No surprises here—Fresh Fruits Lab (FFL) is our favourite cafe in the East of Singapore. This has never changed since our first visit in 2015.

The themed cafe has seen a revamp recently and it is nothing short of amazing. Still keeping their core laboratory theme and incorporating fruits into their menu, FFL now boasts a colourful, pastel interior that is both whimsical and photogenic.

It has also become a kids-friendly dining outlet with a play corner for your little ones as well as a low-salt kids menu that is so reasonably priced.

How can a cafe make us fall in love so much? FFL always does it best. Here are some of our favourite dishes from its current menu. You need to bring your squad here for your next gathering!

So you think the cafe only looks pretty?

FFL has always been consistent with their food. No effort is spared to serving only the best—from their dedicated culinary team (most of the chefs have years of experience cooking and baking in top hotels in Singapore!) to the freshness of ingredients.

The menu goes beyond a typical cafe’s standards. It has a wide range of appetisers, salads, mains, desserts, coffee and juices; basically everything that attributes to a good meal. And as its name and theme suggest, FFL incorporates fruits as much as possible into everything for that healthy and refreshing touch.

FFL SIGNATURE FISH & CHIPS

If we had to pick only one dish to love at FFL, it would be their Signature Fish & Chips. Fish & Chips may sound boring but wait till you’ve tried FFL’s version!

For just S$19, you get a huge piece of beer-battered pacific dory fried to a golden perfection. As if the generous serving is not filling enough, it comes with a larger portion of fruits salad, a mountain of fries and homemade tartare.

This is comfort food for the soul, guys.

SOFT-SHELL CRAB PASTA

Also at S$19, this pasta is our favourite among the four choices on the menu.

Featuring a huge and crispy soft-shell crab sits atop al dente spaghetti, the Soft-Shell Crab Pasta is a slightly spicy rendition that is not for the faint-hearted. The chilli crab sauce is homemade, by the way.

FFL DA BOMB BURGER

Need your burger fix but don’t want your wallet to take a beating? The FFL Da Bomb Burger (S$19) will make your trip to FFL worth the while.

This beauty is everything a burger should be—juicy beef patty (200g) that is grilled to medium well, fresh romaine lettuce for the crisp,

SALMON STEAK

A healthier option for the ladies (and even the kids) is the Salmon Steak (S$26). This dish is set on fire (literally) as it is served to you and the end result is a sweet piece of pink salmon that boasts a subtle smoky flavour.

It is accompanied by asparagus purée, mashed carrots, arugula and a homemade grape sauce served in a cute onion cup! That is a fair bit of greens if your skinny jeans are getting a little tight but you still need good food in your life.

SPARKEY THE DOG

This is probably the cutest item on the kids’ menu. At only S$10, this is a pancakes dish that is prepared with low-salt bacon and ham. It is completed with fresh blueberries.

BOO-BOO BEAR

This is too cute, even the adults might not be able to resist the Boo-Boo Bear (S$13)!

And it tastes as good as it looks. We wouldn’t want to cut the bear up but the fried sweet potato cake is too yummy to pass. Stuffed with chicken, zucchini, mushroom and tomato, the sweet potato cake is wrapped with an egg—yes, the bear’s blanket.

LIGHTNING CARS

The perfect dish for your boys (or girls who love cars!), the Lightning Cars (S$12) is a simple yet hearty grilled chicken that is tender and flavourful despite the fact that no salt is used in cooking.

This chicken main is served with purple sweet potato purée and mixed fruit skewers for a more balanced meal.

CREEPY-CRAWLY

Fancy something more filling for the older kids? The Creepy-Crawly (S$13) is a wholesome tortilla wrap that is jam-packed with yummy smoked duck, onion, lettuce and carrots.

There is also a side of homemade fruit yogurt—blueberry, strawberry, granola, honey yoghurt.

ULTIMATE PEANUT BUTTER CHOC CAKE

FFL has a dedicated pastry chef and he bakes the prettiest French-style sweets. The one that we really love is the Ultimate Peanut Butter Choc Cake.

Priced at S$7.50, this decadent treat is our newfound guilty pleasure. Every mouthful of the dense cake is so rewarding; the taste of the rich peanut butter lingers on.

TEA BY LUPICIA INFUSED CAKE

For a lighter but no less satisfying cake option, this doll is your best bet. The Tea by Lupicia Infused Cake is also priced at S$7.50 and it totally reminds us of sweets we’d see in French patisseries.

The whiff of the aromatic tea will first enrapture you, and as you take a bite, you’d realize just how well balanced the sweet and bitter notes of the tea are.

EMERALD GREEN APPLE TEA

The Emerald Green Apple Tea (S$12) may not sound like much, but just wait until you see it in real life. Served in a test tube, the Emerald Green is made of butterfly pea tea, green apple juice and soda water. Get your phone ready and watch as the staff adds in edible dry ice for a mini explosion. We won’t spoil it for you; make sure you order the drink when you are at Fresh Fruits Lab!

COLOURED LATTES

Just when you thought coloured lattes are so gimmicky, you might want to consider trying FFL’s versions. These 4 pretty colours are all achieved using natural ingredients.

There is the Beetroot Latte which boasts a shocking shade of pink, the Sweet Potato Latte which is the gorgeous lavender-coloured cup, the Butterfly Pea Latte which spots a dreamy blue hue, and the Matcha Latte in the usual green.

Because zero artificial colouring is used for these lattes, you shouldn’t expect a super sweet cup with strong flavour notes. Instead, think good old latte with nuances of sweetness and aroma.

Fresh Fruits Lab
351 Changi Rd, Singapore 419818
Tel: +65 6677 6741
Tue to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Eunos/ Kembangan

This post is brought to you by Fresh Fruits Lab.

Raising kids in Singapore is not a cheap affair and a family meal can be costly, especially when you bring them to a good restaurant; even kids’ meals at many eateries do not come cheap.

We often see parents sharing mains with their little ones—either to save money or to “not waste food”. More often than not, it’s the former.

Fortunately, there are some restaurants in Singapore that have been generously offering free meals for children. Here are 5 Restaurants in Singapore Where Kids Dine For Free.

#1 MORGANFIELD’S SINGAPORE

The rib restaurant is best known for its signature dish called Sticky Bones, which is slow cooked and smoked in their kitchen. They currently have three outlets in Singapore, and they are at Su ntec City Mall, The Star Vista and Vivocity.

For every main course purchased by an adult, the family gets to redeem a kids meal for a child under 8 years old or 120cm in height. A maximum of two kids meals is allowed for redemption, and this is only available on weekends and public holidays.

#02-23, The Star Vista 1 Vista Exchange Green
Singapore 138617
Tel: +65 6694 3635
Daily: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Buona Vista

#2 CAFE MOSAIC, CARLTON HOTEL SINGAPORE

The international buffet spread includes seafood such as oysters, tiger prawns and salmon sashimi; and local favourites in the likes of Rojak and Laksa.

Cafe Mosaic runs a special promotion over the weekends for their buffet lunch. Apart from having activities for the young ones, children below 6 years old dine for free, with a maximum of two children per table.

Weekend Buffet Lunch Sat & Sun: 12pm – 3pm Children Activities: 12pm – 2pm

Carlton Hotel Singapore
76 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189558
Tel: +65 6338 8333
Daily: 6am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Bras Basah

#3 CAFE MELBA

Your kids get to join the Kids Club and with every kids meal purchased, they can collect loyalty stamps and receive a mystery gift on every visit. Collect 10 stamps to join the Kids Gold Club and receive perks such as a free kids’ meal on every single visit.

Even if you aren’t a member, Cafe Melba at Goodman Arts Centre runs a weekly promotion where kids get to eat for free on Mondays when parents buy a main meal.

Goodman Arts Centre, Block N #01-56
90 Goodman Road
Singapore 439053
Tel: +65 6440 6068
Mon to Fri: 10am – 10pm
Weekends & PH: 8.30am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Mountbatten

#4 CHILI’S SINGAPORE

Indulge in Mexican food over the weekends at Chili’s with your family. With every purchase of an Adult Entree, kids under 12 are entitled to a free meal from the kids’ menu—choose from Kid Pizza to Kid Ribs Basket and Kids Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

Children eat for free every Tuesday and Thursday at Chili’s outlets in Tanglin Mall and Resort World Sentosa. This goes for the outlet at Clarke Quay Central, with the addition of Sundays. Do be mindful that this promotion does not extend to eve of and on public holidays.

Clarke Quay Central, #01-18
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
Singapore 059817
Tel: +65 6225 1687
Sun to Tue: 11.30 am – 10pm
Wed to Thu: 11.30am – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 11.30am – 12 Midnight
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

#5 BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Brussels Sprouts is well-known for being a family-friendly restaurant. Entertainment such as colouring activities and children’s play areas will keep your kids busy while you enjoy your food.

Apart from Friday and Saturday, kids under the age of 10 get to eat for free from 5pm to 12 midnight with every adult meal purchased and the menu includes favourites such as meatballs, sausages, fish and pasta.

The Pier @ Robertson, #01-12
80 Mohamed Sultan Road
Singapore 239013
Tel: +65 6887 4344
Mon to Thu: 3pm – 12
Midnight Fri: 2pm – 2am
Sat: 11am – 2am
Sun: 11am – 12 Midnight
Nearest Station: Clarke Quay

From baby to toddler, our baby turning one is a bittersweet moment for us. And like most parents, we want to celebrate his birthday as best way we know how, by throwing a birthday party.

When Brad asked me to share about my experience on ladyironchef, I agreed immediately because I hope this post on How to Plan a Baby’s First Birthday Party will give you some ideas when you are celebrating your child’s first birthday.

I do not consider myself experienced when it comes to party planning, much less a first year birthday party. Russell is my first born by the way. As a host, I did a few things right and a couple of things wrong. Here are some lessons learnt, and things I wished somebody told me before.

THINGS I DID RIGHT

There were many suggestions, like BBQ in a chalet, Lunch in a Club, House Party…  but I was very sure I wanted a distinctively kids party because he has the rest of his life to throw stripper parties. He is one, he will party like he is one.

THE VENUE

I want the kids to have fun but not have their fun jumping on my bed. I decided to hold it in a children indoor playground where they can go crazy in. My little guests are mostly toddlers. I read up and visited a few places before deciding on Kiddyfun because they specifically target the younger kids.

• The play area is well padded so the toddlers can run around with little supervision.
• The play is not too huge that you’d lose all your guests.
• The party area is comfortable and cozy, with actual sofas instead of stools, so the adults can lounge around and chit chat.

Party packages prices and offerings are comparable to other indoor gyms like Petite Park, Fidgets and Hokey Pokey. I recommend that you shortlist a few places, then make a trip down to look at their party areas before deciding. We brought Russell to test the play systems in KiddyFun first and he had so much fun that we were confident on our pick.

SPLURGE ON THE CAKE

When people look back on birthdays, they will refer to the cake to check when it was. “Oh, he was one, so that was 2013.” I did a lot of research on the cake and I’m really satisfied with it. I requested for 3 figurines; a baby boy that matches what he wore on the day, a dragon because he was born in the year of a dragon and a lion because he’s a Leo. It is very hard to make a cute fondant dessert masculine ok? But this cake is age appropriate yet manly. And it was beautifully crafted. Perfect.

TIME

The party lasted for 2.5 hours. Initially I thought it was too short, but anything longer and the kids will grow cranky while the adults grow restless. Some friends throw parties that last the whole day and people are free to turn up at different times. I prefer to put everyone together.

THINGS THAT COULD BE IMPROVED

There are a few things I wish I could have done better and it really boils down to proper delegation.

GUESTBOOK

I wanted guests to leave messages for Russell, I even wanted people to leave video messages. However, I was too busy to do this. Delegate this to someone sociable and persuasive.

PHOTOS

To my horror, nobody took pictures of the guests and I was running around all the time that any pictures I took were shoddy. This is one of those things I took for granted. Now it looks like I have thrown a #foreveralone birthday party. Have someone be in charge of taking photos of every guest, preferably someone who knows the guests well and can take a decent picture. I think this is basic party etiquette too.

INTRODUCTIONS

Do proper introductions and trust your guests to mingle by themselves. I was trying to make conversations with everyone that I cannot make conversations with everyone.

VIDEOS

Remember to record a video of the birthday song! The facial expressions on my boy’s face were priceless. Appoint two people to record the birthday song and put their lives on it. Remember to have one more person to take a video of the singing guests too, cover all angles!

Bottom line is, you cannot do everything by yourself and you’d find that people are happy to help. Delegate the right tasks to the correct people so you can relax, sit back and enjoy the party.

Despite the mistakes, we had a wonderful time. Really happy to see my friends and family, happy to see the kids playing and having fun, happy to see Russell’s huge smile and the twinkle in his eyes when everyone started singing his birthday song… and the embarrassment when he realised they were singing to him.

Words by Priscilla Nu