I hear Toby’s Estate is packed to the brim (and with a queue outside) on weekends, but I’ve only been there a couple of times on weekday mornings, so it’s always been only half-full for me. The space features a large communal table and kids toys are strewn around, so it’s great for keeping kids occupied whilst you wait for your food.
The staff is always friendly, and food arrives swiftly. The menu isn’t huge, but they seem to nail it.
Their Cappucino ($5) is perfection in a cup. It’s presented beautifully, and I noted the foam has zero bubbles. Simply sublime.
I was tremendously impressed with their Eggs Regal – poached barn laid eggs, Toby’s gravlax on brioche, tzaziky, mesclun side, tomato in a vine hollandaise sauce, dill ($21.90). The price point is high, considering Toby’s Estate is presented as a casual cafe, but this dish is EXCELLENT.
The eggs are poached to perfection, yielding a rich and bright yellow yolk. The hollandaise sauce is flavourful but not too salty, and the fluffy-as-a-cloud brioche has a subtle sweetness that brings out the saltiness of the salmon gravlax. The tzaziky (yogurt and cucumber dip) was a little random, and was left largely untouched.
Last Bite: Toby’s Estate nails their coffee-brewing technique, serving cups of beautifully crafted coffee. However, we were also impressed with their food, the Eggs Royal were fantastic!
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
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
Hot on the heels on her first guest review on The Marshmallow Tree, Delphine Tan of the popular blog Life In The Wee Hours has hit us with a super-fun restaurant that I’m pretty excited about. A bouncy castle for the kids is always good in my book!
The following review is by guest reviewer Delphine Tan:
District 10 Bar & Restaurant in UE Square is a not a place I’d automatically associate with children’s birthday parties. But we attended one there last Sunday and it was a lot of fun for the kids. Every Sunday, a bouncy castle is set up at the al fresco area of District 10 from 11.30am to 4.00pm. I love that the castle is outdoors but still under shelter so the noise from screaming children doesn’t build up that much but the weather is not an issue either. I’ve seen some restaurants with bouncy castles that heat up like crazy under the sun and the children are practically roasting inside!
The bouncy castle alone makes District 10 a fab place to have family lunch on Sundays. But there are also colour pencils for the kids to colour with and a spacious walkway just beside the al fresco area for the kids to hang out at when they need a break from all the bouncing around. Our kids used that space to blow some bubbles and we could keep them within view the entire time.
No matter how kid-friendly a place may be, I think it still needs to serve up some decent food to keep the grown-ups happy and to get people to make a return trip. With the kids happily playing in the bouncy castle, the adults could sit back and relax with a beer (or two) and the ones who couldn’t have alcohol could choose from an extensive range of mocktails, juices and soft drinks. The food was pretty good too!
The Gunner ($12) was a favourite with the children and pregnant ladies (there were two of us there).
The classic French onion soup ($13) wasn’t the best. It was too thick and too strongly-flavoured and came across more like a stew than a soup.
The Caesar salad ($14) could be a bigger portion for the price but is otherwise very decent.
I enjoyed the fried Buffalo wings with blue cheese dip ($12) which were spicy enough to give a kick. The blue cheese dip was not overly pungent and went very well with the wings. I would have liked more veggie sticks.
The kids were somewhat suspicious of the rocket leaves on the Pizza Jamon Iberico de Bellota ($32) but it was well-received by the grown-ups. District 10 offer interesting combinations of pizza toppings to choose from.
The Black Angus beef burger ($22) was cooked well done, yet was still moist and juicy when other places would have made it really dry.
The Hoegaarden battered fish and chips ($22) was a hit with both young and old. There are two substantial pieces of fish very nicely fried with mint mushy peas, some greens and fries on the side. The husband considers himself a fish & chips connoisseur of sorts (he orders it whenever he sees it on the menu) and he was very satisfied with the one at District 10.
Since we had the birthday cake, we didn’t order any desserts but there’s a pretty good range including warm lava chocolate cake, New York cheese cake and Italian tiramisu.
I really enjoyed our lunch at District 10 and would definitely like to go back again. It’s great for a small gathering like the one we had, especially if most of your friends have kids above 2 who can bounce around in the castle without needing too much parental supervision.
Last Bite: District 10 is perfect on Sundays. The kids get to go mad in the bouncy castle; the adults get to eat good food and enjoy a beer.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: Yes (but you need to get the key from the security guard at the counter) Kids’ menu: No
District 10 Bar & Restaurant
81 Clemenceau Ave
#01-15/16/17
UE Square Shopping Mall
Singapore 239917
Phone: 67384788
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
Boasting Time Out Singapore’s accolade of Best Breakfast in Singapore, Epicurious Cafe has a lot to live up to. Parked at the corner along the Singapore River, it makes for one kickass weekend brunch with the family. The kids can scooter or bike up and down the riverside, whilst you keep an eye on them over a coffee.
The tables are large, wooden, and heavy. And so were the benches we sat on. But that’s all part of the vintage charm of the cafe. Cups and plates are also old school vintage, which I thought was really cute.
We always order the Green Eggs and Ham ($14.60). Apart from sounding cute, the dish is very satisfying. Creamy scrambled egg studded with basil pesto, resting upon thin slices of parma ham. All this, laid upon country bread and scattered with parmesan cheese. Paired with oily but tasty potato chunks, this makes a superb choice for bigger appetites.
We also opted for the age old favourite, Eggs Benedict. It came drenched in Hollandaise sauce, which is a good thing for me because I love the stuff, but may freak out those that aren’t into very heavy and high-calorie breakfasts. I enjoyed the soft English muffins it came on, and the generous portion of smoked salmon.
My only complaint? The eggs were over-poached! This is the reason why I get worried whenever I order Eggs Benedict. I’m always terrified of getting eggs that are over or under done 🙁 These yolks were still soft, fortunately, but were solid and did not have the luscious creamy ooze that I so desire.
Happily, the Choco Nana ($7) was quite the hit. It was pretty as a picture! Perfectly toasted bread, containing melted nutella and bananas. The dish was dusted with icing sugar and topped off with bright red strawberry chunks. What’s not to love?
Their rendition of French Toast will have you (and everyone else at your table) curiously leaning over to take a second look. It’s French Toast…. dipped in corn flakes!! If you like your crispies, like I do, you’ll love it. If you’re a traditionalist, you’re going to think this is way too weird. I did enjoy it, but this is a dish to share, as the 3 fat chunks of bread can get a bit moreish.
The Americano coffee was pleasant but nothing outstanding. I did like their old-style coffee shops cups that they were served in, though!
Remember to come dressed for the outdoors, as the cafe is almost entirely al fresco. It’s a lovely, casual little spot to enjoy the view over the river, and is very popular with families.
My kids loved playing around in the area afterwards!
Oh the simple pleasures of splashing in puddles
Adrenalin junkies
Last Bite: Epicurious Cafe is a lovely spot to chill with your family by the Singapore River. Food is well-portioned and satisfying, and it’s easy to keep an eye on the kids as they run around by the riverside.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Epicurious Cafe
#01-02 The Quayside
60 Robertson Quay
Singapore 238252
Phone: 6734 7720
Prices: $$$
Hours: Tue – Fri: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm, 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm, Sat – Sun: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
I can safely say The Book Cafe ranks riiiiight up there as one of the most kid-friendly cafes I’ve visited in Singapore.
Ironically, I’d been pushing off checking out this cafe for months, because I thought it was very baby-UNfriendly (I was under the impression that, being a book cafe, it was practically like a library and kiddos were not tolerated). Of course, the day never came where I’m *ahem* rid of both kids, so one day I just decided to bite the bullet and meet some girl friends there.
I’ve since been back 3-4 times, with either one or both kids, and I am delighted with this cafe.
It’s cozy and laid back, with friendly service and a casual atmosphere. The patrons seem to be split into three groups: the diners that park themselves for ages (studying or working on their laptop), the diners that are there for a quick business lunch, and the diners with young children in tow (<– points to self).
I’ll be frank – I feel really sorry for the people there trying to study/work. The cafe is split into two areas, with the couch section popular with the parents-with-kids. If you’re there trying to study/work, you’ll want to think again, buddy. I personally wouldn’t want to be there whilst kids are wandering around and distracting you!
That said, the couch section is AWESOME if you have kids in tow. The couches are low enough for kids to climb up/down, very comfy, and you’re able to spread out all your kiddie paraphernalia. It’s also pretty contained, so kids are pretty safe.
And, OH MY GOODNESS, they have toys. A big, fat box of toys for kids to dig around in and amuse themselves with. What a hit!!
I have a soft spot for their latte. I ask for mine in their big mug (usually reserved for their iced drinks), with an extra shot otherwise it’ll be too milky. It always hits the spot, and I love sipping on my big glass of coffee as I relax on the couch and oversee the kids, without having to chase after them like a crazy chicken.
Their food ranges from pretty decent to excellent. The prices are very reasonable, and the portion sizes satisfying.
For example, this Chicken and mushroom alio olio is a children’s portion, at $7 I believe? It’s as big as an adult-sized portion at other cafes! It had more ingredients than it did pasta 😉 Hunter really enjoyed it.
The Olive rice with chicken was also very filling. Tender grains of rice flecked with a generous portion of tasty chopped olives, and packed in with chicken chunks. However, it was the same chicken chunks as the pasta above, so I was a bit bored of it by then as I’d already eaten some of Hunter’s meal.
But their Cheeseburger and wedges. OH MY. Their #1 dish and a must-order. Surprisingly, once of the best burgers I’ve had in Singapore!
The glossy bun is soft and fluffy, and I love the melted cheese and crispy lettuce. But it’s the patty that rocks – cooked medium by request, it was so juicy and full of that real meat flavour (compared to some fast food places with very odd tasting meat). The whole thing was juicy and dripping, and just packed with deliciousness. I’m smacking my lips just thinking about it! I’ve had it about 3 times now, and it’s been good every time, so consistency is there.
The Book Cafe is one of the rare places where I can sit down and relax for an extended period of time, whilst the kids potter around and play. More often than not, I’m trying desperately to keep them amused, or chasing after them in a cafe. For this reason, I really appreciate The Book Cafe’s concept and kid-friendliness.
Believe it or not, they have their own baby change table! So convenient and what a relief for mums with a messy poo job at hand. Plus, their regular adult toilets have a drop-down mini toilet seat, for potty trained kids.
Hunter and Carter really enjoy visiting The Book Cafe, and Hunter remembers it as “the toy cafe”. He thinks it’s his second home 😉
Last Bite: The Book Cafe offers a couch section with a large box of toys, sure to be a hit with your kids. With free WIFI and a wide menu, they are a popular spot for parents with kids. Check out their cheeseburger, it’s a stunner!
The Book Cafe
20 Martin Road
01-02 Seng Kee Building
Singapore 239070
Phone: 6887 5430
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon – Thu: 8:00 am – 10:30 pm, Fri – Sat: 8:00 am – 12:00 am, Sun: 8:00 am – 10:30 pm
The name Spathe Public House makes me think it’s some sort of baths. In actual fact, it’s a restaurant serving up food catered for groups. Best to go with a party of 4 or more, since their feature point is the share-able menu!
I was charmed by their interior, which featured a lot of brick work and pre-war era fixtures. It’s quiet on weekday lunches, which is when my girl friend and I visited. We had our kids in tow, and were pleasantly surprised that the place was pretty baby friendly – mostly due to the fact that it was largely empty and kids could run around undisturbed and without being too annoying. We also discovered that their weekday set lunch is very kid-friendly.
Spathe Public House
Their cakes and loaves on display
A bowl of fake fruit on the table, which served as great amusement for the kids.
I kicked it off by immediately zero-ing on the Watermelon lemonade cocktail. Made with fresh watermelon, freshly-squeezed lemonade, vodka, and soda, it was kickass good. Yes, it was brunchtime but I never say no to a cocktail 😉
The Spathe garlic fries came recommended and I was delighted that it came in a basket with lots of fries! More than enough for the two of us, especially since there were so more-ish. I think I have a love/hate relationship with these fries – I can’t quite figure out if I like or dislike them! I like the fact that they were SUPER tasty and had lots of garlic clustered all over it, but I disliked the heavy handed use of salt/seasoning that made it difficult to eat (you see, I like to eat my fries in very large quantities, and with these, I felt compelled to chug down on glasses of water after each bite).
Spathe garlic fries ($6)
The Pumpkin soup was part of the lunch set and came in a petite serving, great for a toddler. She seemed to enjoy it 🙂
Pumpkin soup
The main for the set lunch was the Mixed mushroom ravioli with basil pesto and it was a fairly petite portion, but alright for a female and/or small eater. It was, inexplicably, scattered with chilli flakes.. so we had to dig it all out before feeding the kids. They ate the pasta without complaint!
Mixed mushroom ravioli with basil pesto
The most Asian dish on the menu is the Yellow fin tuna poke, which is essentially tuna carpaccio and fresh avocado. It was small, so small I practically had to squint to see it. I can’t understand how this can be a main meal. If I’d ordered this, I’d have been hungry and angry.
Yellow fin tuna poke – crispy shallots, avocado, shiso and yuzu vinagrette ($18)
My Chicken and the sea dish was served in a deep dish, but only had a very thin layer of paella in it. The serving size is WAY too small for the price, and definitely not enough to fill me. Thankfully, I’d pigged out on those garlic fries earlier and my belly was sloshing with the cocktail, so I didn’t complain. The rice had a lot of spice to it, which surprised me as it wasn’t labelled a spicy dish on the menu. Unfortunately, this meant the kids couldn’t have any 🙁
The New Zealand mussels that came with the dish was the star item – succulent and luscious, they were flat out amazing. In retrospect, I should’ve ordered their NZ Mussels dish and not bother with this paella.
Chicken and the sea – Spanish paella rice, NZ mussels, squid, chorizo, chicken, saffron ($25)
Their hazelnut chocolate cake was tops! Dense and rich, with creamy frosting between the layers, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Hazelnut chocolate cake
I suspect Spathe Public House would be a lot more reasonably priced if we had come with a larger group and gone for the sharing platters instead. But it’s not worth the money for individual dishes, because of the relatively high price point and extremely petite portions. The food itself was reasonable but nothing particularly blew me away.
That said, we really appreciated the service. The staff were prompt, courteous, and attentive.
Last Bite: Spathe Public House makes for a lovely, quiet weekday lunch. It’s best to go in a group to share food, as individual portions can get pricey.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes (though there are 1-2 small steps you need to navigate up) Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Spathe Public House
8 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-01
Singapore 238958
Phone: 6735 1035
Prices: $$$$
Hours: Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm, Sat: 10:00 am – 11:00 pm, Sun: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
I’m such a sucker for little cafes, especially if they’re family and kid-friendly. One in particular that I visited recently really tickled my fancy, so much so that I ended up there twice in the same week!
Kith Cafe is situated right on the Singapore river, and is a teeny tiny cafe with predominantly outdoor dining. The best spots are the lil wooden tables and chairs in the outdoor grassy area, for people-watching and a bit of el fresco dining. Obviously, with Singapore’s heat, it’s best to go there early-ish for breakfast or brunch.
Kith Cafe
Dining under the trees by the river
Chilling out under the shade
They do a good coffee. I had the Latte and it was spot on. I learned the regular takeaway cups have a double-shot, and the large ones have a triple-shot, so I suppose that’s why they’re fantastically rich and full-flavoured.
Latte
I was really impressed with their Spaghetti and meatballs. It was an impressive portion of pasta with a simple tomato sauce that wasn’t too salty. But it was the fat meatballs that I liked most – they had a very homemade flavour to them, they were very moist, and were absolutely delicious. I’ve never been impressed with spaghetti and meatballs at cafes, but this one really did it for me. That said, I must note that Chris wasn’t particularly impressed with it.. declaring that it tasted “like canned spaghetti”. It didn’t for me!
Spaghetti and meatballs
But my absolute fave dish there is their Steak sandwich. Hooboy this is good!! Thin slices of steak that’s superbly tender and perfectly cooked both times I’ve ordered it, with a scattering of rocket leaves, a thin slice of cheese (wish they would triple the portion), and served with a side of yummy corn chips. If you had to pick just one dish, I reckon you should go for this 🙂
Steak sandwich
The Lava brioche was $4 which is pretty pricey, but at least it was really good. It looked pretty uninteresting when served, but the inside of the brioche was buttery and fluffy, with a very enticing-looking liquid chocolate center. It only has a small bit of chocolate though, wish it had heaps more!
Lava brioche
Hunter gave their Muesli with yogurt and strawberries a BIG thumbs up, and I was so impressed when the staff kindly gave him an extra pot of yogurt, complimentary.
I couldn’t resist the Strawberry yogurt milkshake and it didn’t disappoint. They used big fresh strawberries and scoops of frozen yogurt, all whizzed together. SO nice on a hot day!
Muesli with yogurt and strawberries (top-left), Strawberry and yogurt milkshake (bottom right)
Of course, the best bit is that since it’s outdoors, kids can run around and stretch their legs without disturbing others. Our lil ones took full advantage of that 😉
As you can see, Hunter is current in a selfish-phase, claiming every toy within reach HIS, and having a nervous breakdown if any kid tries to grab it 🙁
I love this pic – so sweet! I guess that’s how she managed to get the toy excavator out of Hunter’s hands 😉
Boys strolling along the river
This pic kinda reminds me of the Leo Dicaprio internet me-me of “Haters gonna hate” 😀 Google it if you have no idea what I’m talking about!
“WHERE’S MAH GIRL FRIEND??”
Super-hope that when Hunter grows up, he’ll date one of my gfs’ kids, and not some random lousy minx 😛
Looking like they’re walking off into the sunset together 😉
Last Bite: A wonderful kid-friendly cafe by the Singapore River, serving up great food and an excellent coffee. Chill outside whilst your kids play on the grass or with the box of toys.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: Yes Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
An impressive organic eggs benedict with braised ox cheeks and chive hollandaise, on sourdough toast.
Born from a partnership between 40 Hands cafe, Australia’s Five Senses Coffee and the Spa Spirit Group, Common Man Coffee Roasters recently opened their doors and, if you surf a lot of food blogs, you’d have noticed them popping up left right and center.
But first. The cafe itself.
If you bring a kid in a stroller, like I did, you’ll be utterly stumped when you arrive. The cafe doors are at the top of a flight of stairs, with no other way in. I stood there, in the drizzling rain, cursing under my breath at child-unfriendly locations… when a waiter spotted me and immediately dashed down the stairs with a big smile on his face. He quickly helped us up the stairs and helped me put away the stroller, fussing over us and giving us lots of attention. I was pretty surprised and impressed.
Stairs, stairs and more stairs. Enough to make a grown woman (with a stroller) want to cry..
The coffee/bar area looks like Broadway! I was rather dazzled by all the lights. The cafe is spacious, the ambience relaxed and inviting.
My girl friend and I really disliked their chairs, however. They are 3-legged stairs and perhaps we are klutzy or something, but we found it hard to… errrmmmm… keep our bums on the chairs! Especially me, as I had to keep leaning over to feed and talk to Hunter. I kept tipping over the chair and nearly fell onto the ground in an unglam heap. Numerous times.
*dazzling*!
And what of their coffee, their pride and joy?
I am no coffee connoisseur, but I thoroughly enjoyed my latte and wished it came in a much larger cup (though their glass cups are so pretty). It was robust but not overbearing, very smooth and had a lovely flavour.
And, I thought my coffee art was sooo impressive!
Latte ($5)
My Organic eggs benedict with braised ox cheeks and chive hollandaise, on sourdough toast was WOW. Simply, WOW. It blew my mind and has me determined to come back here to order it again.
To put it simply – Hunter, my reluctant eater that almost never eats meat, wolfed down a good chunk of this dish. I was amazed!
The sourdough toast was spongey and gave great but subtle flavour, and the eggs were so perfectly poached. They oozed creamy and rich, and the yolk was so brilliantly coloured.
But it was the braised ox cheeks that got me. It was all melty and tender and so full of robust flavour that I was surprised by how well it paired with ‘regular’ eggs benedict. What an unusual combination, but Common Man did it perfectly.
This dish was perfection IMHO and I am not interested in trying any other dish at this cafe, because I’d always get this one.
Organic eggs benedict with braised ox cheeks and chive hollandaise, on sourdough toast ($24)
Here’s where things got kinda….. WEIRD…..
I ordered half an avocado for Hunter, because I figured he could eat that if he rejected my dish above. For $5, I was expecting a SPECTACULAR avocado.
Instead, what I got was a quarter (not half, as the menu promised) of an avocado, with chilli flakes all over it!!!!!! This wasn’t mentioned on the menu, was an utterly odd pairing, and of course Hunter can’t eat chilli flakes. So I had to very carefully dissect it and clean of all the chilli. Not to mention, the avocado was not ripe enough and was kind of crunchy/hard, not the beautifully creamy rich avocado that I was expecting. Still rather horrified I was charged $5 for this.
Quarter of an avocado (though advertised as half), for $5
My girl friend ordered the Common Man full veggie breakfast with organic eggs, halloumi, spinach, grilled tomatoes, chestnut mushrooms, avocado, lemon and chilli, sourdough toast and we wondered why the halloumi cheese looked so… odd. Nor did it taste anything remotely like halloumi. Also, why does a vegetarian breakfast have sausage and bacon????
I was really confused, but my girl friend ate it anyway. It was a very decent portion so I think it’s pretty good value for money, but personally I never order big breakfasts because they bore me.
Anyway, now that I’m looking it up online, I realise they got her order wrong and presented her with the regular Big Breakfast instead (hence all the meat), and not the vegetarian one!! And the halloumi cheese was actually a hash brown.
Big Breakfast (served incorrectly as we’d ordered the Vegetarian version)
Things significantly picked up with the Chocolate and peppermint slice, which I ordered on a whim. I don’t even like peppermint, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED this. The chocolate base was almost like the base of a cheesecake in terms of texture – it was sublime. The peppermint on top was luscious and creamy, not too overpowering, and worked really well with the chocolate.
I hope this is a menu staple because I’m intent on getting it again!
Chocolate and peppermint slice
The prices at Common Man Coffee Roasters sure ain’t cheap, but I do find it justified given the nice ambience and awesome food (by this, I specifically refer to my Eggs benedict and Chocolate and peppermint slice). I’m also a big fan of the coffee.
I’ll be back for sure!
Last Bite: A killer eggs benedict that is not-to-be-missed. Lovely trendy ambience and a great place to hang out for a coffee. It is not built entirely baby-friendly, but the helpful staff more than make up for it.
Highchairs: Yes Easy access: No. Stairs to get up to the main cafe. Change tables: No Kids’ menu: No
Common Man Coffee Roasters
22 Martin Road #01-00
Singapore 239058
Phone: 6836 4695
Prices: $$$$
Hours: Mon-Sun: 8am – 7pm
