the area because I wanted to check out the bike shop next door, as Hunter has outgrown his Y Velo balance bike and is ready for a proper 2-wheel bike. Considering Little Diner is also there – in all its truffle mac & cheese, fried chicken, and deep-fried oreos glory – I would never have considered popping into The Living Cafe. Except Little Diner was shut that day 😛

I was keen on just a coffee, so decided to pop in to check it out!

The cafe is lofty, airy, and gorgeous. I love how the sunlight streams in, making the cafe a relaxing place for a spot of lunch or a quiet coffee.

The dining area is downstairs, and the shop area is upstairs. The shop stocks Supplements, Superfoods, Herbals and Homeopathics. I told you this was a healthy place!!

The downstairs dining area is pretty quiet on weekday afternoons, so you’ll have most of the place to yourself. The spaciousness of the cafe is excellent if you have a stroller in tow.

I’ll be frank – the menu freaked me out. It’s all about healthy and raw food, which is all pretty foreign to me. My head spun a little when I read the menu, so I ended up ordering……………… nothing. I was just too overwhelmed!

The “TLC Cheese Burger” under the SIGNATURE RAW part of the menu looked so… odd.. that I was tempted to order it just to see what it would look and taste like 😛 Maybe I should go back and see!

A whole array of desserts – all raw, no nuts, no dairy, etc etc. Bases of cheesecakes etc are all made of crushed nuts, chocolate isn’t really chocolate, cheese isn’t really cheese, etc etc. It was all pretty fascinating to read, but the cakes definitely looked different to the ‘real’ thing, so I was afraid of trying them!

I ended up with a Soy Latte ($5). Actually, I’d just ordered a “Latte”, but was told they don’t have normal milk, “only soy or hazelnut”.

What did it taste like?

Definitely not the same as a regular milk latte! It had a similar and lovely first impression, but ended on a bit of an odd/sour note after swallowing. I presume this is what a soy latte tastes like?

So I apologise again that this actually isn’t an informative review about the food. But I still really wanted to write about this because I know many people out there want to eat healthy, and have an interest in seeing what raw food is all about. To their credit, The Living Cafe have an impressively extensive menu and get thumbs up for sticking to their morals.

I’m very tempted to go back and order a bunch of their food, to see how it all pans out 🙂

Last Bite: The Living Cafe is a beautifully decorated and sunlit cafe, boasting an impressive menu of raw and organic food, which will delight any healthy eater. Don’t forget to check out their shop upstairs!

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

The Living Cafe
779 Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 268759
Phone: 6762 8029
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm, Tue – Fri: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm, Sat: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm, Sun: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm

The Grounds of Alexandria: Meet Kevin Bacon Over Brekkie + Sydney Park

March 12, 2014 / Alexandria, Eastern Suburbs, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

For a long time, whispers about an inner city cafe with a pet pig had been reaching my ears (and clogging up my Facebook stream), even while I was living in New York. On my return to the homeland, the first place I was dying to check out for breakfast was The Grounds of Alexandra. This family-owned and operated cafe was built within an old pie factory from the 1900s, retaining the rustic charm while serving up speciality coffee and wholesome food. The Grounds opens up into a garden filled with heirloom vegetables and herbs, which are picked every morning and used throughout the day in the cafe. Be sure to plan your visit for the first weekend of the month, when The Grounds hosts a market filled with fresh produce and other goods.

A big draw for The Grounds is its star, Kevin Bacon. The pig. This Kevin Bacon resides in a little petting zoo for kids, along with chickens and a sheep. He made headlines last year when he was pignapped (along with Bradley the lamb), turning up at an animal sanctuary in Victoria. Luckily for us, Kevin is fully recovered from his ordeal, and is back, along with Bradley, at The Grounds.

The Grounds also features a little playhouse or kids, fenced in (yay!), with a slide and little climbing wall. Considering the wait time for a table, this playhouse and the animals are saviours for parents of itchy-footed toddlers.

Our party included one small toddler, one medium toddler and one preschooler — and The Grounds had something to suit everyone. A cute kids’ menu suited the preschooler (who ordered the burger and fries), hot chips and a kid-sized smoothie for the toddlers (the soothie came in a jar shaped like a bear. The cuteness!!). The adults ordered the Avocado Smash (with poached eggs), Asparagus and Herb Frittata and Salmon with Quinoa. I didn’t note down the exact names of the dishes and prices, and then sadly realised they weren’t listed on their site (d’oh!!). The food was all absolutely delicious, from the smoothie and hot chips, to the famous Avocado Smash.

After our meal, we spotted a gelato stand in the cafe grounds, and ordered a scoop of Pavlova Gelato ($4). It was so good we went back for seconds.

The kids were all going a little nuts after having to sit down for lunch, so we drove down the road to the playground at Sydney Park. The playground is huge, and has great features for kids aged toddler and up, including the rope bridge below, huge slides, swings and a giant sandpit.

Last Bite: Delicious food, fun for the kids, and a nearby park. A perfect score.

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

The Grounds of Alexandria
Building 7A/2 Huntley St,
Alexandria NSW 2015
Phone: 02 9699 2225
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm, Sat & Sun 7:30am-4pm
Get Directions

Sydney Park
Barwon Park Road
St Peters, NSW, 2044
Entrance to the car park is off the Princes Highway, just after the turnoff to Sydney Park Road (just after the big chimney stacks)

Your New Regular Coffee Shop: Konditori, Cobble Hill, New York

March 11, 2014 / Brooklyn Bites, Cobble Hill, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

We are always searching for a new great coffee place that will deliver my flat white-obsessed husband with a consistent cup of decent coffee. His most recent obsession is Konditori, a Swedish cafe that aspires to combine the hominess of Swedish Coffee Culture with the edginess of Brooklyn. I’ve never been to Sweden, so I can’t comment on how accurately the cafe represents the “Swedish coffee hominess”, but what I do know is my husband has been stopping by this cafe twice a week on his way to deliver Cheese to pre school since it opened, and gets REALLY mad if Cheese isn’t ready for school in time for him to get his regular cup of jo.

Since I’m not a coffee drinker he promised me a good hot chocolate and selection of fine baked goods, which was enough for me to accompany him and Cheese on their regular coffee ritual one morning.

As well as a seriously good cup of coffee (the husband obviously has stamped it so) you can pick up a hand rolled kettle boiled bagel, gourmet muffins and Swedish treats like Cardamom Bread (coffee bread with almond filling), Kanelbulle (cinnamon rolls) and Coco Balls.

The cafe also has a fresh juice bar, which has a little IKEA train set running around the tip jar — a magnet for toddlers and adults waiting for their juices alike. Cheese was obsessed with the trains, and we were both very happy when told it was fine for her to take the train back to the table play with (bless you!).

In the back of the store is a huge foosball table (another prime toddler distractor) and plenty of room if you need to park your giant stroller.

I ordered a hot chocolate ($2.25) and one of the gourmet muffins ($2.50). I thought it was blueberry banana, but I could only find blueberries, so who knows, maybe I read the sign wrong. Either way, it was a good, solid muffin, and the hot chocolate was delicious.

I had to act quickly to snap Alec’s latte ($3.50) and croissant ($2.50) before they disappeared. Part of his weekly ritual with Cheese is for them to enjoy croissants together.

The Konditori staff were very happy to make a special “toddler” hot chocolate for Cheese. Basically this means I ask them to dilute the hot chocolate heavily with whole milk, and put it in a straw cup for her to drink. This both takes away from it being too chocolately for a toddler, and also brings it down to the perfect temperature for toddlers straight away, so we can skip the “you have to wait, it’s too hot!” talk.

Last Bite: Great coffee, friendly staff, and plenty of room and distractions for toddlers. Stop by to find us hibernating at Konditori all winter long.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes – room for strollers!
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Konditori
114 Smith St,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (646) 696-0257
Pries: $
Hours: Daily, 6am-8pm
Get directions

FLOCK CAFE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Tiong Bahru, Singapore

March 11, 2014 / Food Reviews, Singapore, Tiong Bahru / 0 comment

Flock Cafe has been doing the rounds on social media over the past few months, but I didn’t have a chance to visit until only very recently, because we live so epic-ly far away. I’m glad I did, because I really enjoyed the visit!

Open bright and early everyday at 8AM, we were thoroughly impressed that they were open on a Monday morning, as few cafes are. Decorated in a dark brown and grey theme, the decor is simple and clean, and the ambience is relaxed with a buzz.

We were very impressed with the children’s activity sheet provided. Just grab a colourful sheet off the stack and keep your kid occupied whilst you have a bite and drink!

The Latte ($5.50) arrived in a tiny cup, but was delightfully creamy and with a punch of flavour. Beans are from Liberty Coffee.

My girl friends had a quiche each. I didn’t try any, so I don’t know if they were good – so sorry!

My Pork cheek and gruyere sandwich ($14.90) was RIDICULOUSLY INSANELY GOOD. I’m not even a fan of sandwiches! But this was amazing. It featured incredibly tender and moist shredded pork, paired with a mustard mayonnaise and drizzle of melted cheese.

Oh man, I’d go back again just for this. The “pork cheek and gruyere” potion is featured not just in this sandwich, but also in a pasta, and on Eggs Benedict. So feel free to take your pick!

Last Bite: Flock Cafe’s signature pork cheek and gruyere sandwich is out-of-this-world good, and their colourful kid’s activity sheet is a winner.

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

Flock Cafe
78 Moh Guan Terrace, #01-25
Singapore 162078
Phone: 6536 3938
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Clubhouse: Kid-Friendly cafes, Rosebery, Sydney

March 10, 2014 / Inner South East, Roseberry, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

When friends suggested we meet for breakfast at the Surf lifesaving Clubhouse in Rosebery, my first thought was, “huh?”. Rosebery isn’t known for its beaches but what awaited us at the Clubhouse was a fabulous, kid friendly surprise.

Right on busy Botany Road, the Clubhouse is hard to miss. It’s got an inviting patio with lots of sun-safe umbrellas and comfy cushioned seating. Inside, however, you get more that you expect: a well-appointed wood interior with murals representing the great surf lifesaving traditional in Australia. It’s one of those places that somehow strikes the balance between casual day eating and more sophisticated (but cozy!) night/bar eatery.

And then there’s the menu. I ordered the B.R.A.T (bacon, rocket, avocado, fresh tomatoes, aioli, $14) which is pretty much the best BLT-esque breakfast sandwich I’ve had in years. Lorin ordered the Smoked ham & eggs Benedict on brioche ($20) and his only comment before he proceeded to devour the dish in under five minutes was that the eggs were poached to perfection. Baby Lukas ordered some banana bread ($4) which also managed to be a knock out being surprisingly light and fluffy. Echo after echo of “yum” from Baby Lukas confirmed this assessment.

Smoked ham & eggs Benedict on brioche ($20)

Another thing that blew us away was that upon arrival, Baby Lukas was given a “little nippers” goodie bag full of crayons, paper and stickers, which amused him for a good 15 minutes. Which, borrowing the concept of dog years, translates into roughly an hour in restaurant time.

Last bite: If you’re for a kid-friendly place for brunch and are bumping about the far Eastern suburbs, visit the Clubhouse . You and your children will leave happy.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: No, but kids won’t starve

Clubhouse
789 Botany Rd, Rosebery NSW 2018
Phone: (02) 9669 2828
Hours: Mon-Sun 8am-late
Reservations
Get Directions

DISTRICT 10 BAR & RESTAURANT: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, River Valley, Singapore

March 10, 2014 / Food Reviews, River Valley, Singapore / 0 comment

My kids got their first taste of a bouncy castle when they visited my gf’s place and she had one in her back yard (as you do….). So they were REALLY REALLY EXCITED when they spotted one at District 10 Bar & Restaurant!

The bouncy castle is set up in a nook to the side of the restaurant, so you can sit back and chill out and eat, whilst still keeping an eye on the kids. The area is also sectioned off, so they can’t run out. The bouncy castle is available during weekend brunch, which makes it a pretty fabulous place to bring the kids!

District 10 offer a very comprehensive Brunch menu, which is mostly Western but some dishes have an Asian influence. The kids ate a LOT, so I was very very pleased!

And… errrr… we ate lots too….

The Rigatoni with wagyu meatballs and fresh tomato basil sauce ($24) was ordered for the kids (off the main adult menu) and it was a H-I-T! The homemade tomato basil sauce was really tasty and I was surprised that Hunter, who doesn’t like chewing meat, gobbled up the meatballs.

I LOVED the look of the Eggs Benedict; poached eggs on toasted muffin with sauteed spinach, smoked salmon & hollandaise sauce ($16). Seriously, how luscious do those eggs look? I suppose it must have been pretty awesome, because Hunter ate it all up and I had……….. none. Next time, I’ll have to order a separate plate just for myself!

I’ve had the Hoegaarden Battered Fish & Chips; with mint mushy peas & tartare sauce ($22) before and it hasn’t changed a bit since. It’s gorgeous. The beer batter is fluffy and crisp, and the fish is thick and moist and juicy. The fish lay on a (large!) bed of fries, and I’d recommend this dish for a hearty eater – you won’t be disappointed.

If you’re looking for a real boy’s brunch, you can’t go wrong with their Beef Burger; charcoal-grilled Black Angus patties topped with fried egg, crispy back bacon, cheddar cheese on a sesame bun & served with natural cut fries ($20). That thing is BIG! I actually couldn’t fit my mouth around the whole burger and had to eat it with a fork and knife 😉

The Black Angus beef patty was moist and thick, and the fried egg (with a gooey yolk!) gave the burger a lovely creamy texture and flavour. If the giant burger still isnt’ enough for you, there’s still a tin of chunky fries to go nuts over….

I left one of the best for the last – the Pizza with Wagyu Beef Cheek Rendang ($29). The pizza dough was fresh and crispy on the edges, and smothered in luscious cheese. But it was the wagyu beef cheek that was the winner – the beef was so tender! I’ve eaten beef on pizza where you’re gnawing away like a rabid animal, but this was the exact opposite. The beef actually wasn’t very spicy (thankfully), despite it being called a ‘rendang’, so the kids could have some.

My wish? That there was more beef on the pizza, because I loved it!

I believe my juice was a Dragonfruit and pineapple juice, which is listed under their Health Boosters section. Unsweetened, these freshly-squeezed juices were my ticket to convincing myself I was having a very healthy and light lunch 😉 The juice came in a large mason jar, so I was actually pretty full just from the juice alone!

Chris had an Iced latte. You can’t quite go wrong with a coffee at brunch, can you?

Evidently, we are a family of foodies………..

The kids went back to the bouncy castle after they polished off their food. For an HOUR!! Thank goodness it’s lovely to sit and chill outdoors at District 10, and we had icy drinks to relax over. The kids made friends with a brother-and-sister duo there (I think they were the chef’s kids), so they were kept well occupied and very well babysat by the two lovely older kids.

This is the interior of District 10. Very different to the chill and bright ambiance of their outdoor seating area, huh? The indoor area is lovely for a quiet dinner date, and I’d imagine it would be great to dine here over a bottle of wine.

Last Bite: District 10 hits it out of the ballpark with a bouncy castle for kids on weekends. Their brunch menu is simply tops, our kids loved all 5 mains we ordered!

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

District 10 Bar & Restaurant
UE Square Shopping Mall
81 Clemenceau Ave
Singapore 239917
Phone: 6738 4788
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Thu: 11:30 am – 11:00 pm, Fri – Sat: 11:30 am – 1:00 am, Sun: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm

Date Night in Sydney

March 8, 2014 / Australia, Sydney Life / 2 Comments

On our recent trip back home to Sydney (another post on that coming later) Alec and I had a special night – our first away from E. Not Alec’s first time away overnight, but definitely my first, and our first together. Monumental! And all thanks to my wonderful parents who volunteered to baby sit their granddaughter even though she had a fever that required them getting up through the night and then my mum sleeping with her the rest of the night. Bless you Mum and Dad, you’re the best!

It was so wonderful to have some time with Alec to reset our relationship and to spend a bit of time enjoying Sydney again together. I found a great deal on a hotel we stayed at for my 30th birthday in The Rocks – the Langham (it used to be called The Observatory Hotel). The hotel is a beautiful old-school place, really luxurious and comfortable at the same time.

We kicked our night off walking around The Rocks, picking up treats for later at the Guylian Chocolate Cafe, and then with dinner at Pony, a restaurant that wasn’t there last time we were in town, and was absolutely amazing. Really delicious food (my ricotta pasta was perfect), kick-ass cocktails, and a fantastic vibe that was upscale trendy without being too try-hard.

Something that really struck me on this trip back is how much the food culture in Sydney has changed. There are lots of really hip new cafes and restaurants around town now – and all throughout the suburbs – which made for some culinary adventures that reminded me of how amazing Australia’s produce is.

After our delicious dinner and potent cocktails, we head back for an early night and rented a movie (we never get to watch movies anymore!).

The following morning, after breakfast at the hotel restaurant, we dropped by La Renaissance Cafe (the place to go for French pastries) to pick up treats for my parents, then head back on home.

One thing to be said for being back home, it’s great to have some more than willing babysitters!

Month: March 2014

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