Adventure, baby!

Buona Vista

DISTRICT 10 BAR TAPAS RESTAURANT: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Buona Vista, Singapore

District 10 @ Star Vista

The sunlit District 10 at Star Vista holds a special treat for young diners…. a bouncy castle! Available during weekend brunch, the brightly-coloured bounch castle turned the head of every kid that walked enviously past (I felt sorry for them that they weren’t dining there!). The bouncy castle is free for your kids to use, so you can sit back and relax with your brunch whilst they make full use of it.

The outdoor tables are seated right around the bouncy castle, so it’s easy to keep an eye on the kids. There are also fans dotted all over the ceiling to keep the shady area cool.

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Me? I sat back and relaxed with my icy cold Lychee Mint Freeze ($10)It came in a startling shade of green, and was delicious. It had a distinct lychee flavour, with a subtle hint of mint. The PERFECT drink to sip on whilst sitting outside watching my kids bounce themselves silly 😉 (where do they get that energy from?!)

District10StarVista04

District 10 offer a very reasonably priced kids menu. But my kids don’t eat burgers, fish & chips, or pizza (their choice, not mine!)…. so we decided the regular adult menu would suit them better. I prefer that anyway, because we get to order more for the table, and the kids get to pick and choose to their liking!

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The kids were kept occupied colouring in their kids menu with the crayons that our waitress provided.

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A dragonfruit blend, an iced coffee, and an iced latte. I must note here that I’m really liking how District 10 serve their iced drinks in a large glass. It makes me want to cry when restaurants serve them in that skinny little glass (which is 80% ice), you know what I’m talking about!

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The kids shared a pineapple juice, that was kindly divided up into two kiddy cups. Unfortunately they don’t do freshly squeezed juices, or I’d have ordered an orange juice for them.

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Carter, looking a bit anxious, waiting for the food to arrive.

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This is District 10’s version of the traditional big breakfast. Fried eggs on English muffins, bacon, roasted tomato, hash brown, and grilled mushrooms. It’s a sizeable platter with a lot of variety. The eggs were cooked perfectly, and I must give the bacon a special shout out – it was still meaty and tender, not overcooked or too crisp.

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Hunter really liked the hash brown – evidently!

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The Spanish omelette looked very similar to the previous dish, thanks to the identical side dishes (salad/hashbrown/tomato). The omelette is generously sized and I really enjoyed the sliced sausages in there, which gave the omelette that salty kick.

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Our Eggs benedict also looked very similar to the other mains! The kids really enjoyed the poached eggs, but I found them a bit too cooked for my liking – I prefer them runny and oozing. We did, however, enjoy the lusciously creamy hollandaise sauce drizzled over the eggs.

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By special request, we managed to get two of their tapas menu (normally available on weekday lunch and dinner). This is Huevos Rotos, a dish we had when we were in Barcelona and we adored it. It is a heart-stopping concoction of fries, layered with jamon and a gooey fried egg. It is a KILLER combination!

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And, my personal favourite when we were in Barcelona, Patatas Bravas. Soft potato chunks draped in a spicy tomato sauce and mayonnaise. How can you go wrong with this combination???? It was delicious and I gobbled my way through half this dish myself.

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Dessert was green-coloured Pandan pancakes with gula melaka syrup. It sounds incredibly sweet, but the pancakes are actually very mildly flavoured, border-lining on bland. It meant we drenched it in syrup *ahem* to make it sweet, but for the kids, I was happy that the pancakes were not overly sweet because they ate the pancakes as-is and didn’t go into a sugar high.

The pancakes are hotcake-style, high and fluffy. They’re moist on the inside and I found myself wishing for some salted butter to go with that gula melaka syrup!

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The French toast is very basic looking and in exactly the same presentation (ie. 3 raspberries as decor) as the previous pancakes. It would have been gorgeous dotted with strawberries and blueberries instead, and with a scoop of freshly whipped vanilla bean cream on the side.

The French toast was very well cooked, though. It wasn’t soggy, nor was it dry. It had the perfect amount of eggy batter, and was lightly pan fried til golden-brown. I would have liked the syrup in a little pot on the side, as it came with it already poured on top of the French toast.

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There’s a TV in the corner out the outside area, which kept the boys occupied for awhile too.

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Last Bite: District 10 @ Star Vista serves up simple brunch dishes in accompaniment with icy cold drinks, to keep you comfortable whilst your kids have a ball playing on their bouncy castle.

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

District 10 Bar Tapas Restaurant @ Star Vista
1 Vista Exchange Green
The Star Vista #01-42/K3
Singapore 138617
Phone: 6694 2884
Prices: $$$
Hours: See here

JIMMY MONKEY: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

Jimmy Monkey: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

Jimmy Monkey has been featured here on Brunch With My Baby before, but it’s worth another mention since the service is excellent and I found myself thoroughly enjoying their food lately.

It’s fairly dark inside, but it isn’t crowded (we normally go on weekday mornings), so it makes for a nice spot of relaxation. The vibe is chill, the area is pretty unknown, and recently I’ve spotted a few kids there with their mums.. so I don’t feel as awkward bringing mine along!

Jimmy Monkey: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

Jimmy Monkey: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

Jimmy Monkey: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

 

MAJOR PROPS to Jimmy Monkey for providing chilled water, complimentary. Not only that, you can help yourself to the tall green glass bottles to refill at your leisure. Much love and respect!

Jimmy Monkey: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

 

My Flat White arrives in a cheerful bright blue cup and is accompanied by a wee piece of biscotti.

Jimmy Monkey: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

 

I can’t ever visit Jimmy Monkey without ordering The Hulk ($16), a stunning mass of chunky avocado and feta on sourdough and sprinkled with dukka. It’s outstanding and both my kids love it! The avocado is always creamy, ripe-soft, and contains no weird brown or squiggly bits. It’s healthy and delicious.

Jimmy Monkey: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

 

New on their menu is Grilled mushrooms and poached egg on toast. I love the fat juicy mushrooms, but the poached egg is a little undersized – it would have been perfect with another egg. Nevertheless, this is still delicious and the smokiness of the grilled mushrooms really comes through.

Jimmy Monkey: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

 

If you’re after a burger-style meal, you won’t go wrong with the JM Breakfast Sandwich ($16) with bacon, rocket, egg, romato tomato, avocado and kay’s relish. The flavours and textures of the various ingredients go together so well, and it’s juicy but not to the point where you have liquid running down your arm as you take a bite. Delicious!

Jimmy Monkey: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

 
Last Bite: Jimmy Monkey’s laid back vibe and simple-but-delicious dishes are a hit with us. The Hulk is a must-order if you like avocados!

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

Jimmy Monkey Cafe
9 One-North Gateway
#01-51 One-North Residences
Singapore 138643
Phone: 6777 8470
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 8:30 am – 8:30 pm, Sat – Sun: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm

CANTON PARADISE @ STAR VISTA: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Buona Vista, Singapore

Canton Paradise - Brunch With My Baby SingaporeI’ve been on a bit of a yum cha frenzy as of late. I hadn’t eaten it in years, then suddenly went mad with cravings over it. I’m not pregnant, so I have no idea why this is happening!

And so I’ve been dragging family and friends all over Singapore in my efforts to eat all the dim sum in the country.

We did a quickie at Canton Paradise, located at the Star Vista mall. It was relatively quiet when we rocked up at 11-ish in the morning, but quickly became packed to the brim by the time we were leaving towards 1PM. Guess I’m not the only one that’s a bit of a yum cha fiend!!

 

Canton Paradise - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Service at this branch was impeccable. Extremely friendly and helpful, and food arrived swiftly. Exactly what you need when you have young children in tow!

Our iced coffee ($3.20) and iced tea/coffee mix ($3.60) was delicious. Well worth it.

Canton Paradise - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Roast Pork Belly with Crackling ($12.80) was outstanding. It works out to just over a buck per morsel, but it’s so good I’d order it again. The skin was as crisp as potato chips, and the pork wonderously tender. There was a thin layer of melty fat to bring all the textures together, but not too much to gross you out.

Canton Paradise - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

My Egg Noodles in Superior Soy Sauce ($8.00) was very tasty but also very oily. It came in a portion to be shared, I suspect. Canton Paradise - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Prawn Dumpling Noodles ($7.80) was a hit with the kids, who slurped it all up. I liked the mild taste of the dish, which accentuated the freshness of the prawns. Canton Paradise - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

And…. the best for the last…… the Custard Egg Yolk Buns ($5.20)!! I was fantasizing about this all through my meal, and insisted we ordered it.

The bun was fluffy and light, and the interior molten and yellow. There is a very strong taste of egg yolk, which can feel a bit heavy if you’re not into the high-calorie stuff. You also need to eat them (carefully) whilst they’re hot, because they go rather powdery and weird when they cool down.

Canton Paradise - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

 
 
Last Bite: Canton Paradise offers impeccable service and an array of lovely dim sum dishes. The Roast Pork Belly with Crackling is a must!
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes (in the mall)
Kids’ menu: No

Canton Paradise
The Star Vista #B1-45/46
1 Vista Exchange Green
Singapore 138617
Phone: 66942915
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 11:00 – 22:00, Sat – Sun: 10:30 – 22:00, PH: 10:30 – 22:00
 
 

COLBAR (revisited): Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

 

Our lovely guest reviewer Debra first wrote about Colbar, so I got excited and wanted to bring my kids there too! Mum pointed out that it’s actually a bonafide old school cafe, which has been around for decades. It’s changed locations down the road, but still preserves all its vintage charm.

It is REALLY fun for the kids.

The cafe isn’t air-conditioned, but that’s just fine at this time of year-end, when the weather is actually really cool and breezy. It’s very outdoorsy which makes if excellent for the kids to stretch their legs in before and after the food arrives.

Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

 

Video of the kids around Colbar

The interior is full of old world vintage charm. You could poke around for ages looking at all the knick knacks and vintage posters and photos!

Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

 

The food is a mix of Western and local dishes. It’s a pretty extensive menu, which left us debating over what to order for ages. In the end, we decided on the Chicken Merry Land ($15.50), simply because quite a few other tables had ordered it. You get pretty good bang for your buck here – the chicken cutlet was breaded well and really crispy, topped with a jaunty sunny side up egg.  A scoop of baked beans, a grilled tomato and some potato wedges made for simple but tasty sides, and the dessert portion was a deep-fried battered banana. An excellent dish to get if you’re a big eater.

Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

 

We also got the Chicken Curry Rice ($11) because it appeared on other tables (yes, I am one of THOSE nosy people that checks out what everyone else is ordering!). I’d definitely get this one again. It was a Japanese-style curry in the sense that it was creamy (made so with potatoes?). It was beautifully rich, and had just the right amount of spice for me. The chicken leg was meaty and tender, and the curry gravy was delicious with the plain white rice. Mmm…Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

 

The kids enjoyed the Fried Ho Fun ($8) which came in a decent portion and was studded with lots of chicken and prawn meat. Sadly, it also came with bean sprouts (must remember to ask them to omit these next time). It’s a tad on the oily side, but then again, all fried noodle dishes are. Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

 

Colbar do beer. A LOT of beer. A whole fridge stocked full of the stuff.. which you can just go up and select from. Excellent for sitting outside and sipping/chugging from.
Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

 

The area outside is like catnip for kids. Something about the bits of pavement and drains seem to appeal to them… they had loads of fun pottering around there and getting busy with the grass and dirt.

Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

 

Right across the road is the Temasek Club! Actually, Hunter spotted it cos he saw their epic playground from across the road at Colbar. He made a beeline in, and, I didn’t realise at first it was part of the club, and thought it was a public playground. I think you actually need to be a member of the club to use it, though! But, errmm… I didn’t know that until we were leaving (I got suspicious cos it seemed too nice to be a public thing).

Anyway, the kids got a couple of minutes of good fun in there!

Colbar - Brunch with my Baby SingaporeColbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore Colbar - Brunch with my Baby Singapore

 

 
Last Bite: Colbar is a retro lover’s delight, and the outdoor area is great fun for the kids! Except simple but tasty fare.
 
Highchairs: No
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Colbar
9A Whitchurch Rd
Singapore 138839
Phone: 6779 4859
Prices: $$
Hours: Closed on Mon. Tue – Sun: 11:00am – 10:00pm
 
 

MORGANFIELD’S: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Buona Vista, Singapore

Morganfield's @ Star Vista

Just a quick little Hump Day post… hope your week is going well so far!

My girl friend and I (with kids in tow) popped into Morganfield’s at Star Vista last week. I’m just gonna say here, straight up, that Morganfield’s do one of THE BEST RIBS in Singapore. And they’re consistently good – I’ve visited this joint maybe 4 or 5 times, and it never fails to delight me.

I like the large glass-paneled windows, which allows natural light to stream into the restaurant. It gets busy just after noon (office lunchtime crowd, I presume), but I always go early so I have no issues.

Their ribs, called Sticky Bones, are the star dish, and IMHO the only dish that you should order. Why bother with other dishes, when this one is perfect?

$26.90 (the lunch set) gets you half-slab of pork ribs, a soup/appetizer of the day, and a bottomless glass of soda or iced tea. Its’ good value, because it will fill you right up!! I was initially scared off at the “half slab” description… it sounded more like “you’ll go hungry” to me. But the ribs are pretty gigantic and very meaty, plus they give you a tumble of fries and a pot of coleslaw just to make sure you’re sufficiently fed.

Morganfields - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The ribs? Blimmin’ SUPERB. We didn’t bother using a knife – it wasn’t necessary. We just used a fork and poked away at the meat, which fell easily off the bones. It is oh-so-tender, and the sauce is not overpowering. Talk about a meat eater’s dream meal!!

To give you an idea as to how delicious and tender the pork is – Carter (currently 15 months and with only 3 barely-there jutting out teeth), can easily chomp and chew his way through a rib or two.

Drop in if you’re a meat lover. I reckon you won’t be disappointed.

 
 
Last Bite: Morganfield’s is a meat lover’s delight, with their outstanding baby back ribs (dubbed Sticky Bones). Think ultra-tender, tasty pork ribs… perfect downed with an iced lemon tea or cold beer!
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes (in the mall)
Kids’ menu: Yes

Morganfield’s
The Star Vista, #02-23
1 Vista Exchange Green
Singapore 138617
Phone: 6694 3635
Prices: $$$
Hours: 11am – 11pm (Sun – Thu, PH) / 11am – 12am (Fri, Sat, PH Eve)
 
 

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

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi

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).

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Brunch With My Baby

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Brunch With My Baby

 

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?!

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Brunch With My Baby

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.

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Brunch With My Baby

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).

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Brunch With My Baby

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…..

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Brunch With My Baby

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.

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Brunch With My Baby

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.

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Brunch With My Baby

Ramen Kagetsu Arashi - Brunch With My Baby

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
 
 

PAPPARICH @ STAR VISTA: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

PapaRich @ Star Vista

Tucked in the outside-corner of the Star Vista mall, casual Malaysian diner PapaRich was completely empty when we arrived on a weekday at 11:30AM. This delighted us, because it meant our 3 kids had free reign over the place and we didn’t have to be extra-careful that they wouldn’t disturb other diners.

That said, by the time it came to 12:30PM or so, the cafe was absolutely packed to the brim with diners (mostly office workers). By then, the kids had finished eating and were happily in their high chairs, so we weren’t fussed with the crowd. But just something to note, if you plan to arrive during the lunch time crush.

PapaRich prides itself on serving authentic Malaysian food at reasonable prices. And that they certainly do well. To me, they are very similar to Old Town, but with a more extensive menu.

PappaRich

Our kids spent around 5 minutes running around the (empty) cafe, giggling and climbing on the couch seats. The staff just looked on, bemused by their exuberance. Hunter loves my friend’s daughter, so he was rather pleased that he was on a date with her! (Her older brother was around, but Hunter mostly just ignored him….)

PappaRich PappaRich

 

The Chicken Satay was delicious. The chicken was lean and tender, and flame-grilled beautifully. I personally loved the peanut sauce as it wasn’t spicy at all (though this will annoy some folk), and Hunter could eat it too. Who doesn’t love satay? It makes for such a tasty treat, and kids love nibbling on them.

PappaRich

The kids shared this Chicken hor fun in soup. It looks pretty dreadful and bland in the photo, but Hunter loved it and gobbled it all up.

PappaRich

 

My Nasi Lemak with curry chicken was just….. spot on. I’d order this again in a snap. The rice was moist and fragrant with pandan leaves, the ikan billis (tiny fried fish) were perfectly crisp and tasty, and the curry chicken was lip-smackingly“lemak” (creamy). I adored the sambal chilli sauce it was served with, and I don’t even like chilli normally! But this one had lots of little bits (onion?) in it that made it taste different to regular chilli sauce.

PappaRich

My girl friend opted for the Chicken rice set which came, horrifically, with a plate of bean sprouts. I’m sure people love it and all, but I don’t, and just looking at that plate of bean sprouts made me feel all shuddery inside.

She enjoyed the chicken rice so maybe I’ll get this next time, just without the bean sprouts!

PappaRich - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

This was a stand-alone serve of Curry chicken. They do a killer curry chicken here. The meat is succulent and moist, and the gravy is absolutely delicious!

PappaRich - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

My other favourite dish is the Prawn Noodles. It is EXCELLENT. You can smell the richness of the prawn stock from across the table! The broth is incredibly flavourful and I love to slurp it all up. It’s chockers with ingredients too (chicken and prawn) and absolutely hits the spot.

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The Roti prata with banana and ice cream was for the kids, so I didn’t have any. We asked for the ice cream to be served later (because as parents, you and I both know that once kids spot ice cream, IT’S ALL OVER RED ROVER!), but errrr.. forgot all about it at the end of the meal!

The roti prata looked a little odd served with a banana on it, but my friend’s son gobbled up the entire dish, so I suppose it was good!

PappaRich - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

I was very pleased with my Cham drink. This was a 50% coffee and 50% tea drink, and really did taste of both! I had mine served iced (it was a sweltering hot afternoon) and it really hit the spot.

PappaRich - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

One iPad.

Three kids.

Somehow, this combination worked, even though I was envisioning sparks. And not the fun kind.

The kids were actually pretty well behaved and managed to take turns playing on it. They were pretty fascinated watching the Tayo theme song on the iPad! It kept them occupied for a good 20mins or so, whilst we adults managed to scoff our own meals and have a bit of a chat.

PapaRich12 PappaRich - Brunch With My Baby Singapore
All kids wearing current season clothing from Joules (stocked at nottoobig)

Last Bite: PappaRich is the place to go for affordable Malaysian cuisine. The menu is extensive, and the curry chicken was a winner with us. Go before the lunch crowd to avoid the chaos!

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

PapaRich
The Star Vista
1 Vista Exchange Green #01-43
Singapore 138617
Phone: 6684 3373
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Wed: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm, Thu – Sat: 10:00 am – 12:00 am, Sun: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

REVOLUTION COFFEE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

We had trouble finding Revolution Coffee on our first visit. I diligently typed in the address into Google Maps on my iPhone, and it took me on a never-ending loop around the area. In the end, I just used a bit of common sense (ie. there is only ONE building in the nearby vicinity), and we found it. The secret? Just look for the big building called “Infinite Studios” and you won’t go wrong!

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Having only recently opened (mid-2013), it’s quickly become one of my favourite places to hang out with kids in tow. To guess why, just check out what Hunter is looking at………………………….

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

THERE’S A TOY TRICYCLE IN THERE!!!!!!

Hunter had sharp eyes and spotted it from far away, making a desperate bee-line straight for it. It’s a total hit with the kids. Only point to note – there is one tricycle, so if there is more than one kid that likes it… well…. you may have a small problem on your hands.

We had both kids keen on it, but did a pretty good job in “taking turns”. At least there was no bashing up involved!

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

I particularly like the little nook at the far end of Revolution Coffee, with low padded chairs and a dinky coffee table made from crates. If you have kids, you’ll like this area too since it’s a little tucked into the corner. Note, however, that a lot of things in this cafe is kid-grabbing height.. so if you have a grabber, you might want to keep an extra sharp eye out on them.

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

I’ll cut straight to it – the coffee is really good. Owner Ajie Permana brought the art of coffee making from Australia and it shows. I particularly enjoyed the Latte ($5.50), which was smooth and creamy, yet packed a real punch. Only downside? It came in a tiny glass, and I would have liked it double-sized.

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Their menu is really basic. I was pretty disappointed because I personally like hot food, and the menu was mostly salads and sandwiches. Reluctantly, I opted for the Roast beef sandwich ($11.90). I was, however, delighted when it arrived. It was a sizeable chunk and had lots of tender roast beef in it, and was sufficient in filling me up.

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Spaghetti amatriciana ($9.50) was ordered specifically for the kids, and was described as pasta with tomatoes, so I expected it to be dull. We were so surprised when we discovered it was excellent! It was a large portion of pasta that was silky with a distinctive flavour – like it was handmade. I doubt their pasta is handmade (please correct me if I’m wrong), but it was delicious. We thoroughly enjoyed the stewed tomatoes that it came with – in generous portions and bursting with sweetness.

Hunter ate a huge amount of this dish, so I was happy.

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Their Freshly baked banana bread ($4.50) appears to be their signature cake, as I hear it often sells out. However, the kids weren’t interested in it (we couldn’t tell whether it was because they weren’t impressed with it, or if they were already full from their lunch), and when I ate some of it, it didn’t stand out to me either. It is served with homemade yogurt but it didn’t wow me and I would have preferred some slightly-salted butter.

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Their rendition of Affogato ($6) is so good it BLEW MY MIND. This is the must-order dish!! They take one of their cookies and crush it into a glass cup, top it off with vanilla ice cream, and serve it with an espresso shot for you to pour over. The coffee soaks into the biscuit, and the ice cream brings it all together to create an utterly spectacular dessert that is bitter yet sweet, crunchy yet smooth. It is such a winner.

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The kids had a great time having free reign over the cafe (it’s not too crowded on weekdays) and cycling around outside. Hunter still remembers it as that cafe with a tricycle!

Revolution Coffee - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

Last Bite: Revolution Coffee offers a casual spot for a simple lunch. Their coffee and affogato are total hits, as is the tricycle that kids can play on.

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

Revolution Coffee
Infinite Studios building
21 Media Circle, #01-03A
Singapore 138562
Phone: 6777 2110
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Sat – Sun: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

JIMMY MONKEY CAFE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Buona Vista, Singapore

Little monkey at Jimmy Monkey

 
Jimmy Monkey is so nondescript and in such a random location (in a housing area!) that I don’t think anyone would stumble upon it. You’ll have to know about it and be specifically looking for the cafe.

Jimmy Monkey

 

The Australian cafe is tucked into a little corner and is actually pretty dim inside, considering it was a bright and sunny day outside. It’s industrial-style and has large wooden tables for communal dining, as well as a couch area (which we scored, hurray!) which is great for kids.

Most of the patrons were on laptops, with not a kid in sight. Except mine. It doesn’t seem to be positioned as a mummy-and-kids-lunch place, but rather for the mod/hipster folk.

The interior

 

I’d heard that they were good for their coffee, and it was true. My latte was a satisfying and strong roast, pretty potent. The only disappointment was that it came in a tiny cup, which I could finish in two gulps. I would have been absolutely satisfied and delighted if it came in a cup twice the size, for the price charged.

Latte

 

The Vegetable Frittata was a large wedge and filled with generous chunks of soft veggies. I personally don’t like frittatas (so.. eggy and… weird) but we’d ordered it for Hunter and he liked it. I can’t remember the price, but I remember thinking it was a little on the high side considering the low cost of ingredients in it.

Vegetable Frittata

 

I found the Breaky Muffin with egg, ham, hollandaise sauce, roma tomato and rocket a stunner. The muffin bread was thin and slightly crisp, and the ingredients inside were so fresh that they individually stood out. I especially liked how they used proper ham (instead of the really really thin pre-sliced one). The size of the muffin is petite, so order only if you have a small appetite, or if you’re prepared to order something else on the menu to fill you up.

Breaky Muffin with egg, ham, hollandaise sauce, roma tomato and rocket ($14)

 

I enjoyed the large and fluffy Banana and chocolate chip muffin. It was served warm and with a small pat of butter on the side. Hunter gave it the thumbs up 😉

Banana and chocolate chip muffin ($4, I think)

 

But, by far, the best dish was their French toast with golden syrup & fresh berries. Their rendition was a WINNER! Slices of French toast stacked up high, and enough to satisfy. Outstanding value for money. The French toast was not too soggy, but beautifully crisp on the outside. A must-order.

French toast with golden syrup & fresh berries ($15)

 

My own little monkey-butt

 

One little monkey, jumping on the bed..

 

Jimmy Monkey’s a good place to hang out if you’re kid-free and want a quick bite to eat. The staff are friendly and very helpful, and it’s not too crowded on weekdays. Personally, I’d go there for a mid-afternoon snack – French toast and coffee. Their two best items IMHO!

 
 
Last Bite: Jimmy Monkey offers a lovely brunch menu with well-brewed coffee. Try to get the couch table, for your kids to sit and play comfortably on.
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Jimmy Monkey Cafe
9 One-North Gateway
#01-51 One-North Residences
Singapore 138643
Phone: 6777 8470
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 8:30 am – 8:30 pm, Sat – Sun: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm
 
This food review was first published at Beverly’s Adventures!