You have reached the Parenting, Lifestyle and Travel blog of a daddy of FIVE, Steven Teo. Parenting, because that’s what I NEED to do, have a peek at my LIFE (style got or not, you decide) and our Travels via bus and MRT, plus the occasional cheap overseas trip!
Saturday, August 8, 2015
No Birthday Celebrations but...
[Media Invite]
Kakis Bistro and Bar
My wife always says I am like a big kid and I do agree with her. I think I stopped remembering my actual age after my 21st birthday! Birthdays for adults in the family are almost non-events, and it was no different this year, except that we happened to get two media invites on my actual birthday that involved the whole family as well. The first place we visited was Kakis Bistro and Bar that is located at 289 Farnborough Road. As it was for the launch of their weekend breakfast, the event started at 9.30am! I had never heard of the place before but a quick search on streetdirectory.com showed that it was right at the Eastern tip of Singapore, near Changi Village. I even harboured the thought of bringing the kids over to Pulau Ubin for a short visit!
The entrance of Kakis Bistro and Bar.
A live band plays here in the evenings. You would just have to make do with crickets chirping and the sound of nature in the mornings though, and simply relax.
No free WiFi here as you are encouraged to talk and interact with your friends!
Or you can choose to play a game of pool or two.
You can also have a look at vertical planting and see how the system works.
There should be ample parking for customers just outside if you drive.
The bistro gave me the resort kind of feel when I first set eyes on it. The type of place I would go for a relaxing meal when on holidays in Thailand perhaps. You get to see quite a fair bit of DIYs when it comes to the décor and the wooden furniture. I believe the owner of the place wanted it to be a cozy, relaxed place, and for customers to be in tune with nature too. Hence the beautiful landscaping with live fauna, fake carpet grass and wooden furniture and fittings.
Staying right in front of the fan blower helps bring the temperature down and make the kids happier.
We got there pretty early and my wife managed to find a seat right in front of the fan blower which was a really smart decision. I cannot imagine how cranky the kids would get under the hot sun and in the humid weather that ensued (you can find a seat under the shelter though, but kind of defeats wanting the alfresco dining experience). The place was full of greeneries (as the owner was in love with botany), just beside a golf course and will probably be a great place to relax and chill out in the evening.
Nasi Lemak ($6.00) - Chilli was not bad, the drumlets and mid-wing were crispy. Overall an ok dish but you pay for the ambiance.
Kiddy Pancakes ($6.00) - Simple pancakes that comes with one banana. The kids thought it was cute but only the glutton, Stacci finished the banana and one pancake. I took the other and it was rather plain, despite the syrup.
Little Hero Big Breakfast ($8) - This actually looks like what I would get for the kids from the breakfast buffet line when on holidays (except for the tomatoes).
Rosti with Jumbo Hotdog ($11) - Unfortunately the very thin rosti was burnt and thus we didn't try it. The sausage was okay but a little pricey for me though.
Detox Infused Fruit Drinks ($6.50) - Very mildly flavored drinks. The type of fruit combo / flavors available depends on the seasonality of the fruits. The kids were probably too used to sugary stuff and didn't like this healthier choice.
I will really have to think twice or thrice about having breakfast there again though, for getting there would require one to drive or take a taxi and it gets ridiculously hot in the late morning. One would need take a short walk in if coming by bus as the nearest bus stop is quite a distance away. The breakfast will need to be REALLY awesome to entice one to make his/her way down. We tried the Nasi Lemak, Kiddy Pancakes, Little Hero Big Breakfast, Rosti with Jumbo Hot Dog and some Detox Infused Fruit Drinks. I found the Nasi Lemak chilli not too bad, but unfortunately that was about it, the rest we had were nothing to shout about.
Having said that, the place must be lovely in the evening and would be great for those staying in the East and wishing to escape from the hustle and bustle of town. But as we needed to take a 1hr 20mins bus ride back home, this would not really work for us unfortunately.
And here's one with our blogger friend, Hong Peng from Hpility.
The gals got a photo with Dr Leslie Tay!
The hardworking peeps behind the scene, opening one durian after another for the hungry participants walking for the durians "to drop" onto their picnic mat.
After getting some rest back home, we got ready for our second event of the day! And that was none other than Durian Mobilization 2015 hosted by Dr Leslie Tay from ieatishootipost and supported by Singapore Kindness Movement, which took place at Marine Drive Communal Hall. My experience with durians was limited to eating whatever my older brothers brought back home in the thick brown paper bags when I was still a kid, and the 3 for $10 / $20 pack of opened, pre-packed durians in styrofoam boxes when I had to buy them myself then. Of course I knew about the existence of different cultivars and the famous Mao Shan Wang, but I probably wouldn’t be able to really tell them apart. Being a durian lover who only knows how to eat, I knew that I shouldn’t miss this feast.
No worries! There are lots of durians to go around for everyone!
Happy Stacci with Dr Leslie introducing us to the different types of durians!
D??? I can't remember what cultivar it was but they all sure tasted yummy!
Stacci loves her durians too!
Dr Leslie got the crowd warmed up with his very candid and humorous hosting for the 7-course durian degustation, which consisted of cultivars such as D1, D88, Red Prawn, Green Bamboo, Golden Phoenix, Kampong Durian and Mao Shan Wang. From him, I dlearnt more about the different types of durians and their origins from him. It was truly a great experience to have a durian picnic with so many fellow fruit lovers and it’s heartening to know that the proceeds all went to a good cause - We Care @ Marine Parade, a community enabling network that supports needy families in the estate. I would stronger suggest forming a group of 5-6 pax and participating in the next installment of this yearly mobilization. Satisfy your craving and you do good at the same time!
This is how a durian party should be like! Everyone sitting in a circle, eating and chit-chatting too!
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