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SPR MRKT: Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GIVEAWAY: One Personal Training session (worth $125) + one Fit Mummy Workout class (worth $55) with Mums In Sync

March 7, 2014 / Giveaways, Singapore / 0 comment

I don’t want to be a frumpy mummy anymore but yet I don’t want to work out in a boring gym. So I decided to end my 3-year exercise hiatus and go check out a super lovely gym in a Sentosa resort! That way, I can exercise and be in gorgeous surroundings (with a killer view) – WIN WIN 😀

Aileron Wellness is located within Amara Resort in Sentosa, and specialises in highly-customized personal training.

For mums, however, Mums In Sync are there to cater for your needs. Kareen, the owner and personal trainer, is a mum (of twins!) herself. She knows all about weak stomach muscles, and mummy concerns like flabby stomach (urk), flabby arms (cannot wave at people without setting off a seismic wave), flabby thighs (where did the gap go??), flabby everything, really!

You can read about my experience with Mums In Sync right here.

What I LOVE about Mums In Sync is that it’s not daunting, embarrassing, nor weird at all. Kareen is easy to chat with, and it’s just so much easier working with someone that’s a mum herself (her twins are 3 yrs old). The gym is also full of young male guy trainers if, you know, you feel like some eye candy as you’re working out………………….

But here’s what we have for you this week – not one but TWO ways to win!

Mums In Sync are giving away one 60mins customised
Personal Training session (worth $125)

a Brunch With My Baby giveaway

Mums In Sync are giving away one 90mins
Fit Mummy Workout class (worth $55)

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 7 – 13 Mar 2014 inclusive.
Winner’s entry(s) will be verified according to the entry criteria(s).
Winner of Personal Training session may call to arrange their appointment.
Winner of Fit Mummy Workout class may select one of these two sessions: 25 March 10AM, 29 March 3PM

So here I am, going nuts at their machine/game that you have to smack as each of the lights light up. By “going nuts”, I mean moving as slow as a sloth – the game is actually super hard!!!!

This is Kareen, dead lifting 1,000KG. Give or take.

With Kareen from Mums In Sync, and Keith the owner of Aileron Wellness gym!

Saving the best part for the last…… FREE FOOD!!!!!

Specifically, a free kaching putih stand in the hotel’s lobby.

And a tip: bring your swimmers. Heck, bring your kids too if you have someone to keep an eye on them. Because they can swim in the THREE pools at the resort! And you can too, after your workout. It makes for a great family activity and you can poke around Sentosa afterwards to chill out 🙂

Thanks Aileron Wellness and Mums In Sync!

BAKER & COOK: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bukit Timah, Singapore

March 5, 2014 / Bukit Timah, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

Tucked away in a residential area, baker & cook lies among a row of restaurants and shophouses and is always crowded in the mornings. The smell of freshly-baked breads and pastries is gorgeous! They pride themselves as an artisan bakery & foodstore, offering simple but delightful food for brunch.

My Egg mayonnaise, avocado spread and cress tartine ($13) was good. SO. GOOD. It’s a completely simple concept (which I later re-created at home), but executed so perfectly. Their egg mayonnaise was the perfect combination of chilled boiled egg and mayo, and it went so well with the thin slice of sourdough toast. The avocado spread, however, was pretty pathetic – just a tiny smear of avocado that did nothing to the dish. I would have been much more impressed with slices of avocado.

My girl friend opted for the Tuna mayonnaise, parmesan, chopped boiled egg and chives ($13), which was very similar to mine, just with tuna instead.

I forgot to steal some of my other girl friend’s Spanish Omelette (chorizo sausage, red & green capsicum, onion, cheese) ($16), darn! 😉 But the omelette looked plump and juicy. The toast, studded with nuts and seeds, looked thin and crispy, but I don’t think it came with butter to spread on.

An excellent Large latte ($5), with one of the most adorable foam art I have been served. Very well priced for a solid cup of coffee, so absolutely no complaints.

Their counter, laden with beautiful pastries and breads, is a real treat for the eyes (and nose!). I left with a couple of takeaway items to enjoy later 🙂

Last Bite: baker & cook offer a simple but delicious brunch, and brew a lovely cup of coffee. Don’t forget to take home some breads and pastries before you leave!

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

baker & cook
77 Hillcrest Rd
Singapore 288951
Phone: 6469 8834
Prices: $$
Hours: Sunday to Thursday – 7am to 8pm , Friday to Saturday – 7am to 10pm

TRATTORIA NONNA LINA: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

March 4, 2014 / Food Reviews, Singapore, Tanjong Pagar / 0 comment

I’m cheating a little here… I’m doing a shout-out about Trattoria Nonna Lina as a kid-friendly place to go to, but I actually went there without kids! So full disclosure here: I was actually there on a dinner date, but was charmed by the homeliness of the restaurant and warm ambiance that I felt it would be totally somewhere I would bring the kids to. Not to mention how excellent their food is.. I know my kids would go nuts over their pasta!

Nonna Lina is a small and cozy restaurant tucked away in the Tanjong Pagar area. The Italian owner was outside and we felt like we’d stepped into an Italian family’s home when we entered.

We were served some complimentary bruschetta, which was a very lovely touch. The tomatoes were fresh and creamy, and it was a nice little filler whilst we waited for our dishes to arrive.

I adored the Homemade pappardelle with Italian sausages in creamy gorgonzola sauce ($27). Admittedly, it was a total artery-clogging dish, but it was so well executed! The thick pappardelle was cooked al dente and doused in the most gorgeous and luscious gorgonzola… oh how I love smelly cheese. The sausage (which was actually sausage meat) was tasty and chunky. I’d expected the dish to be a lot bigger, considering the price, but in retrospect it’s probably best it wasn’t since it was so rich.

Their version of Finely sliced veal with truffle essence and porcini mushrooms, served with homemade potato mash ($31) surprised us because we thought they’d given us the wrong dish when it arrived. I’d expected the veal to be thin slices, escalope style. Instead, it was more like little thin slivers of veal – not that it was a negative thing, but we just didn’t expect it.

This dish looked terrible (definitely not photo-worthy!) but it was a gorgeous dish – the veal was unbelievably tender, and the mushrooms plump and juicy. It was paired very well with the extra-creamy mashed potatoes.

The STAR dish of the night was the dessert, Traditional homemade Italian chocolate and rum pudding with homemade caramel sauce ($16).

WOW.

I don’t think I’ve tasted a better chocolate pudding.

The chocolate and rum pudding was dense yet not overpowering, silky smooth and slightly chilled. The flavour of the rum really came through, and lended a lovely potent kick to the dessert. The caramel sauce cut through the rum and the mix of the flavours was just top notch.

This was brilliant and one of the best desserts I’ve had. An absolute must order!!!

Last Bite: Trattoria Nonna Lina is the place to go for some homestyle Italian cooking. Their dishes are rich and flavourful, but it was their homemade Italian chocolate and rum pudding with homemade caramel sauce that really knocked our socks off!

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

Trattoria Nonna Lina
4 Craig Road
Singapore 089664
Phone: 6222 0930
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon – Sun: 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Asia

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

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

Mums In Sync are giving away one 60mins customised Personal Training session (worth $125)

Mums In Sync are giving away one 90mins Fit Mummy Workout class (worth $55)

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

Mums In Sync are giving away one 60mins customised
Personal Training session (worth $125)

Mums In Sync are giving away one 90mins
Fit Mummy Workout class (worth $55)