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Food Reviews

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

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

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

NINE THIRTY BY AWFULLY CHOCOLATE: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, City Hall, Singapore

March 3, 2014 / City Hall, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

I’ve been to Nine Thirty three times now.

The first time was with a gf, and I had both kids in tow. It was my UNlucky day and both were creating a ruckus, so zero photos were taken, thanks to them. The second and third times were a lot more chill (read: well behaved), so I can finally write a review!

Opened by Awfully Chocolate, what I particularly like about Nine Thirty is the fact that this lovely restaurant is sunlit and spacious. It’s also mostly empty (it’s in the Esplanade Mall, so not many walk-ins, I’d imagine), which is simply brilliant if you have a kid that’s napping in the stroller, or if your kid wants to wander around a bit.

What had me so delighted (and salivating) was their pictorial menu! They obviously had an AMAZING food photographer do it, because everything looks enticing. It actually makes the process of deciding what to order reaaalllyyyyy difficult.

The Iced Latte ($8) was well-made and was not as watery as many iced lattes out there. That said, it’s pretty steep for $8 (plus gst, plus service charge) so I’m not sure I’d order it again.

We were delighted with the Corned Beef Benedict with caramelised onions, poached egg and hollandaise sauce ($18). It was brilliant!! The corned beef lended a saltiness to the dish that wasn’t overpowering, and it was beautifully matched with the soft and mild flavour of the egg. Oddly, despite having two slices of bread, only one poached egg is plopped on top. It would have been much better with two eggs.

Note: apologies for the really strange photos below. My camera flicked onto some setting and I didn’t realise it til much later!

Isn’t the Croque Madame ($15) a beauty? Served in a skillet, this dish was BIG and well worth the money. It had just the right amount of silky sauce to make the bread soft and moist, but not too much so that you really felt the calories. The crispy fried egg was delicious!

Impressively, they didn’t use ‘standard’ shaved ham, but rather FAT slices of ham-off-the-bone. It was fantastic.

Interestingly, the dish was paired with a small pot of sauerkraut and another of olives. They both complemented the dish well. We particularly liked the sweet potato crisps – they were so thin and crispy!

These dishes below are featured on the Lunch menu.

We weren’t very impressed with the Chicken Noodle Soup ($11). We’d expected it to be enough for a small eater or for a kid’s meal, but it was so tiny it can’t even be considered a dish. There was ONE noodle in there. It was a thick one, but still, it was one noodle. The shredded chicken in there seemed suspiciously cooked earlier via the boiling-to-death method, and was tough, chewy, dry and tasteless. The broth was nice, but nothing spectacular.

The lunch menu was waved by the Beef Bourguignon with mash ($23). It was pretty pricey, but at least it was lovely. The beef was fork-tender, all plump and moist. The carrots could have been cooked a little longer (they were a bit hard) and there could have been double the amount of potato mash, but overall, the beef was an absolute winner and both kids lapped it right up!

The Spaghetti Marinara ($18) came out looking very basic and home-cooked. Looks aside, however, it was cooked very well. The sauce was not too sour, and the seafood tasted fresh. It was a very small portion, so avoid this if you’re a big eater.

Ahhhhhh, their winner, the Salted Butterscotch Brownie from Awfully Chocolate! The brownie was so moist it was more like a fudge cake – just the way I like it. The salted butterscotch was sweet but gave a different flavour to the plain chocolate brownie. My kids ADORED this. And so did I 🙂

Last Bite: Nine Thirty has a stellar weekend brunch menu, and a pretty decent lunch menu too. Laid back and spacious, it’s a great place to have a relaxed family brunch.

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

Nine Thirty by Awfully Chocolate
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
8 Raffles Avenue #02-14
Singapore 039802
Phone: 6336 9563
Prices: $$$
Hours: Sun to Thu: 12:00 – 22:00, Fri – Sat: 12:00 – 00:00

SMOKE SHACK: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Telok Ayer, Singapore

February 27, 2014 / Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

So after my Bodytec workout, I was looking for calories to put back in. Hey, a good workout deserves some kinda reward, right??

I was poking around the area and, wahey! Stumbled upon Far East Square. Within the ground floor alley (I love how it’s made to look like vintage shophouses), there were lots of little eateries and Smoke Shack, a sandwich shop, caught my eye.

Their menu features 8 sandwiches, and that’s it. All seemed fairly similar to me, so it took me ages to decide!

I always declare “I don’t like sandwiches”. But that’s because I rarely find sandwiches made well. Here’s what impresses me in a sandwich:

It has to be warm. I just can’t stomach cold sandwiches (soooo boring!)
The bun has to be fluffy and soft. Crusty hard rolls are a no-go for me. I don’t like gnawing away like a beaver does on wood.
The insides have to be moist. A dry sandwich is a crime!
The meat has to be absolutely tender. Nothing worse than taking a bite, and having ALL the meat drag out because it’s too tough for your teeth to cut through. Ugh!

So how does Smoke Shack’s Roast Beef ($11) stack up?

This, my friends, is PERFECTION. I was really stunned that such a gorgeous sandwich existed. It looked good, and it tasted good. Oh my, it really really tasted good!!

The bun was so fluffy and fresh and soft and warm. That alone already made made me happy. I loved how the ingredients were all stacked in neatly, and cut with a super sharp knife. An un-sloppy looking sandwich always looks so pleasing.

But the star was the roast beef – whoooaaaaaa. It was so tender that the beef just bit straight through. You’ll see in the photo below my bite marks through it. No weird tendon bits, no chewy pieces that pulled out of the sandwich cos my teeth couldn’t cut through it.

So is the place kid-friendly? It’s a bit like sitting in a (nice) food court, so it depends if your kids fare well in that sort of scene or not. However, the area there allows kids to wander up and down where they’ll be in plain sight. There are some water features nearby (also within viewing range) that they can check out.

If your kids are into burgers and sandwiches, Smoke Shack is a fantastic alternative to standard fast food joints.

And just down the road is Tan Hock Seng Cake Shop (86 Telok Ayer St)! I stumbled upon it and learned that it is a 70 year old bakery, that is about as old school as it gets – complete with their goodies stacked in cardboard boxes and a whole variety of edibles that I couldn’t identify. I settled on just three types, but am planning to go back and try more!

Last Bite: Smoke Snack is tiny (in both cafe size and menu size), but serves up some incredible sandwiches. The Roast Beef sandwich was divine!

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

Smoke Shack
2 Amoy Street
#01-01 Far East Square
Singapore 049945
Phone: 6557 2214
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 7:30 am – 7:30 pm

ASSEMBLY COFFEE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Bukit Timah, Singapore

February 25, 2014 / Bukit Timah, Food Reviews, Singapore / 0 comment

Assembly Coffee has gotten coffee aficionados and cafe-hoppers into a bit of a tizzy. They are fairly new and doing the rounds on social media right now. I’m not surprised. They manage to pull off that lovely trifecta of ambience-catered-for-cafe-hoppers (or people that consider themselves coffee connoisseurs), very decent coffee and food, and also very decent prices.

The interior is pretty tiny, and gets surprisingly packed toward lunchtime on a weekday. I’d imagine there would be a queue on weekends. Because of its small and contained area, I actually thought it was fairly kid-friendly – they can’t really escape!

Assembly Coffee brew up a robust and creamy coffee. I thoroughly enjoyed my Latte ($4.50), but lamented at how tiny it was.

I was dubious about whether the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($14.90) would be good, as their kitchen was tiny. We were thrilled when we discovered the pulled pork to be moist and juicy and tender, with a robust BBQ flavour that wasn’t overpowering. The fresh green apple slices cut through the pork flavour very well and the sesame-encrusted bun was fluffy and soft. This was top notch.

We were equally impressed with the Salted Caramel Buttermilk Waffles ($11.50). These were AMAZING. The waffles were moist and fluffy, but with a crisp golden-brown exterior. The salted caramel drizzled on top took it to a whole new level, and the rich vanilla ice cream topped it all off perfectly. A must-order.

Last Bite: Assembly Coffee boast a cozy ambiance, as well as terrific food and coffee at reasonable prices. Their Salted Caramel Waffles are a must!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: No (a few steps up to get in)
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Assembly Coffee
26 Evans Road
Singapore 259367
Phone: 6735 5647
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue – Thu: 10:00 am – 9:00 pm, Fri – Sun: 9:00 am – 10:00 am

PHO 99 Vietnamese Delights: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

February 24, 2014 / Food Reviews, Singapore, Tanjong Pagar / 0 comment

Let me apologise: PHO 99 Vietnamese Delights isn’t actually child friendly. It is cramped and crowded, has terrible parking in the area, and you’re expected to be in-and-out within minutes (because there are others waiting for your table). I didn’t even go there with kids!

So why am I writing about it?

Because at some point, you might be kid-free, right?? (I hope?)

In the off-chance that you are sans kids, get yourself down to PHO 99 Vietnamese Delights asap. I did, reveling in the tough-to-find parking situation on Amoy St, the small and narrow steps to walk into the cafe, the cramped atmosphere, the no-frills order/eat/leave ambiance, the tiny tables, and just the sheer NO KID-NESS of it all. Hey, this sort of stuff excites me nowadays – I felt like I was really walking on the WILD side!!

I arrived at 11:30 and it was virtually empty. By 12PM, it was packed to the rafters with office workers. The place is cramped, so go early.

The menu is pretty basic. There are the usual rice paper rolls and spring rolls, and vermicelli or rice or pho for their main, etc.

But I was there for their namesake, the Pho Tai ($11). It arrived quickly, a large steaming hot bowl of delicious goodness.

AND OH MY, IT WAS GOOOOOOD!!!!

The broth was light and not oily, with lots of slippery smooth rice noodles. There was a generous amount of thinly sliced (amazingly tender) beef, so much so that I didn’t ration them out properly and ended up with a pile of beef at the end, with not much noodles left to eat it with.

What impressed me was the dry chili (in a pot) that was on the table. I’m not even keen on chili, but I found that a dollop of the stuff on my sliced beef gave the dish a fantastic kick of flavour.

I actually reckon this place serves up the best Pho I’ve had in Singapore so far!

And, psssttttt! Walk down the same road (Amoy St) to Matt’s The Chocolate Shop. It’s a pretty nondescript place that hides away a FANTASTIC chocolate cake – pretty much their only offering there. I got the individual serve for $4 and was very impressed with the light and airy cake, which wasn’t dense enough to be overpowering, yet retained a richness of the chocolate flavour. The fudge icing on top was a welcome wetness to the cake, and the combination was divine.

Last Bite: PHO 99 is the place to go when you don’t have kids in tow. Their Pho Tai is one of the best we’ve had in Singapore! Go before noon to avoid the lunch crowd.

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

PHO 99 Vietnamese Delights
57 Amoy St
Singapore 069883
Phone: 9768 8735
Prices: $
Hours: Mon – Fri: 10:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun: 10:00 – 20:00