Adventure, baby!

Singapore

THE BREW & BAKE CO: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Clementi, Singapore

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

Opened for just a few months, The Brew & Bake Co is a real treat for the eyes on a strip consisting of simple local joints by the roadside (psssst! Niqqi’s The Cheese Prata Shop is one of them). Decked out in bright primary colours, the cafe is all about vintage cheer, and it’s adorable.

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

My kids were in a bit of awe when they spotted all the colourful vintage toys on display. It’s more of a look-no-touch thing, since they’re all behind locked cabinets, but it still does keep kids fascinated for awhile 😉

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The furniture is imported and also in their trademark blue/yellow/red colours. The low sofas are excellent for young kids!

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Brew & Bake Co are almost entirely about coffee and cakes. And they do them well. It was actually pretty hard trying to narrow down a few to try!

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

I was mostly delighted because they offer complimentary water, in an adorable tall water container! Awesome for young kids – the cuteness factor gets them drinking!

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Check out their Elchemist Frappe station! It’s DIY frappe time, where you pump your chosen syrup(s) into test tubes, and they whip it all up for you. Adorable concept and great for older kids (and adults)!

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

How adorable are their coffee cups? We had a Chai latte and a regular Latte. The coffee was well brewed and smooth, and the chai wasn’t overly sweet.

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Their Lychee cheesecake was just too pretty to resist! This was a MEGA hit with the kids – they pretty much polished it off between themselves. They lychee flavour came from the lychee-flavoured jelly sitting on top of creamy cheesecake. What I loved most, though, was the buttery biscuit base. It was slightly salty, full of buttery goodness, and simply divine. Only problem? I wanted a double-layer of the biscuitty goodness 😉

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Their best seller, the Neopolitan, was a triple layer cake that was both unique and delicious. The strawberry fresh cream layer paired well with the creamy middle and brownie bottom layer.

And oh man is that brownie layer riiiiccch! It’s dense and almost chewy. If you like rich chocolate brownies, you’ll like this.

Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore Brew and Bake - Brunch With My Baby Singapore
Last Bite: The Brew & Bake Co is all about vintage cheer and old school charm. They serve just coffee and cakes, but they do it well.

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

The Brew & Bake Co
28 Clementi Road
Singapore 129754
Phone: 9235 2276
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Sat: 11:30 am – 11:30 pm, Sun: 11:30 am – 3:30 pm

THE CHEESE PRATA SHOP: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Clementi, Singapore

The Cheese Prata Shop - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

I rarely feature local food places (you know what I’m talking about – the down and dirty kind that’s not airconditioned, but serves cheap and good food!), because they’re often not baby friendly. I tend to go sans kids, or if I have kids, I end up regretting it!

But I’m writing about Niqqi’s The Cheese Prata Shop  because we had a lovely brunch there, and both kids were full and happy.

Situated on the road side, it’s seemingly kid UN-friendly, but in reality, we had a very kid friendly experience. The staff were helpful, and quickly brought out two high chairs for the kids. We were comfortably seated outdoors, and the place wasn’t very crowded (it was before noon on a weekday), so we had lots of space to ourselves and the kids could watch the cars on the road go past. It was actually quite relaxed.

The Cheese Prata Shop - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

My Teh tarik, which is “pulled tea”. It was not too sweet, but milky and flavourful. I loved it.

The Cheese Prata Shop - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Plain prata ($0.90 each) was superb. They weren’t oily, and super fluffy. Crisp on the outside, but soft and fluffy on the inside. The curry that it came with was pretty basic – no bits of veggies in it, but it was nice and sour and did the job.

My kids LOVED the plain prata and ate one each.

The Cheese Prata Shop - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

The Cheese Prata Shop - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

The Cheese Prata Shop - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Maggi goreng ($3) was a bargain at three bucks, and was SO SO SO GOOD!!!! I don’t know how they did it, but they managed to elevate simple instant noodles into an addictively tasty dish. It was the basic version, with no meat in it, but it was so good it blew me away. I’m craving for more of this already!

The Cheese Prata Shop - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Beehoon goreng ($3.50) was slightly more expensive, but cooked in exactly the same way as the dish above. Sadly, it was nowhere near was good. I still prefer the springy texture of Maggi noodles, and in comparison, the beehoon was a bit too wet for my liking. It also had a mild (but odd) sour taste which had us wondering if the beehoon had gone a bit “off”..

The Cheese Prata Shop - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Roti john with mutton was BIG! The fluffy crusty bread contained mince mutton and egg omelette cooked into the bread. It was served with a dish of tomato-based sauce, and was a tasty and filling meal.

The Cheese Prata Shop - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Cheese Prata Shop is a stone’s throw from West Coast Park, and makes a great stopover for a quick and dirty meal. The food is excellent, the service is good, and the kids can muck around without making you feel conscious. What more could you ask for?

 

 
Last Bite: Niqqi’s The Cheese Prata Shop may be a simple roadside cafe (it’s open 24/7!), but the helpful service and excellent pratas had us impressed. The Maggi Goreng is a must-order!
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Niqqi’s The Cheese Prata Shop
#01-00
18 Clementi Road
Singapore 129747
Phone: 68721030
Prices: $
Hours: 24 hours
 
 

THE BRAVERY: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Lavender, Singapore

The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

The Bravery opened up almost directly outside where my girl friend lives, so I thought I’d be there within days to check it out! Turns out, I only managed to get myself there a few weeks ago. But now that I’ve been, I am definitely returning over and over again!

The Bravey is one of those hipster cafes that are popping up all over Singapore at the moment. I am totally not a hipster – the closest I come to being anything remotely hip-py is just having big hips after giving birth to two kids. Hah!

So, it has no signage, and thus is very easy to walk straight past without noticing it. It also doesn’t have a very obvious door – so you have to look for the panel that’s gold, which you simply push on to enter.

 

The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The interior is pretty stark and bare. Raw string of lights, raw wood tables and benches, and stools with round cushions that aren’t easy to sit on. But, somehow, it works, and simply adds to the industrial bare feel of the cafe.

The staff are cheery, friendly and helpful. The perfect trifecta of customer service.

The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The menu is modestly sized, but they are good at what they do. We really enjoyed the food there. The cafe was also not crowded (we were there on a weekday before noon), which added to the relaxed feel of the place.

The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

My Flat White ($4.50) was a delight. Zero bitter aftertaste, and I could drink it with only a small dollop of sugar added.

The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

I was thoroughly impressed with their Beef steak ciabatta with rump steak and onion jam, melted mozzarella and tomato salsa ($13.50). The steak was completely tender to the bite, with zero stringy or tough bits. Paired with all the other toppings? This was a match made in heaven and the large size of the sandwich was perfection.

I brought this home for Chris and he gave it a massive thumbs up too.

The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Smoked salmon sandwich ($14) was simple and had nice delicate flavours, but for the price, it simply wasn’t worth it.. especially when compared to the beef sandwich above. It was a very petite portion, and so basic that one could easily do this at home.

The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The Crostini – aubergine and chickpeas on sourdough with mint leaves and crumbed feta ($7.50) was also a fairly small portion, but it worked, considering the price.

The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

The other must-order dish is their Pancakes stack with bananas, ricotta cheese, honey and crushed pistachio ($15). Talk about delicious!! The pancakes were fluffy, beautifully moist, and went so well with the accompaniments. It would have been even better if the bananas were caramelized, but we still loved this dish.

The Bravery - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 
 
Last Bite: The Bravery may have a small menu, but the dishes are excellent as is the service. The Beef Steak Sandwich and Pancakes Stack are a must!
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

The Bravery
66 Horne Rd
Singapore 209073
Phone: 9452 4785
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wed – Sun: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
 
 

GIVEAWAY: Win one of two Huggies Ultra Pants hampers (+ free samples for everyone)!

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Click here to nab your FREE 3-piece sample of Huggies Ultra pants!

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Because I am a pedantic person and simply must make sure I have the best, I set about purchasing EVERY SINGLE DIAPER BRAND there is in the market in Singapore when we moved here 3 years ago. I finally settled on Huggies and have been using the brand for both kids (Hunter was potty-trained a year ago so I stopped using diapers on him, but Carter wears them to this day).

 

Here’s what I look for in a great diaper for my kids:

  1. Thin/flat in size – I carry a bunch of diapers when I go out, and since I go out every day, all day, I’m not willing to have a fat chunk of diapers taking up useless space. And you know what? Diaper brands vary greatly in their physical thinness – I know because I’ve bought them all.
  2. Large surface area when worn – some brands made my look like a my kid’s wearing a g-string. And, no matter how cute their ass is, I do not want it hanging out the sides! I look for diapers that move with my active kid, and don’t ride up his ass.
  3. High absorbency – I have zero tolerance for leaks. Nothing worse than picking up my kid in the morning and realising they’ve soaked through their clothes, sleepsack, AND the bedsheets! My kids wear one diaper for a 14-hour stretch, so the diaper needs to be highly absorbent, and prevent diaper rash.
  4. Easy on/off – I don’t want to fiddle around getting the diaper on (kids are not the most patient), and I want to whisk the diaper off with little fuss and no messy poo smeared everywhere. Just to make it difficult for diaper-makers, I also want a diaper that my kid can’t rip the sides off themselves.

 

I’ve been using the standard version of Huggies Ultra Pants since Carter was about 8 months old. I started using the pull-up Pants style when he started crawling, simply because he would kick around and fuss during diaper changes on his back. It was WAY easier whisking the diaper down his legs, and he could stand up during changes.

They now have the new Huggies Ultra Pants, which are gender specific. It makes logical sense to start your kid on pull-up diapers once they start really moving, because it is SO much easier/faster to change them!

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I’ve been popping Carter into this new version, and it’s even better than the previous version we’ve been using for so long, because the Huggies Ultra Pants nails every point I listed above in what I need in a diaper.

Carter uses these Huggies Ultra Pants (new boys version) exclusively, both day and night, because the absorbency is top notch. Thin to carry around, comfortable and wide to wear, zero leaks, and rips off in a split second. I’d buy these diapers again and again.

 

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The sides are easy-open and are of this unique texture that binds the two sides together, without having clothes getting stuck to them. They are, by far, the easiest diaper sides to rip off. Yet, the technology makes it hard from babies to tear it off themselves from their angle.

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When is it time to change? When the pee indicator changes from from yellow to blue (indicating the diaper is full). They roll up in a jiffy, and form a neat little packet to chuck out. The OCD person in me sighs with pleasure.

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These are the available sizes for Huggies Ultra Pants. FYI, Carter wears an XL and he is 19 months old. They fit very well and will last him for quite awhile, I believe, since kids generally don’t grow as quickly (or fatter) at around his age.

They are now available at major hyper/supermarkets near you but if you would like to do some sampling first, check out below for some ways you can get your hands on some!

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Huggies are giving away 1 female hamper and
1 male hamper
of Huggies Ultra Pants!

a BWMB 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 21-27 Mar 2014 inclusive.
Each hamper includes 2 bags of Huggies Ultra Pants in M size (36 diapers in each bag).
Winner may collect their hamper from the Huggies office.
Winner’s entry(s) will be verified according to the entry criteria(s).

 

Huggies are giving away a FREE 3-piece sample of the 
new Huggies Ultra Pants!

 (click here to get yours sent to your door)

Includes 3-pcs of Huggies Ultra Pants diapers, and a S$5 discount voucher to redeem at all FairPrice Super/hypermarkets for every 2 packs of purchases of Huggies Ultra Pants or Diapers

 

Thanks Huggies!

LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Orchard Road, Singapore

Lawry's The Prime Rib

We headed to Lawry’s The Prime Rib for a lavish lunch to celebrate my husband Chris’ birthday!

I love the ornate old-world elegance of Lawry’s, considering the restaurant is in the middle of Orchard Road. Lofty ceilings delight me, and the glass-walled windows let in so much natural light.

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Lawrys03

Lawrys04

 

We kicked off with complimentary bread rolls. I know this is a yawn-some photo, but free bread always gets me. I’m easy to please.

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We ordered the kids a Minestrone soup. They destroyed it.

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We were treated to their signature Lawry’s spinning salad, where a simple salad (romaine and iceberg lettuce, watercress, shredded beets, chopped eggs and croutons, tossed with Lawry’s vintage dressing) is spun in a chilled bowl on top of ice. It’s a bit gimmicky, but very cute to watch, and great entertainment for the kids.

The salad is served with chilled forks, and is delicious.

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Lawrys08

 

My Australian rack of lamb was gorgeous. Drenched in a rich balsamic red wine reduction, it was decorated with bright cherry tomatoes and brussel sprouts. Sadly, there were only 3 cutlets on the plate. I needed about 6 cutlets to fill me. That said, they were tender and absolutely divine.

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Lawrys10

 

And… their famous Prime Rib. A trolley is rolled to your table and the chef deftly cuts off a slice for you. It’s doused in a watery gravy (which is odd, I’d have preferred it a lot richer), and a dollop of mashed potatoes. It’s served with two different horseradish dips – both are a great accompaniment, and one is sharper/spicier than the other.

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Lawrys12

 

The thing I always look forward to at Lawry’s is their Yorkshire pudding. Baked in its own individual-sized skillet, these babies are soft in the middle but light and crisp toward the edge. They’re addictive! Our kids gobbled most of it up, so we had to get another one.

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The Prime black angus fillet mignon was the star dish, IMHO. The steak was small, but so delicately and perfectly cooked that it was like butter. The meat was one of the most tender I’ve had, yet still retained a lovely bite and flavour. It was one of the best steaks I’ve ever had.

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The Mushroom sizzler arrived, well, sizzling! Assorted mushrooms cooked to give off a smokey flavour, and enough to share among a table of 4.

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We ordered a chocolate based dessert with fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream. It made my toes curl in pleasure. The chocolate cake was dense but not too rich, and the fresh fruit brought a lovely sweetness-and-tartness to the dish. Hunter went a little wild over this one…

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We also ordered a sort of chocolate mousse with bananas and strawberry ice cream. I really enjoyed the crunchy base, but the mousse didn’t do it for me (I’m not a fan of mousse).

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Chris’ birthday Strawberry English Trifle was simple but well executed. The sponge cake was light and fluffy, and the strawberries sweet and juicy. I was surprised I enjoyed this one, because I normally don’t like non-chocolate or fruit-based desserts.

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How old is Daddy?? Take a guess 😉

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Lawrys21

 
 
Last Bite: Lawry’s The Prime Rib serves a lavish and delicious lunch, specialising in red meat. Their Prime black angus fillet mignon was an absolute stunner!
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes (in the mall)
Kids’ menu: Yes

Lawry’s The Prime Rib
333A Orchard Road
#04-01/31 Mandarin Gallery
Singapore 238897
Phone: 6836 3333
Prices: $$$$$
Hours:
Mon – Thu: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 11:30 am – 10:30 pm
Sun: 11:30 am – 10:00 pm
 
 

THE ORANGE THIMBLE: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Tiong Bahru, Singapore

The Orange Thimble

Situated along the popular strip of cafes along Tiong Bahru, The Orange Thimble is a hipster cafe priding itself on merging art and coffee into one space.

Step into the cafe and you’ll be met with vintage-yet-industrial decor. It works. The space seems tiny, until we realised that a small doorway at the back of the cafe leads to a spacious seating area(s) as well as an outdoor sheltered area. It actually turned out to be a pretty large cafe! The way it is segmented into various nooks make it a great place to have brunch, feeling like there is no one else around you.

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The menu is fairly limited (see below) but prices are reasonable. There is NO service charge and NO GST – huge props to them and may more cafes follow their stellar example!

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Our American Breakfast ($13.90) is pleasingly sufficient for a big eater. The sausage is delicious and juicy, the eggs are well scrambled (my kids gobbled it all up straightaway), and everything goes together very well to make this a more-than-decent big breakfast.

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The Egg mayo sandwich ($9.90) is pretty gigantic, thanks to the large ciabatta bun. It contains salad and a generous helping of chunky-cut hard boiled egg mixed with mayo. It’s tasty, and props to the extra greens on the plate.

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Their croissant ($2.50) is freshly baked and INCREDIBLE. The outside is flaky, and the inside superbly soft and buttery. The kids adore this, and so do I, so we promptly order another one.

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The Iced latte ($7) is a little on the steep side, but at least it comes in a large glass. It still has a rich coffee flavour, despite being an iced drink.

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The kids share an Avocado milkshake. They drain it to the last drop, so I suppose they give it the thumbs up! I did manage to sneak a sip in and was very impressed – the milkshake is thick and creamy, and the gula melaka syrup used is not too overpowering. Luscious.

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The artworks on the wall are adorable – brightly coloured and featuring scenes around Singapore. Prices are listed so you can purchase them to bring home.

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Last Bite: The Orange Thimble charges no GST or service charge, and serve up delicious food at very reasonable prices. The segmented layout of the cafe allows for more private dining, though we particularly love the sofas for young kids to lounge on!
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

The Orange Thimble
56 Eng Hoon Street, 01-68
Singapore 160056
Phone: 6223 8068
Prices: $$
Hours:
Mon: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Tue – Thu: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
Fri – Sat: 9:00 am – 12:00 am
Sun: 9:00 am – 11:00 pm
 
 

JEWEL CAFE AND BAR: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Little India, Singapore

Jewel Cafe (1)

I wasn’t actually going to write about Jewel Cafe and Bar here, because we were only here on a (quick) dinner date and didn’t have the kids with us. But then I figured, hey, it’s a nice little cafe, and it’s totally a place where I would bring my kids for a spot of brunch. So why not?

The interior of Jewel Cafe and Bar looks pretty industrial, with hanging raw light bulbs and no-frills tables and chairs. We sat in the upper section and it was quieter and more contained there – an excellent area if you’re there with kids because it’s removed from the main bustling area downstairs. There are also sofas upstairs, which are great for the kids to lounge on.

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The Umami Prawn Capellini ($23) was a hit with me. It could have been a little less salty, but it was delicious nontheless. A fusion between Western and Japanese cuisine, the pasta was topped with fat prawns, and a generous helping of bonito flakes that waved around in the wind. It’s different from regular pastas because, instead of a cream or tomato based sauce, they use a rich prawn stock. It definitely is a different experience to Italian pasta, but I really enjoyed it because of the Japanese flavours.

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At first, we were HUGELY disappointed with the Southern Fried Chicken ($20). The piece of meat (on the far right of the photo) was exceedingly dry and tough and tasteless. It was pretty inedible. Chris said, very pointedly, “It’s pretty sad when the entire dish is about fried chicken, and they couldn’t do fried chicken right”.

Fortunately, the other two pieces (one being a drumstick) were much better, and were moist and tender. I would HIGHLY recommend asking for only drumstick and/or thigh pieces when you order, or you’ll get a piece of breast meat and suffer what we did.

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Last Bite: Jewel Cafe and Bar serves a mean prawn pasta, with a lovely upper floor area that’s great for kids (and you) to chill over brunch.
 
Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: No (a handful of steps up to the cafe)
Change tables: No
Kids’ menu: No

Jewel Cafe and Bar
129 Rangoon Road
Singapore 218407
Phone: 6298 9216
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue – Thu: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm, Fri – Sat: 9:00 am – 12:00 am, Sun: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm

 
 

GIVEAWAY: Win one of two $50 Mothercare vouchers!

See Kai Run Mothercare - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

Carter has an unfortunate super-fat-feet problem. It means that all the good $$ I spent on Hunter’s shoes (justifying that my second child could wear them) went down the drain, because Carter simply couldn’t fit into the majority of Hunter’s old shoes.

With a wide foot and a very high arch (actually I think it’s just fat), Carter struggles with the upper-part of shoes, which cut into the top of his feet. VERY few shoes fit him and make him comfortable.

So we checked out these See Kai Run ‘Ryan’ shoes from Mothercare. They’re made with nubuck leather (soft!) and with a flexible rubber sole that washes easily. Best of all, it boasts a generous width and wide toe box – CRITICAL for Carter.
See Kai Run Mothercare - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

See Kai Run Mothercare - Brunch With My Baby Singapore See Kai Run Mothercare - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Mothercare stock a range of See Kai Run shoes at their various branches. I actually feel a little daft trying to give the grand dame of kid stores in Singapore an introduction, because if you haven’t heard of Mothercare, then you haven’t been out shopping in Singapore before.  THEY’RE EVERYWHERE! We stocked up on virtually every baby essential at Mothercare – both in Shanghai and in Singapore.

So I am delighted to share with you that:

 

Mothercare are giving away two $50 vouchers!

a BWMB 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 21-27 Mar 2014 inclusive.
Winner’s entry(s) will be verified according to the entry criteria(s).

Winner may use the voucher to purchase any regular or sale item(s) at all Mothercare stores in Singapore.

 

Basically, Carter was wearing his See Kai Run shoes daily until he outgrew them – so I was happy 🙂 I’m probably going to get a larger size but in regular leather (the ‘Ryan’ or the ‘Jude’), once I spot it in a Mothercare store in his size!

Here he is pottering around in his See Kai Run ‘Ryan’ shoes. They are great for daily wear because they’re durable! These photos were taken a few months ago, hence why Carter looks shorter and younger..

See Kai Run Mothercare - Brunch With My Baby Singapore See Kai Run Mothercare - Brunch With My Baby Singapore See Kai Run Mothercare - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

 

Thanks Mothercare!

SPR MRKT: Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

SPR MRKT - Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

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.

SPR MRKT - Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

 

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.

SPR MRKT - Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

 

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.

SPR MRKT - Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore SPR MRKT - Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

 

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!

SPR MRKT - Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

 

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

SPR MRKT - Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

 

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.

SPR MRKT - Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

 

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.

SPR MRKT - Kid Friendly Cafes, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

 

 
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

Miam Miam @ Westgate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

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.

 

Miam Miam @ Westgate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore Miam Miam @ Westgate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

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.

Miam Miam @ Westgate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

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.

Miam Miam @ Westgate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

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.

Miam Miam @ Westgate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

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.

Miam Miam @ Westgate - Brunch With My Baby Singapore

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.

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.