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SYMMETRY: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bugis, Singapore

November 18, 2013 / Bugis, Cheese, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

So here’s the funny thing: I actually never considered Symmetry to be “kid-friendly”. The cafe is extremely cramped, with chairs with skinny metal splayed-out legs, tables with sharp corners, little vintage ornaments perfectly at kid-grabbing distance, near impossible to get a stroller into (steps and not enough space)…. and the fact that there are always ZERO kids there. Except mine. And my friends.

Yet, despite that, I’ve been there perhaps 10 times in the past few months. Always dragging one or two kids in tow… and just praying that my kids will sit obediently and quietly in their high chairs whilst I have a leisurely lunch and lovely chat with my girl friend(s) for two hours.

Obviously THAT never happens.

I invariably end up dealing with one or both kids that end up getting bored, wanting to run around, bumping their heads on sharp corners, crying, YOU NAME IT!!!!

So….. why do my friends and I go, with kids in tow?

Because of THIS below. This is an Iced Peppermint Mocha. And Symmetry do a perfect rendition. Served in a thick-walled glass and with a metal straw (awesomeness!) jutting out, this concoction is like coffee on steroids. Yes, real coffee connoisseurs will sneer and say it’s not a “proper coffee” but it’s so fun to drink and delicious that I don’t care. This weighs in at a hefty $7.20 (!!!!!) for glass, but it’s my little treat because I do love it so.

Obviously, their food is also pretty good. We didn’t order any appetizers during this particular lunch, but normally we do. Every single appetizer is excellent.. from their bacon & cheese rissoles, to their fried mushrooms, to their crispy white bait, to their breaded prawns. Seriously, just order any appetizer from the menu and you won’t be disappointed. Just to point out, though, almost all the appetizers are deep fried.

This particular Smoked salmon croque monsieur was a bit of a giant! The bread was thick and fluffy, and a hit with my kids. It was drenched with sour cream and chives, and topped off with melted cheese. Served with chunky fries, this was a bit of a heart-attach dish 😉

I almost always order the Smoked salmon carbonara ($23) here (though I always get mine without the rocket leaves, as I can’t stand them). This time, however, we found the smoked salmon a bit too salty. I wish they would use fresh salmon instead, so we can order this dish for our kids.

I enjoyed my Pork collar croissant ($19), which came with a generous portion of tender pork and served in a fluffy croissant. I swapped my rocket leaves for some avocado and they obliged – so bonus points for that! My kids basically ate this whole dish by themselves. Not the fries though. Both scoffed at the fries and wouldn’t have any (what gives?!)

I thought their Waffles and ice cream ($14) was a winner. The waffles were buttery and fluffy, with a golden crisp edge. I don’t like fruit on my waffles, but the kids obviously did because they gobbled it all up. Just as well, because I got to gobble up the waffles and ice cream!!

Last Bite: Symmetry may not be the most kid-friendly place, but their killer Iced peppermint mocha makes up for it. Don’t miss their appetizers – any one of them!

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

Symmetry
9 Jalan Kubor
Singapore 199206
Phone: 9626 7911
Prices: $$
Hours:
Mon: 10:30 am – 9:00 pm, Tue – Thu: 10:30 am – 11:00 pm, Fri: 10:30 am – 12:00 am, Sat: 9:00 am – 12:00 am, Sun: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm

CRAFT BAKERY CAFE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Holland Village, Singapore

November 17, 2013 / Food Reviews, Holland Village, Singapore / 0 comment

My girl friend and I did a quick pop into Craft Bakery Cafe one morning, as they are one of the (very few) cafes that are open on a Monday. What is it with so many cafes being closed on Mondays? Not good for us mummies who brunch…. grrrrr!

So top marks to Craft Bakery Cafe for being open on a Monday! But the downside to dropping in early in the morning when there are very few diners around? A heavy shortage of staff. Or maybe their (one) chef in the kitchen is just incredibly, incredibly s-l-o-w. We waited 45 minutes (!!!!) for two sandwiches to be made, and the scrambled eggs I’d ordered for Carter also took 45 minutes, so he was a total nervous wreck by then from hunger and tiredness. Sigh.

You can choose between a medium or large beverage, so I went for the Large latte ($6.50) as I needed a pick-me-up at 9:30AM in the morning. It was a lovely brew and well made, but was completely stone-cold by the time my food arrived (I drink my coffee with or after my meal), so it didn’t taste as good.

Since the scrambled eggs (a side dish order) arrived 45 minutes after ordering, Carter was a bit of a mess by then. He was starving and polished the whole dish off by himself, in maybe 5 minutes flat.

I was very interested in the sandwich my girl friend ordered, dubbed The Craft ($11.50) – maple candied bacon and apple slaw on waffle grids. It sounded so interesting and is their signature sandwich, so I was eager to see it. It did look odd! But, my girl friend claimed the sweet-and-salty combination worked, and at least it’s unusual and not the same-old-same-old food every other cafe has.

The waffles are not fresh made-to-order though, which is a shame. This means they are slightly on the dry side, though the apple slaw sauce does help to make up for it.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Crispy prawns with herb mayo ($13.90). It is kind of like a po’boy. The bun was fluffy and large, studded with lots of superbly crisp prawns and fresh lettuce. It hit the spot and was sufficient to fill me up for brunch. I would have loved for this to be served with fries as well, though.

The glass display cabinet was looking a little bare, but I assume that’s because we were there early in the morning. Suspiciously, it had some cakes that had just a few slices remaining… which led me to wonder if they were leftovers from the day before (since we were there so early that morning). For that reason, I didn’t order any cakes for dessert, as I was worried the cakes would be dry from being stored overnight.

Last Bite: Craft Bakery Cafe is open on Mondays, which is a real plus. The Crispy prawns sandwich was a hit, and they serve a very decent cuppa. Just brace yourselves for a very long wait for your food if you’re there in the morning!

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

Craft Bakery Cafe
Holland Village
24A Lorong Mambong
Singapore 277183
Phone: 6467 7710
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm

LE PETIT SOCIETY GIVEAWAY: Win one of two USD$50 gift vouchers!

November 15, 2013 / Giveaways, Product Reviews, Singapore / 30 Comments

Le Petit Society is a childrens fashion label based in Hong Kong (owned by Singaporeans living there), with super cool Asian street style clothing paired with European quality.

Only one year old, it’s quickly becoming a cult favourite in both Hong Kong and Singapore, thanks to their simple-but-cool designs. Personally? I like how it’s Asia owned, run, and made. There aren’t many local labels that offer interesting designs and good quality, so I fully support companies that do.

Le Petit Society stocks sizes from newborn to seven years old. And, some news hot off the press: they are opening a Singapore-based fulfilment centre next month (Dec) to get SG orders out even faster.

Here’s a little gift Le Petit Society would like to extend to you:

Use coupon code ‘BWMB’ to enjoy a 15% discount at Le Petit Society.

No minimum spend. Valid until 31 Dec 2013.

On top of that, we are very excited to announce:

Le Petit Society would like to giveaway two $50 gift vouchers to spend in their store!

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 15 Nov to 21 Nov 2013 inclusive.
All entries will be verified according to the entry criteria(s) before the winner is notified.
The vouchers may be redeemed at Le Petit Society’s online store, or at their stall at Public Garden.

And, as if that’s not enough, they also have a promotion on right now: From now til 20 Dec 2013, enjoy FREE gift wrapping (their gift boxes are fully reusable) with every purchase as well as these special discounts below (in addition to FREE shipping across Asia with no minimum spend):

Le Petit Society will be stocked in Singapore for the first time at the Public Garden’s Christmas Markets on 23-24 Nov and 30 Nov-1 Dec.

Want to see some of their lovely clothes in action? I have not one, not two, but SIX kids… all rockin’ their Le Petit Society digs!

Thank you Le Petit Society! All our kids had so much fun wearing your clothes.

REVIEW: Ella’s Botanicals from BetterBeauty.sg

November 13, 2013 / Product Reviews, Singapore / 1 Comment

Ella’s Botanicals is one of the brands stocked by BetterBeauty.sg, an online store based in Singapore that is all about natural, safe skincare for you and baby.

A Canadian-born brand, Ella’s Botanicals prides itself on making products that are 100% from nature. There are no ‘bad bits’ in their ingredients. This makes ideal baby/kid skincare, and I’ve been using two of their products for almost two months now.

Ella’s Botanicals bubblemania – I was particularly keen on the the Bubblemania, as it’s a 3-in-1 Body Wash / Bubble Bath / Shampoo. I usually bring along a body wash as well as a shampoo when I travel, which is both bulky and risky (in case one leaks). I really liked the idea of having a combined product, and bonus points for being bubbly!

My biggest concern was that, being a 3-in-1 and being bubbly, it would dry out my kids’ skin or be too strong. However, I found the formulation very gentle on their skin (it didn’t feel ‘stripped’ or dry afterwards) and I particularly liked how it’s a super gentle, soap-free formula – 100% natural, biodegradable with olive oil, aloe and lightly scented with lavender essential oil.

I’ve actually used up our whole bottle now, because Hunter insisted on using it every evening (yes, it does generate lots of BUBBLES!).

Ella’s Botanicals bottoms up! diaper balm – The solid formula and tin packaging means this is very portable, you can even pop it into your diaper bag for you (works super well as a lipbalm and cuticle/hand balm!) and your baby.

Made with with olive oil infused with skin healing herbs, Ontario beeswax, organic fair trade shea butter and pure lavender essential oil, a swipe of this balm melts quickly on your fingers and thus spread easily on Carter’s bum. It smells good, too 🙂 I use it in his crotch folds (he is… ahem… slightly on the tubby side), to prevent chafing rash. I’ve also used it at night when his bum looks a little reddish, and its gone by morning.

The balm is multi-purpose and very gentle – it can be used on your baby’s dry skin, chapped lips, cradle cap, minor skin irritations, etc. [Psssstttttt: I’ve been using it when the kids take a tumble and get scrapes on their knees. You know when the scabs start to peel off a bit? They can get caught on stuff and yank right off – OUCH!! So I use a spot of this balm on the scab, and it softens it enough to prevent that].

What I like most about it? The balm is cloth diaper friendly!!

I think Ella’s Botanicals is particularly effective for kids with more sensitive skins, and for parents that aren’t fans of heavily-scented products. It’s not easily available in shops around Singapore, but you can buy it online at BetterBeauty.sg (they stock a bunch of other international brands too, for mummy as well as baby!)

(my 2 year old, looking all ready for bed)

W39 BISTRO & BAKERY: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Clementi, Singapore

November 11, 2013 / Clementi, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

Talk about sunshine happy! Just stepping into the cafe will probably lift your spirits. W39 Bistro & Bakery is delightfully decked out in shades of sunshine yellow, bright turquoise and white, and makes for a very whimsical andcheerful cafe experience.

Located in a quiet estate in the west-side, the cafe’s calling card is their sunshine happy staff, and delectable food. The interior is an eclectic and interesting mix of odds-and-ends, and vintage candies and toys.

Being a part bakery, they have a bright turquoise cabinet (gorgeous!) that showcases their golden baked goods. Everything looks so good, I wanted to buy one of each. I settled for the Brioche and was delighted – the fat round disc of bread was soft and fluffy, and had a swirl of custard baked into the top to offer a slight sweetness. It’s delicious toasted slightly, topped with a smear of butter.

It was a hit with the kids too, simply torn and eaten fresh out of the bag!

The dining menu is limited but enticing. There is also a Kid’s Menu available, but our kids were satisfied just munching on the bread, so we left it at that.

My Latte ($4.50) was served in a petite cup, and I wished for it to be double the size, because it was rich and very well made. The Iced lemon tea ($3.50) came in a larger cup and is an excellent thirst quencher for hot afternoons.

We ordered the Seared tuna, avocado salsa, soy glaze wasabi mayo ($12.50) after spotting it on another table, and realising that every single other table had also ordered it. Being nosy, we had to have it too!

And… it was the runaway winner of the whole meal. Reasonably priced, the dish boasted 6 long and thick chunks of perfectly-seared tuna, a dollop of creamy fresh avocado and caviar, and a drizzle of tasty balsamic glaze. It was beautifully presented on a slate, and looked like it should’ve been served in a fine dining restaurant. GET THIS DISH…. you won’t regret it.

The Parma ham and mozzarella panini looked pretty enticing when it arrived, though I can’t comment on the taste as I didn’t have any. My girl friend, however, noted that the staff did not drain the mozzarella properly, so the water was oozing out of the sandwich as she was eating, and had also soaked into the bread, making it soggy. An effective draining technique would have made this dish much better.

My Sake mussels with fries ($20) was a delight, and a dish I’d order again for sure. The mussels were the small kind, but were cooked to juicy and tender perfection! The sake gravy was paired beautifully and gave the dish the right amount of salty taste, and the substantial bowl of fries was sufficient to fill me right up.

An impressive dish. A must-order!

Their cakes are tantalizingly displayed in a glass cabinet, and it was difficult to select one each. So much so that I bought two more to takeaway 😉

My Mister Chocolate ($6.80) was indulgent. A soft chocolate sponge cake, draped in rich chocolate ganache. You’ll love this if you’re a chocolate lover.

The small slice of Crispy Hazelnut cake looked like something out of a French patisserie. It left us wondering if the cafe bakes their own cakes, or purchases them from somewhere else?

The cake was light and I thoroughly enjoyed the gentle crispiness of the layers. I wanted more 🙂

The kids spent ages playing around in the cafe. Fortunately, it wasn’t too crowded on a weekday, and they had a grand ‘ol time pottering around playing with their toys, and playing peekaboo around the large table.

At least it gave us adults a bit of time to relax!

There is also a sweet cat on premises, that hangs around and is as gentle as can be! Even with two toddlers terrorizing it and trying to pat it, it tolerated all that attention like a boss. It means that kids are kept occupied outside the cafe too, and Carter was in much wonder at seeing a real cat up close 😉

Last Bite: W39 Bistro & Bakery is whimsical and cheery, offering a limited but well-executed menu. The food is beautifully presented and delicious! Kids will have a great time ferreting around the old school candies and toys, as well as playing with the gentle cat outside.

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

W39 Bistro & Bakery
39 Jalan Mas Puteh
Singapore 128637
Phone: 9646 5372
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue – Fri: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm, Sat – Sun: 9:00 am – 10:30 pm

SNOOZESHADE GIVEAWAY: One free SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe (worth $74.90)

November 8, 2013 / Giveaways, Singapore / 6 Comments

I’ve used the SnoozeShade for around two years now, soon after Hunter was born. It is, quite simply, my secret to getting my newborn babies (and now, toddlers), to consistently sleep in their strollers – every single day.

It’s no secret that I go out during the day. A lot. My kids join me on my daily outings (I don’t believe in changing my whole life to suit my kids’ eating/napping habits) and so sleeping in their strollers is a must.

And, actually, they fall asleep easily in their strollers because of the motion of being pushed around, the white noise surrounding them, and most of all, because I cover them completely with a SnoozeShade.

The newly released version, the SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe, is….. SILVER! I was delighted because my previous one only came in black. How dull 😉 The silver is more like a gunmetal grey and a bit shimmery, and so soft and silky!

The SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe comes in a handy little drawstring bag, which you can toss into your stroller basket and whip out whenever your baby wants to nap. The SnoozeShade is designed to to be a universal fit for all strollers, due to the stretchy sides and snap-button closures that surround the edge.

There is a horizontal zip along the top, as well as a large window in the middle that can be unclipped… revealing a thin black mesh. I often leave the top layer unclipped, so the kids get more airflow, and so they can look out (they can sort of peek through all the tiny holes so they’re satisfied that they’re not closed in, yet they can’t really see properly so it’s not distracting them from being able to drift off to sleep).

Want to see this in action?

This is the SnoozeShade on my Babyzen Yoyo. The stroller is extremely compact, so you can see the SnoozeShade looks a little oversized for it. But it still fits.

Leaving the exterior window unclipped. It leaves the inside dark enough to fall asleep in, but people can’t peer in.

Oh hullo Carter! Here he is zonked out. This is also a good configuration to have if your child easily gets over-stimulated. This blocks out a lot of distractions, but he can still look straight out (good for kids that cannot stand stuff in front of their face).

It also functions very well as a sunshade. The SnoozeShade has one of the highest levels of sun protection of any product on the market!

SnoozeShade is giving away one free SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe, worth $74.90)!

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 8 Nov to 14 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.

SnoozeShade can be purchased online at rock a bye lane. It is also stocked in retail stores listed here.

Thank you SnoozeShade!

RAMEN KAGETSU ARASHI: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Buona Vista, Singapore

November 7, 2013 / Buona Vista, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

I am a ramen FIEND.

And I think Ramen Kagetsu Arashi is amazing. Who knew eating ramen could be so fun??

When you’re seated, you’ll note that part of your table is stacked with an array of pots and bottles of…… secret Japanese potions. For us commoners, there’s a note card that details what each one is, and what you put where. It’s informative and had me all eager to get my bowl of ramen so I could start customizing it.

*rolls up sleeves*

But first things first. They specialise in ramen and that’s pretty much all they serve, save for a few side dishes. I opted for the 5-piece pork ramen, because I always find those slivers of pork are way too meager and I like my meat. So I got the Genkotsu 5-piece ramen ($17.80) because it boasts a creamy pork-bone broth, and I like my ramen broth really rich (otherwise known as fatty).

I added $2 to select a side dish and green tea, which is their Set Lunch special. It’s an excellent deal and highly recommended.

My hot green tea, however, was completely tasteless and more like hot water. A bummer, as I love myself a steaming cup of fragrant tea. That said, they provide a jug (!) of icy cold water at the table, so mega thumbs up for that.

Also, how adorable is the kids cutlery set?!

And so my bowl of steaming hot ramen arrived…. and it was KICKASS AMAZING.

The broth was creamy and rich, the noodles were springy (wish there was more though), and the pork…. man… it was so tender it fell apart when I poked it with my chopsticks. I’ve had pork in ramen where it’s tough and chewy, and this was the exact opposite. It was sliced almost paper-thin though, and I would have liked for each piece to be 3x thicker, for the price we’re paying.

Now, the condiments!

I added some special Japanese black pepper (not pictured), but zeroed in on their spicy chives. I’m normally not a fan of spice (nor can I tolerate it), but this gave the broth a stunning kick. It gave a different dimension of flavour, but wasn’t so spicy that I couldn’t take it.

I would fully recommend adding this to your broth (for maximum flavour with minimum spice), or putting it directly on your spoon as you’re eating (if you’re a chilli monster).

And……. freshly squeezed garlic!!!! I do this all the time at home, so I’m not sure why I got so excited. Perhaps it’s the novelty of doing it in a restaurant. I was given 3 cloves of garlic, and all 3 were crushed in. Mmmmm…..

Since the noodles comes with half a hard-boiled egg (WHY??????), I ordered a proper Japanese soft-boiled egg. It was a good move, since Hunter scoffed the entire thing.

Remember the $2 extra I paid for a side dish and green tea? This is the side dish, pork tonkatsu. 4 fat chunks of it. What a good deal! It was delicious, especially the extra crisp and super fresh bread crumbs.

I realised afterwards that Ramen Kagetsu Arashi is actually one of the largest ramen chains in Japan with more than 260 outlets worldwide. I’m not surprised, now that I’ve eaten there. The ramen really is good, and the extra condiments make it so much fun. Kids will love ‘playing’ with the food!

Last Bite: Ramen Kagetsu Arashi makes ramen fun for the kids. Add your own toppings and flavours, and customize the size of your ramen. It’s absolutely delicious to boot!

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

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi
The Star Vista
1 Vista Exchange Green #01-41
Singapore 138617
Phone: 6339 0335
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Thu: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm, Fri – Sat: 11:30 am – 11:00 pm, Sun: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm

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

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!