Asia Archives - Page 18 of 20

SPATHE PUBLIC HOUSE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, River Valley, Singapore

September 27, 2013 / Food Reviews, River Valley, Singapore / 0 comment

Spathe garlic fries – sinful but delicious

The name Spathe Public House makes me think it’s some sort of baths. In actual fact, it’s a restaurant serving up food catered for groups. Best to go with a party of 4 or more, since their feature point is the share-able menu!

I was charmed by their interior, which featured a lot of brick work and pre-war era fixtures. It’s quiet on weekday lunches, which is when my girl friend and I visited. We had our kids in tow, and were pleasantly surprised that the place was pretty baby friendly – mostly due to the fact that it was largely empty and kids could run around undisturbed and without being too annoying. We also discovered that their weekday set lunch is very kid-friendly.

A bowl of fake fruit on the table, which served as great amusement for the kids.

I kicked it off by immediately zero-ing on the Watermelon lemonade cocktail. Made with fresh watermelon, freshly-squeezed lemonade, vodka, and soda, it was kickass good. Yes, it was brunchtime but I never say no to a cocktail 😉

Watermelon lemonade cocktail – fresh watermelon, freshly-squeezed lemonade, vodka, soda ($18)

The Spathe garlic fries came recommended and I was delighted that it came in a basket with lots of fries! More than enough for the two of us, especially since there were so more-ish. I think I have a love/hate relationship with these fries – I can’t quite figure out if I like or dislike them! I like the fact that they were SUPER tasty and had lots of garlic clustered all over it, but I disliked the heavy handed use of salt/seasoning that made it difficult to eat (you see, I like to eat my fries in very large quantities, and with these, I felt compelled to chug down on glasses of water after each bite).

The Pumpkin soup was part of the lunch set and came in a petite serving, great for a toddler. She seemed to enjoy it 🙂

The main for the set lunch was the Mixed mushroom ravioli with basil pesto and it was a fairly petite portion, but alright for a female and/or small eater. It was, inexplicably, scattered with chilli flakes.. so we had to dig it all out before feeding the kids. They ate the pasta without complaint!

The most Asian dish on the menu is the Yellow fin tuna poke, which is essentially tuna carpaccio and fresh avocado. It was small, so small I practically had to squint to see it. I can’t understand how this can be a main meal. If I’d ordered this, I’d have been hungry and angry.

Yellow fin tuna poke – crispy shallots, avocado, shiso and yuzu vinagrette ($18)

My Chicken and the sea dish was served in a deep dish, but only had a very thin layer of paella in it. The serving size is WAY too small for the price, and definitely not enough to fill me. Thankfully, I’d pigged out on those garlic fries earlier and my belly was sloshing with the cocktail, so I didn’t complain. The rice had a lot of spice to it, which surprised me as it wasn’t labelled a spicy dish on the menu. Unfortunately, this meant the kids couldn’t have any 🙁

The New Zealand mussels that came with the dish was the star item – succulent and luscious, they were flat out amazing. In retrospect, I should’ve ordered their NZ Mussels dish and not bother with this paella.

Chicken and the sea – Spanish paella rice, NZ mussels, squid, chorizo, chicken, saffron ($25)

Their hazelnut chocolate cake was tops! Dense and rich, with creamy frosting between the layers, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I suspect Spathe Public House would be a lot more reasonably priced if we had come with a larger group and gone for the sharing platters instead. But it’s not worth the money for individual dishes, because of the relatively high price point and extremely petite portions. The food itself was reasonable but nothing particularly blew me away.

That said, we really appreciated the service. The staff were prompt, courteous, and attentive.

Last Bite: Spathe Public House makes for a lovely, quiet weekday lunch. It’s best to go in a group to share food, as individual portions can get pricey.

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes (though there are 1-2 small steps you need to navigate up)
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Spathe Public House
8 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-01
Singapore 238958
Phone: 6735 1035
Prices: $$$$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm, Sat: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm, Sun: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!

MARMALADE PANTRY @ THE STABLES: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bukit Timah, Singapore

September 27, 2013 / Bukit Timah, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Marmalade Pantry whips up one of the best carbonara pastas

I’ve only been to Marmalade Pantry at The Stables once before, since it’s in a bit of a stand-alone random location, and I’m normally at their branch in ION mall. The difference is that the branch at The Stables is more of a proper sit-down restaurant, has a wider menu, and has a nice outdoor area if you don’t mind sitting in the heat. The service here is really nice, and the staff were a great help since Chris and I were juggling 2 kids (you have to walk up/down a set of stairs to get in).

Going out with 2 kids under 2 can get really manic, starting from just trying to leave the house! But we managed to get ourselves together and lucked out because Carter slept through the whole thing and Hunter was pretty well-behaved. Whew.

I absolutely love the drinks at Marmalade Pantry, though they are stupendously expensive. Really wish they would be reasonable about their prices! One of my faves is their Iced latte, and also their Strawberry milkshake. The latter is a deliciously creamy blend of strawberries and vanilla ice cream.. utterly decadent but so worth it 🙂

Their rendition of Spaghetti carbonara is one of the best I’ve had in Singapore. The sauce is creamy but not too sticky/rich, and it comes with a perfectly poached egg perched on top. One poke of the fork and all the creamy yolk drizzles into the pasta.. OH SO GOOOOOOD!!!! And, as you can see in the photo below, Hunter was dead eager to get his lil hands on the pasta, and he loved it too 😉

The Steak sandwich comes with 2 pieces of steak, pretty impressive! The steak was tender and juicy, and pretty spot-on for a fab steak sandwich. I didn’t like the wasabi mayo that came with it, but that’s just personal preference because I’m a bit of a wuss and can’t handle spice or chilli.

The Egg breakfast looked very colourful and fun, but seemed pretty standard. Then again, I didn’t try any of it so I can’t quite comment on how good it was. I suppose it was nice enough for a good brunch place? The portion size was pretty impressive to boot.

The Crabmeat linguini is actually the only dish I’ve ever ordered every time I’ve been to Marmalade Pantry previously. It’s always excellent. The portion of pasta is sufficient to fill my belly, and the amount crabmeat is really generous. Be wary though – their version is pretty spicy, so if you don’t like it so, just ask them for less or no spice.

We decided that our brunch is not completely without dessert, though the boys weren’t that eager for it 😉 I really enjoyed the Bananas and berries hotcakes, which came out looking so pretty. They were stacked in a tower thanks to slices of bananas… and Hunter’s eyes went WIDE when the dish appeared at our table. The hotcakes were fluffy and the fruit were a nice addition. A must-order if you’re a pancake fan!

My girl friend decided to get the Caramelised pear and salted caramel bread pudding to share with the table. I was a bit “EHHH??” when she picked it, because it was something I’d never think of ordering. It was a bit strange in terms of texture and taste.. almost like a wet sponge cake? It was also wrapped in some sort of filo pastry I think. But despite thinking it was a bit of a strange dish, it was actually good 🙂 The boys also thought it was way better than the Hotcakes. It was a unique creation which is always nice to see in a restaurant!

I really like this branch of Marmalade Pantry because it seems quieter and somewhat more child-friendly. It just feels more chill since it’s a standalone restaurant, compared to the other branch in ION mall. That said, it’s always good to eat in a mall, because then there’s something to do afterwards.. whereas when we come here, we pretty much go home straight after 😉

Last Bite: Marmalade Pantry is the place du jour for a chill brunch with family and friends. They aren’t cheap, but do serve up delicious food.

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes (albeit with a handful of steps you need to go up)
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Marmalade Pantry
55 Fairways Drive
Singapore 286846
Phone: 6467 7748
Prices: $$$$$
Hours: Tue-Fri 3pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-11pm

This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!

HATCHED: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Holland Village, Singapore

September 27, 2013 / Food Reviews, Holland Village, Singapore / 0 comment

Hatched first opened near the Singapore Botanic Gardens, but since you have to walk/drive there from the Gardens, I’d just never made the effort to go despite wanting to check it out. So I was really pleased when they opened in Holland Village a few weeks ago!

They had a full house on a Sunday morning for brunch, though they do have an upper floor that I didn’t see. The staff there are really lovely and friendly, and the food came out promptly. I also really like their small, cartoony menus, with pictures of the food (I’m a visual kinda person).

I immediately got the Iced Latte, a bit of a staple drink for me wherever I go. It came out looking very nice, but was so so so weak! I’m not sure if it’s because they use just 1 shot or if their coffee is just weak, but I basically couldn’t taste any coffee. As Chris put it, “I can taste the plain milk, and plain milk barely has any flavour in the first place!”. Very disappointing.

I had the French onion sandwich – caramelised onions and cheese, filled with a juicy steak on ciabatta, served with homemade mash and….. just….. WOW. Ranks right up there with one of the best steak sandwiches I’ve had. The steak was actually fairly thick (many steak sandwiches use super-thin steak that’s almost nonexistent), and so tender! The dish actually looked pretty uninteresting, but it was totally delicious. Massive thumbs up and this is a definite re-order.

The Burly Benedict – poached eggs and corned beef on English muffins sounds a bit strange with the corned beef and all, but it worked. I don’t think I’ve had corned beef before, and Mum said that in the old days, some people would eat corned beef at home because it was really cheap yet tasty. I can see why – it’s similar to sausage or spam in taste, and I think it comes in a can as well? Anyway, it’s super tasty!! It gave the whole dish a bit of a kick and was a nice substitute to regular smoked salmon Eggs Benedict (though you can order that traditional version at Hatched as well).

The Sleepover Hatched special – French brioche drizzled with maple syrup, grilled bananas and streaky bacon sounded so good on the menu, and tasted good too. The Brioche was really fat and moist, and the combination with bacon and bananas was really good. Only downsides were, 1) bananas were over ripe so were black on the inside, 2) maple syrup may not have been 100% pure maple syrup but rather the flavoured stuff (not sure, can anyone confirm?). Still, the whole thing was tasty and I enjoyed it 🙂

I’d definitely go to Hatched again for their French Onion Sandwich, or to try other items on their menu. Only problem is that since they did such a bad/weak Latte, I’m a bit hesitant to as coffee is a critical part of my brunch 😉 They’re still pretty new though, so I’ll give them some time and go back again in a couple of weeks!

Last Bite: A fun little cafe nestled in the Holland Village area, that’s very cutesy for the kids. Hatched serves up a decent brunch, with very friendly and patient staff.

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

Hatched
267 Holland Avenue
Singapore 278989
Phone: 6463 0012
Prices: $$$
Hours: Tue-Sun 9am to 11pm

This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!

ARBITE: Kid-Friendly Cafe, Serangoon, Singapore

September 27, 2013 / Food Reviews, Serangoon, Singapore / 0 comment

Arbite has been getting quite a lot of coverage and good reviews, and I can see why. We were in the area over the last weekend and so decided to check it out after a girl friend mentioned it. I’ve been in the area before, but didn’t even know this cafe existed. It’s tucked away on the 2nd floor, with a very small nondescript entrance on ground floor. You really have to know you want to go there, or you’ll miss it!

The cafe is spacious and beautifully sun-lit, with very attentive service and it wasn’t too noisy on a weekend brunch, which we liked. They have little toys and legos for the kids, a very nice touch.

I thought their drinks were VERY reasonably priced. My Strawberry milkshake came in a large glass and was fantastic!! Not too sweet, not too tart, lovely and cold. Chris’ latte was in a sizable tall glass too, and was rich and flavourful. So happy 🙂

I think the Arbite Breakfast – scrambled eggs, bacon, baked beans, grilled tomato, veal bratwurst, sauteed mushrooms, pommes noisettes is one of their best value-for-money items on the menu… which could be why basically every table ordered it. It was packed with a variety of food, and ALL of the food on the plate was good. It actually surprised me, because I normally am a bit dubious about these ‘big breakfast’ type plates… often they come out somewhat lacking and I’m almost never impressed.

Arbite’s version, however, was very good. The eggs were softly scrambled (Hunter loved them), I liked the baked beans in BBQ sauce, the bacon was super-crispy, the bread was fluffy and warm, the pommes noisettes were crisp and tasty, the mushrooms were juicy, the grilled tomato was perfectly cooked, and ohhhhhhhhh that sausage was awesome!! So so so juicy and tasty without being overly salty. This dish is their signature dish and a must-order for brunch.

In comparison, the Gardener French Toast – stuffed ciabatta french toast with a dark chocolate and almond ganache served with candied bacon, maple syrup and fresh berries looked like really POOR VALUE. It was more expensive than the Arbite Breakfast (above), yet was way way way smaller! It featured 2 small pieces of French toast and that was about it.

It was, however, really good. I suppose French toast injected with ganache can’t really go wrong 😉 It was fluffy yet rich, and very very yummy. The candied bacon was very random IMHO so it was left untouched. Frankly, they need to cut the price of this by 50%, or double (or triple) the amount of French toast on the plate to justify.

I’d definitely go back to Arbite again for brunch if I’m in the area. Their pancakes looked amazing when I saw it on another table. The Lunch/Dinner menu also looked really enticing! It’s a shame they don’t have a branch in the City….
Last Bite: Arbite serves up a delectable brunch in a lovely cafe that’s kid-friendly. Shame about the narrow steps you have to go up to get there.

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

Arbite
66A Serangoon Garden Way
Singapore 555962
Phone: 6287 0430
Prices: $$$
Hours: Tue-Fri: 11:30am-11pm, Sat: 11am-11pm, Sun: 9am-9pm
This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!

KITH CAFE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, River Valley, Singapore

September 26, 2013 / Food Reviews, River Valley, Singapore / 1 Comment

I’m such a sucker for little cafes, especially if they’re family and kid-friendly. One in particular that I visited recently really tickled my fancy, so much so that I ended up there twice in the same week!

Kith Cafe is situated right on the Singapore river, and is a teeny tiny cafe with predominantly outdoor dining. The best spots are the lil wooden tables and chairs in the outdoor grassy area, for people-watching and a bit of el fresco dining. Obviously, with Singapore’s heat, it’s best to go there early-ish for breakfast or brunch.

They do a good coffee. I had the Latte and it was spot on. I learned the regular takeaway cups have a double-shot, and the large ones have a triple-shot, so I suppose that’s why they’re fantastically rich and full-flavoured.

I was really impressed with their Spaghetti and meatballs. It was an impressive portion of pasta with a simple tomato sauce that wasn’t too salty. But it was the fat meatballs that I liked most – they had a very homemade flavour to them, they were very moist, and were absolutely delicious. I’ve never been impressed with spaghetti and meatballs at cafes, but this one really did it for me. That said, I must note that Chris wasn’t particularly impressed with it.. declaring that it tasted “like canned spaghetti”. It didn’t for me!

But my absolute fave dish there is their Steak sandwich. Hooboy this is good!! Thin slices of steak that’s superbly tender and perfectly cooked both times I’ve ordered it, with a scattering of rocket leaves, a thin slice of cheese (wish they would triple the portion), and served with a side of yummy corn chips. If you had to pick just one dish, I reckon you should go for this 🙂

The Lava brioche was $4 which is pretty pricey, but at least it was really good. It looked pretty uninteresting when served, but the inside of the brioche was buttery and fluffy, with a very enticing-looking liquid chocolate center. It only has a small bit of chocolate though, wish it had heaps more!

Hunter gave their Muesli with yogurt and strawberries a BIG thumbs up, and I was so impressed when the staff kindly gave him an extra pot of yogurt, complimentary.

I couldn’t resist the Strawberry yogurt milkshake and it didn’t disappoint. They used big fresh strawberries and scoops of frozen yogurt, all whizzed together. SO nice on a hot day!

Muesli with yogurt and strawberries (top-left), Strawberry and yogurt milkshake (bottom right)

Of course, the best bit is that since it’s outdoors, kids can run around and stretch their legs without disturbing others. Our lil ones took full advantage of that 😉

Last Bite: A wonderful kid-friendly cafe by the Singapore River, serving up great food and an excellent coffee. Chill outside whilst your kids play on the grass or with the box of toys.

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

Kith Cafe
7 Rodyk Street, #01-28
Watermark Condominiu, Robertson Quay
Singapore 238215
Phone: 6341 9407
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon-Sun: 7am-7pm

This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!

CHOUPINETTE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bukit Timah, Singapore

September 26, 2013 / Bukit Timah, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

I’d heard about Choupinette via a couple of girl friends and was keen to check it out, but it took me a couple of months to get there because it’s in a bit of a random location. It’s not in a shopping mall (always my favoured place to dine, because I can push Hunter around in his stroller afterwards whilst he naps), and not even in the middle of the city. I’m glad we finally made our way there though, because I really enjoyed it!

It was pretty packed on a Sunday afternoon, so I’d recommend going on a weekday if you can, or early on a weekend. The staff, however, were really friendly and prompt, which made for a great experience. I liked the vintage-feel of the decor and wood furniture, and the casual vibe of the place.

The menu isn’t huge, but it does the job and we thoroughly enjoyed the food. Not cheap, but not expensive either. The Eggs Royale set was priced at $21 and came with Eggs on toast with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce, with a hot beverage and juice.

The Hot chocolate came out in a large cup and was lovely and creamy – I liked it, though Chris found it merely ‘alright’. The Pineapple juice was more disappointing to me, as it was basically the carton/cordial type, and nothing to shout about. At least they gave free flow of complimentary chilled water 😉

The Eggs on toast with smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce was awesome. Yes, it IS simple as you can see in the photo, but they do the eggs perfectly. It’s not easy to get perfectly-done poached eggs in Singapore for some reason, so I was impressed with Choupinette’s. Beautifully creamy and runny, without being undercooked. The smoked salmon was lovely and fresh, and brought a nice punch of flavour to the creamy eggs and bread. Tops!

The Croque Madame wasn’t exactly on the cheap side at $18, but at least it was superb! 2 thin slices of bread sandwiching lashings of ham and bechamel sauce, and grilled with a sunny side-up egg on top. The sandwich was really tasty without being overly salty, and the fried egg was luscious. Will definitely order this one again!

The Palais Royale is a dense chocolate mousse that’s rich and creamy, with a very full-bodied chocolate flavour. It’s fab. The base has some crispy hazelnut(?) bits in it and is the perfect accompaniment to the smooth mousse.

We also got the Chocolate-covered donut which was fantastic – creamy, good quality chocolate on a soft doughy donut. I normally don’t like these things because they taste really synthetic or overly sweet, but this was lovely.

The Marmalade donut was the same donut base but shaped in a ball, dusted with sugar and with a squirt of jam inside. I thought it was alright, but hard for me to compare as I normally don’t order this.

And, of course, I got the Chocolate croissant ($2.90). I simply cannot resist these and always get them at every cafe that has these babies 😉 It was fluffy, buttery, and lovely.

I’d go back to Choupinette for sure. Lovely food, great service, and an all-round good experience. Just wish they were in the middle of Orchard Road!

Last Bite: A lovely French cafe serving tasty cuisine, that’s casual and cheerful. It gets pretty packed, so go early.

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

Choupinette
607 Bukit Timah Rd #01-01
Singapore 269708
Phone: 6466 0613
Prices: $$$
Hours: Tue-Sat: 8am-8pm, Sun: 8am-6pm

This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!

THE BANK BAR + BISTRO: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bayfront, Singapore

September 24, 2013 / Bayfront, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

Is The Bank Bar + Bistro really a restaurant, or is it a play gym?

We felt super special two weekends ago… because we had the pleasure of checking out The Bank Bar + Bistro‘s brand new Brunch menu!

I admit, just the word “weekend brunch” already has me in a bit of a tizzy. I just love the whole concept of having a long and lazy family brunch – bonus points if the kids are kept well entertained and behave like angels.

And, the stars aligned, because THE KIDS DID EXACTLY THAT!!!

*fist pump*

I super duper hate it (in a cringing “I’m soooo sorry my kids are making a ruckus” kinda way) when I have a fussy kid or two when we’re at a restaurant… particularly so if the place is UN baby friendly. For this reason, Chris and I just about fainted with pleasure when we discovered The Bank Bar + Bistro had a fully fledged play room for kids! It’s an enclosed private room converted into a child safe area, with padded mats, plus sofas, and thoughtful toys. Psssstttttt… the toys are rented so they have fresh ones monthly!

I also really liked the “gentleman’s club” vibe of The Bank Bar + Bistro (think whiskey and cigars). The dark wood, sexy bar, and dark leather sofas would be awesome for a dinner date. But in the daytime, it’s also lovely thanks to huge glass-pane windows where the sunlight can stream in.

Huge glass-panes at The Bank Bar + Bistro

So yes. They were launching their new Brunch menu that very day and invited us to check it out. Chris’ first reaction? “Man, the prices are great!” He’s not wrong. The dishes are cheaper than a lot of western brunch places around, with the same size portions. Off the top of my head, the Brunch menu was $10-15, whereas many other places are in the $20-25 mark for the same sort of ambience/quality.

I particularly enjoyed my Latte, which was executed well and full of flavour. Could have probably had two of these.. Chris and Hunter drained their orange juice (Hunter’s was included in his kids meal) but I’m not a fan of juice so I can’t comment.

Carter looking rather unhappy that all of us have a drink, except for him.

The Eggs Benedict was cooked to perfection. Just look at the food porn picture below. Creamy egg yolk oozing out of plump round egg white balls. The smoked salmon added a lovely punch of flavour, and the brioche was soft and fluffy.

We particularly enjoyed the vine tomatoes, they were succulent and so sweet and fresh. The small pot of baked beans provided a different taste and texture to the meal, but wasn’t that exciting.

I opted for the 2-course Weekend Roast for $25. Get this if you have a robust appetite. It’s excellent value for money. My plate came laden with food! I opted for the beef striploin which was served in thick slices and perfectly pink. It was accompanied with juicy buttered corn, steamed carrots and broccoli, more of those excellent vine tomatoes, and a homemade Yorkshire pudding (much to my excitement).

Normally I steer clear of roast meat, because it’s often a bit tough and, heaven forbid, stringy and dry. Eeeek! But this version was perfectly moist, very tender and all round excellent. I’d get this dish again any day, especially because it filled me right up!

A photo of me very unattractively chowing down on my corn.

And, get this, KIDS GET A FREE SET MEAL when you order a main meal for yourself.

This is the most insane and ridiculous notion ever, because the kids meal is a fully fledged proper menu with good food (ie. what the adult menu would have), with large portions, and come with a free drink and dessert. When I see the words “free kids meal”, I assume it’ll be some bits of frozen fish fingers or something. If you think like me, you’ll be really (pleasantly) shocked with this restaurant.

The fish & chips I initially didn’t want to order, because all I think is, yep, a scattering of frozen fish fingers and chips – how un-nutritious is that?! But Hunter insisted he wanted it. We were pretty surprised when the fish was THICK and moist and done beautifully.

To give you an idea of the kids meal quality – many of you know by now that Hunter is both a reluctant and disinterested eater, with a tiny appetite. Well, he polished off the entire fish (I did remove most of the batter though). AND ate half of the Eggs Benedict we’d ordered. Pretty high praise coming from Mr Picky Eater 😉

The entire kids menu was complimentary with an adult main course purchased.

Kiddy meal fish & chips. Rather taken back with how fat and chunky the fish was, and a large portion to boot!

I ordered the French Toast for dessert, though it’s listed as a main meal in the Brunch selection. It was made with brioche, I believe, because the bread was really fluffy and soft, with the aroma of butter. It wasn’t sugary (maple syrup was served on the side) and came studded with poached pears and fresh berries, as well as a lovely fruit coulis.

The mini Chocolate praline cake (I don’t really know the exact name) came as part of my 2-course Weekend Brunch. It was a petite serving but was alright with me as I was pretty full from my main meal! The cake was very rich and dense, so I don’t think I could’ve had more. I really liked the creamy mousse, and most of all, the deliciously crisp and crunchy layers within. So lovely!

Cake that came with my 2-course Weekend Brunch

Gigantic alcohol menu for the evening crowd

The Bank Bar + Bistro nails it for a reasonably priced but high quality brunch. I thought the food was good, and my Weekend Roast was simply divine. We were also SO impressed with how child-friendly it is.. with the free kids meals, excellent quality food, and awesome play room.

And, if you don’t have kids, you’ll also breathe a sigh of relief that kids around you will no doubt get chucked into the play room which means less fussing within ear distance of you 😉

We will most definitely be back… this time with another family or two in tow.. so we can make use of that play room again!

The only downside of this place is the location. It’s probably excellent for the working crowds (hence why it’s always chockers on weekday evenings after work), but not easy for us to get to on weekends.. simply because it’s not located within a mall where we can let the kids nap in strollers afterwards.

Though, we were pleasantly surprised to find out it’s about a 10mins walk from MBS mall – so that’s not too bad!

PS. Some pictures nicked off The Bank Bar + Bistro’s facebook page.

Last Bite: The Bank Bar + Bistro nails it for a reasonably priced but high quality brunch. Extremely kid-friendly, the play room will be a hit with younger kids!

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

The Bank Bar + Bistro
1 Shenton Way
One Shenton #01-01
Singapore 068803
Phone: 66362188
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon-Thu: 11am-12am, Fri: 11am-1am, Sat-Sun: 9am-12am

This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!

COMMON MAN COFFEE ROASTERS: Kid-Friendly Cafes, River Valley, Singapore

September 24, 2013 / Food Reviews, River Valley, Singapore / 0 comment

An impressive organic eggs benedict with braised ox cheeks and chive hollandaise, on sourdough toast.

Born from a partnership between 40 Hands cafe, Australia’s Five Senses Coffee and the Spa Spirit Group, Common Man Coffee Roasters recently opened their doors and, if you surf a lot of food blogs, you’d have noticed them popping up left right and center.

But first. The cafe itself.

If you bring a kid in a stroller, like I did, you’ll be utterly stumped when you arrive. The cafe doors are at the top of a flight of stairs, with no other way in. I stood there, in the drizzling rain, cursing under my breath at child-unfriendly locations… when a waiter spotted me and immediately dashed down the stairs with a big smile on his face. He quickly helped us up the stairs and helped me put away the stroller, fussing over us and giving us lots of attention. I was pretty surprised and impressed.

Stairs, stairs and more stairs. Enough to make a grown woman (with a stroller) want to cry..

The coffee/bar area looks like Broadway! I was rather dazzled by all the lights. The cafe is spacious, the ambience relaxed and inviting.

My girl friend and I really disliked their chairs, however. They are 3-legged stairs and perhaps we are klutzy or something, but we found it hard to… errrmmmm… keep our bums on the chairs! Especially me, as I had to keep leaning over to feed and talk to Hunter. I kept tipping over the chair and nearly fell onto the ground in an unglam heap. Numerous times.

And what of their coffee, their pride and joy?

I am no coffee connoisseur, but I thoroughly enjoyed my latte and wished it came in a much larger cup (though their glass cups are so pretty). It was robust but not overbearing, very smooth and had a lovely flavour.

And, I thought my coffee art was sooo impressive!

My Organic eggs benedict with braised ox cheeks and chive hollandaise, on sourdough toast was WOW. Simply, WOW. It blew my mind and has me determined to come back here to order it again.

To put it simply – Hunter, my reluctant eater that almost never eats meat, wolfed down a good chunk of this dish. I was amazed!

The sourdough toast was spongey and gave great but subtle flavour, and the eggs were so perfectly poached. They oozed creamy and rich, and the yolk was so brilliantly coloured.

But it was the braised ox cheeks that got me. It was all melty and tender and so full of robust flavour that I was surprised by how well it paired with ‘regular’ eggs benedict. What an unusual combination, but Common Man did it perfectly.

This dish was perfection IMHO and I am not interested in trying any other dish at this cafe, because I’d always get this one.

Organic eggs benedict with braised ox cheeks and chive hollandaise, on sourdough toast ($24)

Here’s where things got kinda….. WEIRD…..

I ordered half an avocado for Hunter, because I figured he could eat that if he rejected my dish above. For $5, I was expecting a SPECTACULAR avocado.

Instead, what I got was a quarter (not half, as the menu promised) of an avocado, with chilli flakes all over it!!!!!! This wasn’t mentioned on the menu, was an utterly odd pairing, and of course Hunter can’t eat chilli flakes. So I had to very carefully dissect it and clean of all the chilli. Not to mention, the avocado was not ripe enough and was kind of crunchy/hard, not the beautifully creamy rich avocado that I was expecting. Still rather horrified I was charged $5 for this.

Quarter of an avocado (though advertised as half), for $5

My girl friend ordered the Common Man full veggie breakfast with organic eggs, halloumi, spinach, grilled tomatoes, chestnut mushrooms, avocado, lemon and chilli, sourdough toast and we wondered why the halloumi cheese looked so… odd. Nor did it taste anything remotely like halloumi. Also, why does a vegetarian breakfast have sausage and bacon????

I was really confused, but my girl friend ate it anyway. It was a very decent portion so I think it’s pretty good value for money, but personally I never order big breakfasts because they bore me.

Anyway, now that I’m looking it up online, I realise they got her order wrong and presented her with the regular Big Breakfast instead (hence all the meat), and not the vegetarian one!! And the halloumi cheese was actually a hash brown.

Big Breakfast (served incorrectly as we’d ordered the Vegetarian version)

Things significantly picked up with the Chocolate and peppermint slice, which I ordered on a whim. I don’t even like peppermint, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED this. The chocolate base was almost like the base of a cheesecake in terms of texture – it was sublime. The peppermint on top was luscious and creamy, not too overpowering, and worked really well with the chocolate.

I hope this is a menu staple because I’m intent on getting it again!

The prices at Common Man Coffee Roasters sure ain’t cheap, but I do find it justified given the nice ambience and awesome food (by this, I specifically refer to my Eggs benedict and Chocolate and peppermint slice). I’m also a big fan of the coffee.

I’ll be back for sure!

Last Bite: A killer eggs benedict that is not-to-be-missed. Lovely trendy ambience and a great place to hang out for a coffee. It is not built entirely baby-friendly, but the helpful staff more than make up for it.

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: No. Stairs to get up to the main cafe.
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Common Man Coffee Roasters
22 Martin Road #01-00
Singapore 239058
Phone: 6836 4695
Prices: $$$$
Hours: Mon-Sun: 8am – 7pm

This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!

D’GOOD CAFE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Holland Village, Singapore

September 23, 2013 / Food Reviews, Holland Village, Singapore / 0 comment

d’Good Cafe has been around for over a year now.. but I’d only recently checked it out for the first time. And now I wish I’d discovered it a whole lot earlier!

Nestled upstairs in the Holland Village area, you have to take the stairs up (super baby-unfriendly) but there is a ‘secret’ lift accessible via the laser clinic next door. So fortunately I managed to get Carter and his stroller up with no fuss.

It’s an adorable cafe, split into 3 levels:

Aren’t these swings so whimsical and cute?

And upstairs is a little nook, with loads of sunlight streaming in

On the rooftop you have a cute outdoor area. I think I’ll book this for my birthday dinner next month!!

You place your order at the counter inside (no service charge here, whee!) and take your buzzer and find a table. It’s all very fuss free and food and drinks arrive quickly.

The counter. Check out the water dispenser – love complimentary water!

The staff are friendly and service is efficient. I thoroughly enjoyed my Fresh sea prawn aglio olio which came with copious amounts of fried garlic (mmmm) and with lots of prawns. It was pretty perfect a dish, and I would most definitely re-order this again next time. I’m trying to figure out when I can bring Dad here… cos he LOVES this dish and d’Good Cafe’s version is outstanding!

We tried their famous Maple sea-salt cheesecake and it didn’t disappoint. It’s their signature dish baked by the cafe’s owner each morning, and is usually sold out by noon (!). The cheesecake was fluffy soft and moist, with a mild flavour. What stood out was the tracings of maple syrup, offset with the sharp saltiness of the sea salt. It was pretty delicious 🙂

My Iced latte was lovely and no complaints there, though next time I’ll go for a hot latte as I hear their foam art is gorgeous 🙂 My girl friend rated the Iced chocolate as “really really good”.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to d’Good Cafe, and considering it’s pretty close to where I live, I’m definitely going to be back!

Good grief, Carter’s arm is as wide as mine……..

Such a cute pic of bub and pretty mummy!

I tried to get Carter to pose nicely next to the d’Good Cafe sign.. but he kept waving his arms and legs around like a drunken sailor and refused to cooperate.

Last Bite: Gorgeous little cafe with a delicious menu and cute swings for kids to sit on or play. Look for the lift if you go with a stroller in tow.

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes (via the lift)
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

D’good Cafe
273 Holland Avenue #02-01/02
Singapore 278992
Phone: 6219 9807
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon-Thu: 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat: 10am-11pm, Sun: 10am-10pm

This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!

THE SUSHI BAR: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Far East Plaza, Orchard Road, Singapore

September 23, 2013 / Far East Plaza, Food Reviews, Orchard Road, Singapore / 0 comment

I am a total sucker for hole-in-the-wall type places. Places that are all squirreled away in a corner, and that are relatively unknown. You just feel so smug, thinking you know of something special that others don’t. Ahem. Just sayin’.

So I was rather delighted when a friend brought me to The Sushi Bar, tucked into a random corner of Far East Plaza among manicure and clothing shops. Their prices are reasonable and the food is, simply, flat-out excellent.

But……………….. we weren’t sure if THIS lil guy would taste that good:

Yeah, that’s a lil crab you’re looking at in the photo above! There were a whole bunch of these in a big bowl/tank by their counter. I asked “Are these pets or for eating?” and the guy replied that they will flash-fry them and serve them at 5 crabs for $14.

I was so incredibly intrigued!!

Buuuuut.. in the end, my fear factor won. I was just TOO scared, after seeing them scuttling around, to try to eat them. Plus, they are plain deep fried (ie. not dipped in batter first) so you reallyyyyy see everything. Too scary for easily-freaked me 😉 My lousy girl friends also didn’t want to eat them (was trying to get someone to eat them and tell me what they what they were like)!

But on the topic of fried stuff, their Crispy shrimps were amazeballs. They have a proper Japanese name on the menu, but I’ve forgotten, sorry. Anyway, these are the teeny tiny shrimps that are lightly battered and deep fried, and served with a dollop of Japanese mayonnaise. They are a bargain, IMHO, and a must-order!

The prawns are fresh and crisp, and the batter isn’t too thick. Would have liked double the amount of mayo (I do love my dip) but it’s not a biggie as you can always ask for more.

I sneered at the girls ordering Daikon salad because, honestly, who orders salad when you’re dining out? How miserable!!

Well, I ate my own words when it arrived.

It was YUMMY. I guess also due to the sauce it was covered in 😉 I liked the freshness of the slivers of veggies and it was really refreshing. The crispies were also a nice touch. This seems very much like the Chinese New Year yu sheng dish by the way, but with a different flavour.

The Salmon don was a STUNNER. I could’ve cried. When it arrived, the chef (owner?) told me that he was sorry that he ran out of salmon, and so replaced it with salmon belly instead.

FREAK OUT I LOVE SALMON BELLY!!!!

This was the perfect dish. Luscious slices of salmon belly (and so many of them for the price), all creamy and slippery. There wasn’t a huge amount of rice though, as I do adore my carbs. I’d get this dish again anytime.

Seems like most tables order the Sirloin Steak, which arrives artfully laid out and is sliced delicately thin. The beef is seared on the outside and almost rare in the middle. It’s executed very well and the result is a lovely marbling of tender beef that is so easy to pop into your mouth. An excellent dish to share.

I consider the Salmon Aburi Roll here the best I’ve had in Singapore. There’s just no complaints. The avocado is fresh, the salmon is buttery and beautifully flame-grilled, and the dollop of sauce brings it all together into a creamy concoction with such a terrific flavour I couldn’t stop eating.

But…. ridiculously.. the Soft shell crab Aburi Roll was even better IMHO! It was the same as the above, except with crispy soft shell crab inside. And I guess this is why I like it more – I really liked the contrast of the crispy crab against the creamy salmon. The flavours were also mild enough such that I could taste the sweetness of the crab.

Man, I look like I’m about to WWF wrestle my friend’s poor kid. Or break his arm.

The Sushi Bar is one of my top choices when I’m at Far East Plaza. It’s reasonably priced, it’s got great food, and it’s all served very swiftly. Service is super friendly too.

Be warned though, it’s not very baby friendly (due to the small space) so if you do have kids in tow, make sure you score a table near the outside (like we did!).

Last Bite: Excellent, fresh Japanese food in the heart of Orchard Road. It’s very small, so go early. They provide high chairs but watch out if you go with toddlers, as there isn’t space to run.

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

The Sushi Bar
Far East Plaza #03-89
14 Scotts Road
Singapore 228213
Phone: 9625 0861
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Sat: 12:00 pm – 9:30 pm

This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!