A fabulous new cafe seems to be opening up every week or so in Western Sydney at the moment! Our latest discovery is the delightful Corner Shop Cafe in Quakers Hill. It has a certain Donna Hay design element to it. With duck egg blue walls and bleached white furniture, a visit here will brighten up the gloomiest of days.

The Corner Shop Cafe occupies a corner position at the suburban Farnham Road Shops in Quakers Hill. There's plenty of parking and a couple of spots right in front of the cafe are designated for parents with prams. It's very easy to access the cafe with your pram and there's loads of space to park your pram(s) right next to your table, which is so rare these days when most cafes try to jam as many tables as they possibly can into their dining area.

On the morning we dined, we were greeted by a bunch of super friendly young staff. There's full table service (another bonus when dining out with kidlets) and as the cafe was fairly quiet we received our food and drinks quickly.  The Corner Shop Cafe has a Kids Menu which consists of a Cheese Melt on Sourdough ($7), Nuggets & Chips ($8), as well as Fish Fingers & Chips ($8). They will also serve kids drinks such as hot chocolates, in takeaway cups if you ask them to.

The adult's food is seriously delish. The smashed avo ($16) and truffled mushrooms on toast ($16) are great choices to start the day. There's also the usual eggs benny, big brekkie etc. At lunch time the menu features different types of burgers, a steak sanger, a schnitty and a chicken salad for those of you who limit the calorie intake.

The cafe doesn't have toilets but I do believe they are located close by (just ask for the key). Also bring along some pencils and paper to keep the kidlets occupied whilst you dine - so that you can enjoy your caffeine fix in peace. And yes the coffee they serve is a very decent brew.

So Western Sydney, keep up the good work as we're thoroughly enjoying road testing all of these fabulous new cafes and thank you for welcoming families with open arms x

Once upon a time Circular Quay was a bit of a wasteland when it came to finding somewhere decent to dine with the fambam - there was Maccas or City Extra plus a pub or two where you could chow down. Then the Gateway Sydney building had a major upgrade to be one of the city's premium dining hubs and now we are spoilt for choice with venues to eat in. And our family's current favourite is Four Frogs Creperie!

Four Frogs is located at the front of the Gateway Building and it is easy to spot with its bright red bistro chairs and red & white tiling on the facade. Don't be alarmed if the place looks full as they also have quite a bit of seating out the back of the restaurant - and this is the best spot to sit if you have a pram, as the front section does not have enough room to park one near your table. Being pramless, we sat in the front section which provided great people watching of all the toursits wandering around outside, and also the cute chefs in the kitchen whipping up the crepes.

Most of the friendly staff are from teh home of the frogs legs and service was seriously quick! Being a creperie, only crepes are served at Four Frogs. The savoury crepes are called galettes and they hit the spot perfectly at lunch time. They come in simple flavours such as spinach and feta ($11), and can also be quite fancy with fillings such as smoked duck, shallots, swiss cheese and hoisin sauce ($20). Each galette comes with a little bowl of dressed green salad leaves. If you prefer sweet crepes then you will be spoilt for choice as there are about 20 different flavour combinations on offer. They can be as simple as lemon and sugar, or as calorific as chocolate, banana, coconut ice cream and rum (which is served on fire).

Our little lads favourite choice at Four Frogs is the kids size Nutella Crepe ($5.00). This plate of deliciousness keeps them quiet for quite a while! And yes it does get messy so make sure you have some baby wipes handy. Most of the other crepes on the menu can also come in a kids size according to our waitress, so if your kids have more adventurous taste buds then ours do, there are loads of different offerings available for them. In regards to beverages, our dudes just went with table water, but kids size milkshakes made from homemade syrups are available ($6.50) as are soft drinks and juices.

The last little kid friendly tidbits about Four Frogs are - high chairs are available, just ask the waitstaff; there is a parents room located on the ground floor of the building; and take some pencils with you (my kids played tic tac toe on the back of the paper menu). Lastly there is a Wilson Car Park under the building which you access off Reiby Place. On weekdays the rates are extortionate, but on weekends you can park for $20.00 all day. Bur hey why not catch the ferry/train/bus into the city as they all land right in front of the Gateway Building at Circular Quay!

Four Frogs also has Creperies in Randwick and Mosman. We've dined at their Randwick venue before and loved it. And now we love their Cirqular Quay venue too. And just to let you know if 'dining in' with your kids freaks you out, you can also order the galettes/crepes for takeaway. Just head out the back of the Gateway Building where you will find a nice grassy area where you can sit down and eat, whilst the kids run around.

1 Macquarie Place, Circular Quay
02 9241 2277
Open 7 days
Mon - Fri: 7am - late
Sat - Sun: 10am - late
www.fourfrogs.com.au

I do love a hidden suburban gem. Those cafes that are not on the main drag or in a major shopping centre, but out in the local strip of shops that not many people know about. Cafes just like the funky Old Boy Espresso in the backs streets of Blacktown for example!

The Old Boy Espresso has been open for about a year and it has been fitted out in that trendy retro style that you find in so many inner west cafes these days, and now more and more in outer west cafes too. The friendly young staff are very welcoming and brew up a damn fine cup of coffee for you to enjoy whilst you peruse the menu.

The menu has a very brunch like feel to it and is full of current cafe classics.  There isn't a specific menu for little people, but there are quite a few options that they could get their little choppers around - one of which would be the Nutella Burger! This sounds divine - nutella and vanilla icecream is seved on a toasted milk bun and comes with strawberries and crushed pistachio. There are also waffles, muesli, bacon & egg rolls and toasted banana bread that little ones could also eat. 

If you are dining at lunch time (like we were), and don't really feel like a breakfast type of dish there are burgers and the like on the menu for you to munch on. It would have been great to have a healthier option like a salad to choose from although, especially when you are pretending to diet. Wanting to avoid the calorific burgers I chose the Avo Smash, which I ordered without properly reading what actually came with it. So when it was delivered to our table and I saw those evil little green balls called peas, my heart sank a wee bit as I can't stomach them (bad childhood memories). So they were quickly flicked off and over to the old boy that I was dining with (aka Mr Munch), for him to consume!  ​

Now the Old Boy Espresso has a loo out the back (but it doesn't have a baby change table). I didn't spy any high chairs either, so your little one may have to sit in your stroller/pram. Access is very easy into the cafe with your buggy, and there is also some space to park it near you table whether you sit inside or out. There's also quite a lot of parking available both in front of the cafe and also in the surrounding streets. Bring some colouring in along to occupy your kidlets during your meal, then afterwards pop around the back of the shops and you'll find a small playground and quite a bit of space for the kidlets to burn off some energy.

www.facebook.com/theoldboyespresso
24 Tallawong Ave, Blacktown NSW
Thu - Fri: 8.30am - 2.00pm
Sat - Sun: 9.00am - 2.00pm

I love Ikea, but golly gosh I dislike their coffee! The closest Ikea to Chez Little Munch is at Marsden Park and thankfully a cafe serving up an excellent brew of coffee has swung open its doors recently just across the road from it, so I can now enjoy my Ikea spree fully caffeinated. Little Munchers say a big hello to the Baristas' Shed!

Semi rural Marsden Park in North-West Sydney is booming at the moment. Brand new housing developments are popping up everywhere as are some major retailers (e.g. Costco). As a result a few different dining venues are also opening their doors to capitalise on this growth area. The Baristas' Shed is one such venue and it gets the Little Munch seal of approval. It is located within the Home Hub Centre at Marsden Park, which has heaps of free parking and toilets with a baby change table. From the carpark you can easily access the Baristas' Shed with a pram and choose to sit outside or inside which is nice and spacious.

Now the Baristas' Shed gets a big tick for brewing a perfect flat white. The handsome chap who owns this place knows how to do a good brew that's for sure. The beans are from Grand Cru who I'm unfamiliar with, but will be looking out for them from now on as the coffee was so good. Babycinos and yummy looking kid size shakes and orange juice are available for your little ones to sip on. And I spied some colouring in behind the counter if you need to keep little fingers entertained (apparently my lads are too cool for that these days!). 

Moving on to the food offering at the Baritas' Shed - for kidlets there is a decent range of baked goods in the front counter that they will enjoy munching on at breakfast time as well as well as toast with spreads, banana bread and fruit loaf as well. The menu is served all day, so whilst the menu doesn't feature anything specifically for kids there are some options such as a chicken panini as well as a selection of sandwiches/wraps in the front counter that they many enjoy.

For bigger bellies I can thoroughly recommend the Breakie Bruschetta to kick start your day. Mushrooms cooked in Worcestershire Sauce are mixed with kale and haloumi and then served on top of sourdough, and a perfectly poached egg is the crowning glory. The Granola Bowl also looks amazing and will definitely be road tested on our next visit to Ikea!

Before you head across the road to Ikea you might want to check out the Baby and Toddler Town store which is nearby the Baristas' Shed. I had a quick look and it stocks a fairly decent range of all things baby goods. Oh and there's also the Lindt Factory Outlet close by too! And you can enjoy all of this shopping fully caffeinated thanks to the Baristas' Shed.

facebook.com/TheBaristasShed
20/9 Hollingsworth Rd, Marsden Park NSW
Open 7.00am - 3.00pm daily

For our next Cafe Parent interview we are having a chat with Karyn from a great blog I've been following for a while now called Little Opinions. Karyn and her absolutely gorgeous daughters review all things kids, offering both the girl's perspective as well as Mums! 

Thank you so much for chatting with us Karyn, you are one busy lady! We definitely need to check out Salty Lip Cafe & Grill and we also definitely need to go on a family holiday to Ayres Rock after seeing the above photo of your beautiful fambam!

So Little Munchers I thoroughly recommend that you follow Little Opinions so that you can follow their adventures and keep up to date on all of teh best things to do with kids in Sydney:

​Website: www.littleopinions.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/littleopinions
Instagram: www.instagram.com/littleopinions

Westfield Miranda - Miranda

Date: Saturday April 8 to Thursday April 13
Time: 10.00am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.00pm
Cost: Free (but must book in advance)
Address: 600 Kingsway, Miranda
Telephone: 02 9525 6344
Class details: Easter themed kids cooking classes, on level 2 in the Fresh Food area.

Castle Towers - Castle Hill

Date: April 8-9-13-15-20-23
Time: 10am or 12pm (2 hour casses)
Cost: $5.00 (must book online)
Address: 6-14 Castle St, Castle Hill
Telephone: 02 8858 9700
Class details: Kids in the Kitchen workshops with various classes including cookie decorating, Easter egg decorating, soft shell tacos, lunch box ideas and more. All classes are held at the Centre Court on level 2.

Top Ryde Shopping Centre - Ryde

Date: Monday April 10 to Thursday April 13
Time: 11.00am - 1.00pm
Cost: Free
Address: Cnr Devlin & Blaxland Rds, Ryde
Telephone: 02 9808 8888
Class details: Classes (catering for approximately 20 children) will run for approximately 15 minutes. Children will learn to make wide range of tasty treats. Suitable for primary school children aged 5-12 years. No bookings required, first in first served.

Brasserie Bread - Banksmeadow

Date: Monday April 10 - Friday April 21
Time: 10am & 1pm (1.5hrs long)
Cost: $40.00 - book online
Address: 1737 Botany Rd, Banksmeadow
Telephone: 1300 966 845
Class details: This Autumn, our school holiday program will send your children on a whirlwind experience, from FARM TO BAKERY! In fact, they will be growing their own DIY sprouted wheat grains that they will take home with them! They will develop an understanding about the cycle from the farmer to the miller to the bakery where they will shape their own loaves of bread using a dough with healthy sprouted wheat grains through it and learn about the oldest known ancient grain, Emmer, to make delicious mini banana bread tin loaves. Truly a session not to be missed!

Grano - Wetherill Park

Date: April 11 & 18 10.45am
Time: 10.45am (2 hour class)
Cost: $35.00 (bookings via phone only)
Address: 1009 Canley Vale Rd, Wetherill Park
Telephone: 02 97254274
Class Details: Kids receive their own chef hat and apron, then make pizzas and eat them for lunch. There is also cupcake decorating and unlimited drinks throughout the session. All equipment and ingredients are included in the price.

Westfield Penrith - Penrith

​Date: April 11 & 12
Time: 11.00am - 2.00pm
Cost: Free
Address: 585 High St, Penrith
Telephone: 02 4721 4354
Class details: Easter Egg & Easter Cookie decorating workshops held on level 1, in the Fresh Food Market. No booking required just go along and enjoy the fun!

Sparkle Cupcakery - Surry Hills

​Date: Wednesday April 12
Time: 10.00am - 12.00pm
Cost: $59.00
Address: 132 Foveaux St, Surry Hills
Telephone: 02 9361 0690
Class details: Kidz bake Pure Sparkle cupcakes under the watchful eye of our Pastry Chef.  While cakes are baking, kidz take a refreshment break of cheese toasties, cookies and cordial.  After re-fueling, the fun ramps up with cupcake decorating creating Summer Time cupcakes.  Each little person can drizzle, pipe, sprinkle and cut to decorate their own 6 cupcakes to take home for sharing with friends and family.  Aprons provided during the class.

bombini - Avoca Beach

Date: Thursday April 13 & 20
Time:10.30am - 12.30pm
Cost: $70.00 (inc. roast lunch, house made gelato, juice)
Address: 366 Avoca Dr, Kincumber
Telephone: 02 4381 1436
Class details: Mastering the art of the Sunday Roast...Book your junior cooks into bombini, for a hands-on morning with bombini chef, Cameron Cansdell, where they will learn about simple ingredients and how to prepare them into something tasty. The kids will prepare & roast chicken with all the trimmings, create the tastiest stuffing & learn how to re-create the magic at home with recipes to share with mum & dad.

Rhodes Waterside Shopping Centre - Rhodes

​Date: Monday April 17 - Friday April 21
Time: 11.0am - 2.00pm
Cost: Free (no bookings required)
Address: 1 Rider Blvd, Rhodes
Telephone: 02 8754 1111
Class details: Easter Cookie Decorating on the Ground Floor near Target. Limited spots available.

Sydney Chocolate School - Mosman

Date: Tuesday April 18
Time: 10.30am - 12.00pm
Cost: $80.00
Address: 21/1110 Middle Head Rd, Mosman
Telephone: 02 9960 5848
Class details: Children aged from 5 to 16 will have a great time making chocolate in the school holidays. Our chocolatier will create a fun environment for everyone to see chocolate being hand tempered on marble (screams of joy as chocolate is splashed all over the marble!) Everyone then gets involved in making chocolate freckles, bars, lollypops and other child-friendly chocolates. Includes a certificate for the fridge and goody bag to take home and show off!

Watsons Bay Hotel - Watsons Bay

Date: Wednesday April 19
Time: 12.00pm - 1.00pm
Cost: $15.00 (book online)
Address: 1 Military Rd, Watsons Bay
Telephone: 02 9337 5444
Class details: Kids aged 5 - 15 years will learn to make hot cross buns with all their favourite toppings with the hotel's chefs.

Flour Eggs Water - Tramsheds, Harold Park

Date: April 19 & 20
Time: 9.30am - 11.30am
Cost: $75.00 SOLD OUT!!!
Address: 1 Dalgal Way, Forest Lodge
Telephone: 02 9188 7438
Class details: KIDS HOLIDAY PASTA MAKING WORKSHOPS!!! We are so excited to announce our first 2 dates for your little budding chefs to roll up those sleeves, put on an apron and learn all the tricks of the trade with our very own pasta master Eugenio Maiale!Your bambinos will knead, roll and cut their way to Italian pasta heaven and the good thing is there wont be one easter egg or ipad involved! They will each take home their very own flour eggs water apron and get to sit down at the end of their session to enjoy a beautiful bowl of pasta and something sweet to ensure they skip home to start preparing dinner for you that night!

Australian Brewery  - Rouse Hill

Date: Tuesday 11 April & Monday 24 April
Time: 12.00pm - 2.00pm
Cost: $5.00 (call to book)
Address: 350 Annangrove Rd, Rouse Hill
Telephone: 02 9679 4555
​Class Details: Make your very own pizza  & sundae then eat it!

If we've missed any please let us know!

A long lazy Sunday lunch with kids. You're joking right?! No I'm not. Thanks to Fratelli Fresh in Crows Nest this is indeed possible.....

Fratelli Fresh have venues all over Sydney serving up delicious and fresh Italian cuisine that even Nonna would eat. Their Crows Nest location is super family friendly, welcoming kidlets with open arms and encourage the long Sunday family lunch. 

You will find Fratelli Fresh located along the main dining drag of Willoughby Rd. There is plenty of (timed) street parking around the area, as well as a car park in nearby Holtermann St. The venue is easy to access with a pram and there is also some room to park it near your table (but I do recommend that you book ahead of time and advise them that you will have a pram). There are high chairs available and toilets on site that contain a baby change table. So all of the kid friendly dining boxes are getting big ticks so far.

To keep the kidlets occupied Fratelli Fresh provide an excellent kids menu that doubles as an activity sheet. And on the Sunday when we dined recently, there was the most awesome face painter! The lads have had their face painted quite a few times in their short lives, but the Joker face on my youngest is THE best I've seen. The face painter isn't a fixture every week, so perhaps confirm when you make your booking if she will be there, so that your kidlets aren't disappointed when they arrive.

On to the kids menu. It varies in price from $5.00 - $12.00 depending on the size of the dish ordered. Oh and every Sunday, Kids Eat Free (under 12yrs) with every adult meal purchased! The menu covers things as simple as a green salad with tomatoes and cucumbers, to pizza, spaghetti, ravioli, fish fingers and even a bowl of broccolini!! I love that there are loads of healthy items and also a few unhealthy ones thrown in for good measure.

The boys chose the Spaghetti Napolitana ($10.00) and the Chicken Scallopini Strips with Chips ($12.00). The chicken dish was huge and could easily be shared between two little people. The meals came out at the perfect temperature which meant that the boys could tuck in straight away.

For a sweet treat, kidlets (and adults) can choose between different flavoured Gelato tubs for dessert ($6.00) and there is also a lovely selection of Dolce. Tiramisu is normally my go to dessert when we are chowing down in an Italian restaurant. However I deviated this time and tried the house speciality of the Banoffee Torta. This little slice of bliss had the most decadently rich caramel on top of a crunchy biscut base. It was crowned with fresh cream, banana and shaved chocolate. It was definitely naughty and definitely nice! 

​So my dear Little Munchers, next time you are looking for a venue for a family friendly lunch, make sure you consider Fratelli Fresh in Crowns Nest and remember chi mangia bene, vive bene!

www.fratellifresh.com.au
118 Willoughby Rd, Crows Nest NSW
02 8099 7070
Open 7 days

Trying to occupy kidlets in school holidays can be a real challenge. And as we are constantly told by the naysayers that we should not use elecronic devices to "babysit" our kids, I feel obliged to source activities outside the house to keep them (and me) occupied. So thankfully businesses like the delightful Grandma's at McEvoy in Alexandria, provide hands on cooking classes during school holidays to entertain kidlets, whilst their parents sit back and relax over a perfectly brewed coffee and some of the most delicious food you'll taste this side of the Middle East!

​Grandma's at McEvoy is the flagship store/cafe of the the Grandma's group of cafes that include venues at Rosebery and also at the farm in Collector, in south west NSW. We're big fans of their Collector cafe, and visit it regularly en route to Canberra. And now we are massive fans of their McEvoy cafe after our visit there in the January school holidays.

You'll find this very family friendly cafe on busy McEvoy Street. The cafe ticks all of the kid friendly boxes, and is very popular with the gorgeous Mummas and Pappas of the inner city. They have a cute and well used kids play area, which is perfect to occupy little people whilst you sit back and enjoy one of the cafe's delicious meals. Or if one of their Cookie/Chocolate making workshops are on, your kids can do that too.

All of Grandma's classes need to be booked online in advance, as they are very popular! The lads participated in the chocolate making workshop, which was run by one of Grandma's young chefs. To start with the kids donned an apron and then were taken to wash their hands. From here they were given a quick lesson in where chocolate came from, and were encouraged to eat a cocoa bean (which of course was spat out quite quickly).

Then the real fun began as they were allowed to create their very own chocolates, with the help of the chef. Obviously this is not the sort of class kids with allergies could do, as there were nuts available to decorate chocolates with. Of course the chocolate buttons, mini M&Ms and 100s & 1000s were the most popular items to decorate with, and I'm sure I spied one or two of them being slyly snuck into a little mouth when chef wasn't watching!

With the boys completely taken care of, we could sit back and relax over brunch for once. We didn't order a meal for them as they were too busy eating chocolate, however there is an excellent Grandkids Menu which we have sampled on many occasions when dining at Grandmas at the farm. The kids meals are hearty, healthy and all home made, with not a deep fried nugget or chip in sight! 

Let's move on to the adults. There are so many delicious choices for big people to eat for both breakfast and lunch at Grandma's. Everything has a definite Middle Eastern influence, and it's all home made just like you'd expect to have at your Grandmother's house ( I suppose as long as she is a good cook!). For our brunch we enjoyed the homemade natural muesli with yoghurt, almonds and strawberries as well as the poached eggs with Grandma's special bread and a side of bacon. Both dishes looked bright and colourful and were full of loads of flavour.

Grandma's are also famous for their Shakshukas. They are served all day and come in loads of different flavours. Other homestyle dishes on the lunch menu include soup, casseroles and tasty looking fresh salads.

Grandmas also have loads of things for sale. From olives and olive oil direct from their Collector farm, to cookies, jams and kitchen objects, it's hard to go home empty handed. Their inhouse bakery also has loads of delicious goodies that you can take home as well (their chocolate croissants are quite heavenly).

The only hassle we had at Grandma's was finding a park. There are only a couple parking spots behind the cafe, and street parking is a bit of a nightmare. Then we discovered a Bunnings up the street on the corner of Euston Rd. So your best bet is to head straight up there. It's an easy walk back to the cafe, and of couse if your kids need to burn off any further energy, you can always take them to the playground in Bunnings before you head home!

So Little Munchers was your Grandma a good cook? And what do you do to occupy your kidlets in the school holidays?

www.grandmas.com.au
140-142 McEvoy St, Alexandria
02 9669 1862
​Open 7 days 7am - 4pm 

​For those of you who may not know me very well, I need to let you know that I grew up on a farm. A farm with more than a few acres. And as a result I frequently have a yearning to return to the life of acres, especially as I have been blessed with two rambunctious boys who need an awful lot of space. But I also adore the city lifestyle and all of its trimmings, and as a result I quite often find myself pulled between both lifestyles. So when I heard through social media that a small acreage had somehow come to life in the inner city of Sydney, I just knew I (we) needed to be there.

This mini urban farm is called Camperdown Commons. It is home to a delicious eatery called Acre, and also to Pocket City Farms (a company trying to fill any neglected space in Sydney with small farms). You will find the Camperdown Commons in the back streets of inner city Camperdown, and it is a perfect place to venture with the whole family, as well as a big group of your fellow breeders - as there is loads of space for everyone to enjoy themselves!

When you first arrive at Camperdown Commons you will find a small coffee stall at the entrance, where you can grab a takeaway and also a snack, and then you can go for a wander around the "farm."  Or you can venture further down the garden path, and you will arive at the Garden Terrace. It's here that you will find loads of funky inner city families hanging out. The Terrace is under the cover of a pergola, and it wraps around an expansive lawn, which has umbrellas and rugs for you to sprawl out on. 

​At th end of the lawn there's a cool nature based playground for kids to play in. And when they grow bored of that, there's also toys such as hoola hoops and frisbees for kids to have some backyard fun with as well. If you have any little bookworms in your brood, they will love the book shelf full of interesting reads. And to top it all off, you can also take your kids on an explore of the vegies patches and chicken coop.

With the kids happily occupied, you can get down to the serious business of ordering some food. The Garden Terrace is open from Wednesday - Sunday from 8am. You order and pay at the outdoor food counter, and they will bring the meals to your table. 

At the Garden Terrace, the food menu from Wednesday - Friday is "bar food" - so it's snack/lunch type of fare. And on weekends they serve an all day breakfast. Kidlets have their very own menu and all the food is quite healthy and delicious sounding. There's a real emphasis on paddock to plate dining, with the kitchen using produce direct from the vegies patches and also from farmers in the Sydney basin, so there will always be some "garden bits" in the kids meals!

Likewise with the adults menu, there are quite a few things from the garden in each dish. The Avocado, Ricotta, Tomato & Soft Boiled Egg on Sourdough, not only looks delish but is also bursting with fresh flavour. Likewise with the Granola Bowl, which is full of the most gorgeous coconut yoghurt and fresh fruit - it is the most perfect way to kick start your day. 

The actual "restaurant" section of Acre, is indoors behind the Garden Terrace, and it has been styled in a farmhouse design. It's where you go if you are after a more formal meal, but it is also welcoming of families and has an upmarket menu, including one for the kidlets. It's only open for lunch and dinner Wednesday - Sunday. There are high chairs as well as space to park your pram. And just near the entrance to the restaurant you will find the amenities, which includes a toilet with a baby change table.

Before you leave the farm, make sure you purchase some fresh produce, plucked straight from the garden in the morning, at the market stall near the entrance. Or why not enroll in one of Pocket City Farms tours and learn the basics of urban farming (but be warned...they may make you weed!!). Also outside the front gate there is a community herb patch where you can pick your own herbs to take home with you. So make sure you grab some basil for your pasta (or some mint for your mojito), on your way home.

Getting There: Outside of Camperdown Commons there is street parking available. You will also find a parking station about a 3 minute walk away in Grose Street (access it off Carillion Ave).  There are also bus stops close by on Parramatta Rd, and the closest train station is Newtown, about a 10 -15 minute walk away, depending on how many little legs you have with you.

So my dear friends, when you are yearning for some down time in the country, just head to Camperdown Commons, where you will be able to sample a little taste of all things country, right in the heart of the city x

www.acreeatery.com.au
31a Mallet St, Camperdown NSW
02 9194 3100
Open Wed - Sun

I'm a big fan of the Merivale Hotel Group, and how inclusive they are of families with their Coogee Pavilion and The Newport properties. But what I didn't realise, was that their groovy inner city pub, The Beresford in Surry Hills, was also welcoming of kidlets!

The Beresford is one of those iconic Sydney pubs that has been operating for years. And under previous management it was probably not the sort of place that you would take the fambam. However since Merivale took ownership, and sprinkled their little bit of Merivale Magic over it, you can quite comfortably hang out here during the day with your brood.

You can enter the hotel through the front door (on Bourke St) which will take you straight into the front bar, or if you aren't comfortable doing that you can enter via Hill St, and walk straight into the lovely garden courtyard area of the Beresford. There's also an indoor dining area where you can sit if the weather isn't favourable. The loos are located downstairs from here. There's isn't a baby change table, but there's a lift in case you want to take the pram down and change your little one's nappy in the spacious toilet area. The loos are actually a bit spesh (in a twilight zone kind of way), so make sure you check them out!

So how is this place kid friendly? Well for a start, The Beresford is very easy to access with your pram, and there is also loads of space to park it (both inside and out). There are high chairs available, and also a very good kids menu, that doubles as an activity sheet. The menu has a combination of healthy and not so healthy menu items, which is also great to see. Another bonus is that kids eat for free Monday - Thursday. The young funky staff are also really good with the kids, and adults alike - we didn't encounter any hipster attitude the whole time we were there.

Monday night is movie night at the Beresford. Out in the courtyard they have a screen where they show free movies at 8pm. There's free popcorn, discounted wine and $10 pizzas! Every now and then (mainly in school holidays), they show a family movie, so keep an eye on their website for what's showing each week.

Those $10 pizzas are actually available all day on Mondays, and luckily for us it was a Monday when we dined at lunch time with a big group of Little Munch family members. The pizzas are seriously good - wood fired and topped with all sorts of delish toppings. You can easily share a pizza with someone else, so it makes it extraordinarily good value lunch (or dinner). 

If pizza doesn't tickle your fancy, there is a full pub grub menu available as well. From juicy sirloin steaks, to burgers, salads and of course the obligatory schnitty, you won't go hungry. And to wash it all down there is a very good wine list for the parentals. To keep the kidlets hydrated, there are soft drinks, juices and a help youself water station is located at the bar.

Just to let you know, parking can be a little tricky to find around this part of Surry Hills. So make sure you allow yourself some additional time to find a spot if you are meeting people, as you may need to do the block a couple of times. On weekends, it's normally fairly easily to nab a spot on nearby Albion St.

merivale.com.au/theberesfordhotel
354 Bourke St, Surry Hills
02 9254 8088
Open 7 days a week from 12pm

​Sometimes you just have to escape the city and head somewhere a little more quieter. To a place where there's very little traffic, loads of blue sky and new places to explore. And lucky for us Sydneysiders, the Hawkesbury area on the outskirts of Sydney, is the perfect place to do just that.

It's in the Hawkesbury area that you will find Australia's oldest church, at a little village called Ebenezer. Built in 1809, this quaint church was also once upon a time a school, and as such is Australia's oldest exisiting school building as well. 

The Church is surrounded by a historic cemetry, with graves dating back as far as 1825. It's fascinating wandering around, reading who is buried in each grave, and how old they were when they died (some of them sadly were so young).

What I love about this special place, is that you can explore every square inch of it. You can go into the Church (which is still used for services), you can see where they used to make bread for the school kids, and you can wander down to the river as well (make sure you don't let kids wander off by themselves although, as it's a big river!).

Next to the Church is the School Master's House which was built in 1817. And it's here you will find some sustenance! You can sit under the shade of the pergola surrounding the house, and enjoy morning or afternoon tea. It's open from 10am - 3pm, and is staffed by the friendliest of volunteers. They are more than happy to tell you all about Ebenezer and the Church, whilst serving you.

The Schoolmaster's House only serves Devonshire Teas - please do not arrive here expecting lunch or fancy cakes. It's just old fashioned scones, jam and cream, with your choice of instant coffee or tea. The scones are just like Nanna used to make. Perfectly light and fluffy - you receive 2 with each serve. They do sell some soft drinks as well as packets of chips, just in case you or your kids aren't into scones.

There's plenty of parking available, there are very clean toilets just behind the School Master's House (which don't have a baby change table), and all of the outdoor area is easy to access with a pram. And of course there's plenty of room for the kids to run around and play hide & seek, whilst you enjoy your cuppa and scones.

After your visit to the Schoolmaster's House, make sure you continue your explore of this part of the Hawkesbury. We recommend heading back out of Ebenezer village towards Tizzana Rd. If you follow this road you will pass wineries and lush farmland, and then you will end up at the Sackville Ferry where you can cross the mighty river on a car ferry (the kids will love this!). You can then drive home, or venture further out towards Wiseman's Ferry - we love the Wiseman's Ferry Inn for a cool drink, and bite to eat too!

So next time you need a good dose of fresh air, or a country drive, go to Ebenezer. Enjoy the country hospitality and learn about some of Australia's history at the same time - your body, mind and soul will thank you for it!

www.ebenezerchurch.org.au
95 Coromandel Rd, Ebenezer NSW
02 4579 9350
Open 7 days 10am - 3pm
(closed over the Christmas period & Good Friday)

Little Munchers, we're a tad excited to tell you about our latest discovery! It's a bit of a hidden gem in Waterloo, and it has quite a few kid friendly features, and loads and loads of the most delicious sweet treats that you will ever see! Without further ado, let us introduce you to La Renaissance Patisserie and Cafe.

If you have visited The Rocks before, you may have been to La Renaissance in Argyle St. Well this is its sister patisserie, and it still sells all of the same divine looking and tasting tarts, cakes and other baked delights. But this venue has so much more space, and it is a lot quieter so you don't have fight with the hordes of tourists for a table, like you have to in The Rocks.

And this is why I like the Waterloo venue so much - the space! You coud easily fit a whole herd of prams in here, so it is an ideal venue to catch up with your Mums Group. The access into the cafe is also very easy with a pram and there are high chairs, in case you need to restrain any little ones. The toilets are located upstairs (there is also a lift in case you want to take your pram up). And yes there's a baby change table!

​La Renaissance is actually located in the PYD Building in Waterloo, which is an Interior Design Centre, and home to some very luxe looking businesses. There's parking available in the building's carpark, as well as a decent amount of street parking. Once you are inside the patisserie, you pay and order at the front counter, and you will find a large menu hanging on the side wall.

​La Renaissance doesn't have a dedicated kids menu, however there are loads of options for kids to eat - Fruit Salad, Banana Bread, Toast & Jam, Eggs on Toast etc. ​

So Little Munchers, next time you need to catch up with your mum pack, or your friends with offspring, we can thoroughly recommend La Renaissance in Waterloo. Make sure however that no one is on a diet, because it would be cruel to subject them to the beauty of all those sweet treats!

larenaissance.com.au
PYD Building
Shop 1, 197 Young St Waterloo
02 9241 4878
Mon - Fri: 8.30am - 5.00pm
Sat: 9am - 5pm
Sun: 9am - 4pm

Last year we made the trek to Wetherill Park to check out the amazing XS Espresso that had the social media world in a spin, due to their incredible mega shakes. Upon departure from the cafe, I was quite relieved that we didn't live close by, as I knew we would be there all the time inhaling their calorific beauties. Unfortunately less than 6 months later, XS Espresso decided to expand their business, and they set up shop less than a ten minute drive from our house, in North Parramatta! And yes we sadly go there too often now, and as a result I've increased the number of stretchy pants that make themselves at home in my wardrobe!

The XS Espresso in North Parramatta can be found in the outdoor Junction Shopping Centre which is on Windsor Road (near the corner of James Ruse Drive). There's plenty of parking available, the cafe is kind of pram friendly, but don't bring a whole tribe of pramsters with you, as there isn't enough space to fit too many around a table. You can choose to sit inside or out, but this cafe is seriously busy most of the time, so arrive early as they don't take bookings. There are a couple of high chairs, and the staff are very friendly and efficient, and are always welcoming of kids.

They serve a strong brew of Campos coffee at XS Espresso, which is perfect to jolt bleary eyed parents awake first thing in the morning (the coffee machine is fired up from 7am each day), and their babycino is a delight - pure froth, chocolate coated and sprinkled with 100s & 1000s. There's also an excellent range of cold pressed juices if you would prefer your little ones to ingest have something healthier.

Obviously they have their range of megashakes available, as well as seriously decadent cronuts. And recently we've discovered their baby gaytime donuts, which are a little burst of deliciousness in the mouth. Everything is presented beautifully, and you can feast on these delights until 10pm each night!

It's not all about the decadent treats at XS Espresso as there's also a savoury menu available, which has heaps of delish choices for both breakfast and lunch (their salads are healthy and seriously tasty, as is their version of avo smash). And the savoury items also receive the same attention to detail with their presentation as the sweet stuff does. There's not a dedicated kids menu here, but there are items that kids will eat such as banana bread and toast for brekkie (which we make the boys have as they drool over the cronut cabinet!). Or perhaps your kidlets could share a meal, such as bacon & eggs, burgers or pasta. 

I've also discovered recently that there's actually another XS Espresso located in the heart of Parramatta on Eat Street (Church St), so I'm thinking that their must be an increase in the sale of stretchy pants throughout Parramatta at the moment! So my dear parents, make sure you don't wear your skinny jeans when visiting, and enjoy this decadently delicious cafe x

www.xsespresso.com.au/#parramatta
Shop 9A, 2 Windsor Rd, North Parramatta 
02 9890 9229
Open 7 days 7am - 10pm

Wet'n'Wild in Western Sydney, is a wonderful water playground where you could literally play all day if you have enough energy! But what can you eat when you get there, to keep that energy going? 

My first recommendation when you arrive is to go and grab yourself a coffee from their new cafe - the Village Bean. I was actually a bit shocked to find a cafe onsite, I thought it was going to be all fast food/canteen style type of grub. So to be able to grab a decent coffee and even a slice of yummy cake was a big surprise. The cafe is down near the beach area and besides coffee, they serve tea, chai lattes, hot chocolates, frappes and more. There are lovely looking slices of cake like banana and carrot cake, as well as caramel slices to satisfy your sweet tooth. And there are wraps, pies, quiches and other snacks to have, if you are after a savoury item. All of these items were usual cafe prices.

We all went for hot diggity dogs for lunch from Lil Fins. It was a quick, easy and pretty tasty lunch, that the lads wolfed down before heading back to the action. A full range of soft drinks are available, and even coffee if you need another one. All of the food items cost below $10.00, so a family of 4 can have something to eat and drink for about 50 bucks.

This seemed to be the most popular place for WetnWilders to eat at! I think that's because you can get your fast food fix here like hot chips, burgers and pizza. They also have a kids lunch box for $17.00. For this price kids receive a Wet'n'Wild lunch box that has a burger, fries and drink in it. The prices aren't exactly cheap here, but that is typical of all theme parks. The overcast day we visited, the queues were quite short, but I can imagine in peak periods you might have to wait a while to get yourself some hot chippies.

Sadly this was closed the day we visited, which was a shame, as it's where I would have preferred to dine for lunch. It's upstairs from the beach, and it apparently has a Tex Mex inspired menu. Oh well there's always next time!

If you are a bit cashed up, you can pay to access Wet'n'Wild's premium air conditioned lounge called Club W. This costs $30.00 per person for everyone aged over 3 years. This price includes your own "pod" to sit in which can seat 8 people, as well as unlimited tea, coffee and water all day, as well as snacks. You can charge your phone here (in case your battery has gone flat from the numerous selfies you've been taking), make use of the private bathrooms and also leave your possesions here whilst you go out and play. When the belly starts to rumble, you can order food (which you pay for) to be delivered straight to your pod. Some of the offerings include cheese and antipasto platters, dips and breads, as well as fish and chips and gourmet sandwiches. 

When you are in need of a sugar fix, it's time to hit Sweet Treats. In here you can have a soft serve yoghurt and toppings, or a more decadent donut cone filled with soft serve ice cream!! There's also a help yourself lolly bar as well - so don't take your kids in here unless you are in a treating mood. We actually used this as a bribe to get our kids out of Wet'n'Wild, otherwise we would have been there until way after sunset!

There are also GrabnGo Kiosks around the place where you can grab frozen cokes and the like, to cool you down on a hot summer's day.

You can take some of your own snacks into Wet'n'Wild, and of course all of your own baby food. I took bottled water and a few packs of crackers and chips for the boys, as well as some fruit, and had no issues at all. Security do check your bags as you walk in, so if you try to sneak a whole picnic lunch and bottle of vino, just be warned that you may have to take it back to your car. There are quite a few different areas with loads of seating for you to eat your food too.

Throughout Wet'n'Wild there are numerous toilets and showers, as well as baby change tables. There's even sunscreen dispensers near the loos in case you forgot to pack any. The entire park is pram friendly (they also have strollers for hire). There are small lockers for hire, in case you want to store your posessions whilst you swim as well. There's plenty of seating everywhere, and I was really surprised at how tidy and clean the whole park was. For more info on our visit to Wet'N'Wild, click here.

wetnwildsydney.com.au
427 Reservoir Rd, Prospect NSW
13 33 86

It's not too often that we discover a cafe that is seriously pram friendly. A place where access is easy, as is the parking of your pram near your table, and also the opportunity of having more than 1 pram being able to fit around the table. So my dear pramsters, you'll be happy to know that the delightful Cove Dining Co in Abbotsford is so darn pram friendly, that you'll probably end up dining there on a regular basis with your brood!

The Cove Dining Co reminds me of a place you would find in the country. From the heritage building, to the ad hoc rustic furniture, to the vegie patch out the front, to the charming interior (which is almost the size of an old community hall), there's a definite country charm about this joint.

Let's get the nitty gritty sorted straight away, shall we. There's a decent amount of parking available on the street (well there was when we arrived at 8.30am on a weekend). There are plenty of high chairs available, the toilets are located inside and contain a baby change table, and you have to order and pay at the front counter. And most importantly - the coffee is excellent. It's Campos, so of course it is.

The morning we dined for breakfast, we chose to sit inside, but I noticed that most families sat out on the verandah so that their kidlets could run around on the gorgeous grassy area out the back. If the weather is a bit grim, and you end up inside (and you've forgotten to pack any activities for the kids), there are activity packs for sale near the front counter.

Kiddies have their own menu and the staff were accommodating when we requested to change a few things. At breakfast time the options are a boiled egg & toast ($6); pancakes with maple syrup ($6); or scrambled egg & bacon on toast ($8). And if you really want to treat your bambinos, they can always have one of the most incredible looking home made donuts that I have ever seen. These can be found sitting on the front counter.

At lunch time, little bellies can be filled wih a cheese toasty ($6); pasta with tomato sauce ($8); pasta & meatballs ($10); burger & fries ($10); crumbed chicken & fries ($12) or crumbed fish & fries ($14) - it's great to see so much choice. There are babycinos, milkshakes and juices available for kids, as well as table water to satisfy their thirst.

Parentals may find it difficult deciding what to eat off the big people's menu. All of your cafe favourites are covered, but with a delicious twist. You can have something basic like toast and spreads, or more substantial items like hot cakes, croque madames and house made muesli with rhubarb. Actually quite a few of The Cove's menu items are made inhouse - smoked bacon & trout for example, as well as the most delicious banana bread that will ever hit your lips (and hips!). Now the menu does verge on the expensive side, but the portion sizes are decent and the food is incredibly tasty. And if you want quality, you have to pay for it.

There's a delightful little market stall set up in the front corner of the cafe. It sells everything from fresh flowers, to cards, and other crafty items. You can even pick up some of The Cove's house made foodie products - it's very hard to leave empty handed.

So my dear parents, when you need to catch up with your fellow breeders, be sure to have The Cove Dining Co, at the top of your list and you won't even have to think twice about taking your pram!

www.thecovediningco.com.au
378 Great North Rd, Abbotsford
Tel: 02 9713 7896
Mon - Fri: 7am - 3pm
​Sat - Sun: 8am 3pm

It had been a long time between drinks when we visited the Woolwich Pier Hotel recently. Pre-kidlets this place was where we'd have an occasional long lunch with mates up on the top verandah of the pub. A time when we ate our meal whilst it was still warm, and a time when we definitely didn't have any concerns about our glass of Savvy B being bowled over for a duck, by a plastic ball.

Fast forward 8 odd years and we are back in our old stomping ground, but this time we are sitting downstairs and out the back in the "kids area," eating salad as we know it won't go cold, and holding onto our glass of vino for dear life, in case it gets knocked over by a random ball being kicked by an uncoordinated little person!

Every Saturday from 1pm - 3pm, the Woolwich Pier kindly provides kids entertainment to give parents a bit of a breather from parenting. The lawn area under the beautiful old fig tree in the beer garden area of the pub, is where it all happens. On the day we visited two lovely young lasses were in charge of the entertainment. They turned out some amazing face painting and tattoos, and also played a few games with the kids. 

​The soccer match was perhaps not the most brilliant idea although, as there were a few balls flying through the air which ocassionaly made a drink fly through the air too (or is this just a secret ploy of the pub to get you to buy more drinks!). It doesn't really matter, as the lads had a great time and only came back to our table when they were thirsty.

There's also a little TV area down here too, where kids can chill out and watch movies, whilst they wait for their meal to arrive. They can either eat their lunch/dinner on the tables provided, or back at your table. Just to let you know, tables can be a bit hard to come by at the Woolwich Pier on a Saturday because of the kids entertainment, so I would suggest that you arrive early to nab a decent spot, or leave it until after 2 pm to arrive - that way you won't have to queue too long for your Savvy B either!

The Kids Meals all cost $12.00 and are for kids aged under 12 years. The choices are:

• Grass Fed Rump Steak with garden greens and mash (or fries)
• Dory & Fries with salad
• Crispy fried Chicken with slaw & fries
• Pasta Bolognaise
• Angus Beef Cheesburger with salad or fries

The meals are supposed to include an activity pack (we weren't offered any, but the boys didn't want them either), as well as ice cream and topping.

The big human's menu covers all of your posh pub grub favourites. There are various flavours of Sliders and Tostadas, as well as Ponzu and Arancini. And of course there are Steaks in various forms. And for those of us who can't carnivore in the middle of the day, there are Salads. The Trout Salad, despite not presenting particularly well, was very tasty but perhaps a tad on the small side to line the belly adequately for those that can still imbibe in a few too many vinos in the middle of the day.

To finish up, let's talk about the nitty gritty. Yes - you can take your pram along as there is easy access into the Lawn area for it. However if you arrive when the place is heaving, you may find it difficult to park it near your table (mid week this won't be an issue). There are high chairs, and there are toilet facilites available (including a change table). Parking can be a challenge on weekends, but in saying that we scored one easily right in front of the pub!

So my dear parents, do you still frequent pubs with your progeny that you used to hang out in, back in your single as a pringle days?

www.woolwichpierhotel.com.au
2 Gale St, Woolwich NSW
​02 9817 2204
Open 7 days for lunch & dinner

If you were going to open a kid friendly cafe what would you call it?

I think the smartest cafe name we have come across to date is The Coffee Playground - a new cafe in West Ryde. Because it's what every bleary eyed parents wants - coffee and a playground. And the google search results will no doubt be outstanding!

You will find The Coffee Playground on Ryedale Rd in West Ryde, just opposite the West Ryde Train Station. And yes the cafe does have a playground, and yes the cafe does serve excellent coffee! The Little Beans Playground is inside the cafe down one side, and it's best for small humans aged under 5 years. It has things to climb up and slide down, tunnels to crawl through and wall mounted puzzles to play with. So your little people should have loads of fun in here.  I actually did the let the boys have a quick road test of it (with the approval of the owner of course) when there weren't any little ones using it, just to make sure it met with the Little Munch standard - and it does!

From your table within the cafe you have full sight of the playground which will not doubt impress weary parents. Pram access is very easy into the cafe, however if the cafe was pumping it may be difficult to find a space to park tractor size prams near where you are sitting. There are high chairs, and there's an excellent loo at the back of the cafe, complete with a baby change table. Overlooking the whole cafe is the lady below - she features in a grafitti mural on the back wall which gives the cafe space, a somewhat inner city feel.

Kids have their own menu at lunch time at The Coffee Playground, and for breakfast there are quite a few options suitable for them on the main menu. Toast and spreads for example, or eggs on toast or banana bread. There are also muffins and other pastries available that they may like. At lunch time kidlets can munch away on Beef & Chicken Sliders ($10), Mac & Cheese ($8.50) or a range of Toasted Sandwiches ($6.50).

The adults menu at The Coffee Playground is very reasonably priced in comparison to most cafes we eat at these days. I can thoroughly recommend the Haloumi Stack for breakfast which will only set you back $12.50! You will find haloumi, roasted tomatoes, spinach, parmsean, pesto and perfectly poached eggs perched on top of a slice of toasted sourdough - so good and so delicious. The Eggs on Toast with a side of bacon, is also another great way to kick off your morning, and this only costs $9.50. If you prefer a sweet start to your day, there are also House Made Waffles, French Toast and a Smoothie Bowl to satisfy your sweet craving.

At lunch time you can fill your bellies with very healthy sound salads, wraps, sandwiches, burgers (including a naked burger), as well as more substantial dishes like Fish of the Day or a Crusted Chicken Breast with pumpkin mash and greens. And if you need a sweet treat to finish off your meal, just check out the front cake cabinet to see what the daily offering is.

The caffeine for the parentals is on point - nice and strong without being too bitter. They use Di Bella coffee beans and I was glad to see that they only charge $3.50 for a coffee. So many places these days are charging north of $4.00 for a regular size, which is making my caffeine addiction a tad expensive!

Babycinos will cost you a buck, and they are perfectly made. A disposable cup is full of froth and there are real chocolate flakes on top and the obligatory marshmallow is on the side. It even comes with a little plastic spoon and a napkin underneath, in case there are spillages - so simple and so easy, yet so many cafes have not mastered the craft of a babycino!

You can visit The Coffee Playground 7 days a week from early in the morning for your caffeine fix, and you can book a table during the week, even for your mums group. However on weekends they do not take bookings. As I mentioned before, they are just across from West Ryde Station, so there is a decent amount of both street and car park parking available. You can even see trains zoom by, in case you have any little trainspotters in your brood.

So my fellow parentals - have you come across a better name for a kid friendly cafe than The Coffee Playground?

www.facebook.com/TheCoffeePlayground
67 Ryedale Rd, West Ryde NSW
02 80868715
Open 7 days
Mon - Fri: 6.30am - 3.00pm
Sat: 7am - 3pm
​Sun: 8am - 3pm

If you've been reading Little Munch for a while, you would know that I'm fairly passionate about Western Sydney and all that it has to offer. But there's another gorgeous Mumma who is even more passionate than I am about the West of Sydney!

Little Munchers, please let me introduce you to Eleanor. This amazing chick created the Facebook page called Fun for Kids - Western Sydney. If there is something happening out here in the West, Eleanor knows about it. She has 32,000 plus followers on her page, she is a Mumma to 3 gorgeous kids, and she also has a day job - what a woman!

1. What area of Sydney do you live in and why?

​I live in Western Sydney (Quakers Hill). I love where we live. Great local schools, shopping centres and playgrounds! Being close to the M7 is very handy. Means we able to get to the city within 30 mintues.

2. What do you do for a living?

I work for a Market Research Company at Castle Hill. We pay people to try new products.

3. Where's your favourite neighbourhood gem/s that you dine at as a family?

We love Marayong Brewhouse for many reasons. Kids eat free on Sundays. They have a disco the 1st Friday of the month. They have a great outdoor playground and an indoor jumping castle. Oh and the food is delicious.

Windsor. Windsor is one of our favourite place to go with friends. A great variety of cafes and takeaway shops. Take a picnic rug and sit in the well shaded park and relax. 

4. Any tips for parents of small kids on how to have a relaxing eating out experience?

I have a 4 ,6 and 8 year old I ALWAYS have colouring pencils and paper in my hand bag. It keeps them happy and hubby and I can have a chat. We recently purchased the small board games from the Telegraph. They have been great to take to resturants with us lately.

5. Where is your favourite playground for kids in Western Sydney and where can you grab a coffee close by?

Our favourite playground in Western Sydney would have to be Blacktown Showground. A fantastic water play area and playground. The new cafe is amazing. Also the Ponds Park on Pebble Crescent, The Ponds. It has sheltered seating, bbqs, a path for the kids to ride their bikes around. There is a small shopping centre next door with several great cafes. My children love (I would go as far as saying obsessed) with Aqua Golf as Penrith. We love to go on the weekend and have a hit then wander up to Harry Cafe de Wheels for a pie or hotdog.

When it comes to household management, I'm pretty useless. We are constantly running out of milk and bread, and I always forget to defrost the chook for dinner. My patient husband continually shakes his head in disbelief that the woman he married has no household management skills in any shape or form. So when an IGA opened up, less than a 3 minute walk from our house (and it also just happened to serve Campos coffee), it was as if the hubster had conspired with the Gods to ensure that there was always going to be food in our cupboards.

When Mint Fresh first swung open its doors it was basically a small supermarket with an excellent deli and fruit & veg section. They also had a coffee machine where customers could grab an expertly brewed Campos coffee to go, after they had finished their shopping. But then we the customers, started asking for snacks to go with our coffee and the charming owners obliged. And now those snacks have evolved into full on, sit down, cafe meals! ​

So sometimes you might find us there at day break (the cafe now opens at 7am) because I figure if there isn't any milk at home for my morning coffee, I can just go down there and get a barista brewed one! The boys don't mind coming along either, as there is a blackboard to keep them occupied whilst I drink my beloved brew. And if I'm feeling like a particularly #badmom, I can order them some fairy bread or nutella soldiers for breakfast whilst we are there (please don't tell the parenting police).

Some other choices on the kids menu include choc chip pancakes (we haven't tried those yet) and scrambled eggs on toast. And at lunch time there are jurassic nuggets & chippies and a cheeseburger. The kids menu ranges in price from $6.00 - $9.00 and it can be washed down with table water, babycinos, freshly squeezed juices, milo & milk or milkshakes.

My favourite dish from the breakfast menu is the avocado on toast. The sourdough bread is courtesy of Brasserie Bread (you can buy a selection of their breads from the supermarket section as well) and it is topped with mashed avo, tomato, fetta andd zaatar - I personally don't think you can have a better way to start the day. And my second favourite is the lovely looking muesli with yoghurt and fresh fruit - this huge bowl of deliciousness will keep you full for most of the day.

The frustrated husband likes to go for the eggs on toast with a side of bacon, as the eggs are poached to perfection and you receive a generous serve of bacon as well. On the side is a tasty little tomato and radish salad with a magnificant vinigarette. There are also 3 different types of bacon & egg rolls as well as ricotta pancakes, muesli, and healthy sounding options for the gym junkies amongst you. Actually the menu is marked to show which menu items are gluten free, dairy free and healthy heart options!

At lunch time you can have everything from a deli roll or a deli salad, to a calorific cheeseburger dripping with goodness. The lunch menu is very reasonable in comparison to a lot of cafes in the Hills District, it ranges in price from $9.00 - $17.00. The deli rolls are a great choice for a quick meal and can be ordered for takeaway, as can most of the meals from the cafe.

The one dish that you all must try from the current menu is the the prawn salad. It not only looks exquisite, but it tastes sublime, and it costs only $14.00. The base is a mixture of Israeli cous cous, grapefruit, almonds and asparagus, then it is topped with perfectly cooked prawns, edible flowers, microherbs and a zesty dressing. This my friends is the best dish I've eaten at lunch time EVER!

If you are just after a coffee and a sweet treat, Mint Fresh stock a delcious range of naughties from Dolcettini in Dural and gourmet baker Georgie Baker. I quite often see gorgeous young Mummas sitting around with their besties doing coffee and cake when I'm running in for some grocery item I've forgotten yet again. You can access the cafe easily with your pram (use the ramp near the hairdressers next to Mint Fresh), and my advice is to sit at one of the tables along the verandah - the tables right in front of the main doors can be hard to navigate with a pram, especially if the cafe is packed. High chairs are in abundance and if you need to use the loo, they are downstairs in the carpark.

Before you leave make sure your check out the supermarket. The have a fantastic range of cheeses and meats in the deli - and they let you try before you buy! The fruit and veg section is really cheap, as are their fresh flowers. There's also an interesting selection of gourmet foods as well as your standard grocery items..... that reminds me I need to pop down there now, and grab something for dinner!

www.facebook.com/mintfreshgrocer
Shop 1, 30 - 32 ​Arthur St, Baulkham Hills
02 9686 7064 
Open 7 days
Cafe from 7am - 4pm 
Store from 8am - 8pm 

We fell a little bit in love with Lil Miss Collins when it first popped up in Prince Alfred Park in Parramatta earlier this year, and were saddened when it closed its doors. But now we are all happy again because she has popped up in the lovely surrounds of Bella Vista Farm, in a space that was crying out for a cafe. And Lil Miss Collins looks right at home that's for sure! 

The Lil Miss Collin's farmhouse is the same as before, but there is just a lot more room now at Bella Vista Farm. Tables and chairs, as well as old fashioned lounges and hay bales are scattered around under the shade of the surrounding trees. It's very peaceful here - the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of neighbouring Norwest Business Park. And the best bit is that there is heaps of space for kids to run around. Apparently there is even a kids play set, although I didn't spy it in action.

There's full table service with the same lovely owner delivering a warm welcome to all of the diners at Lil Miss Collins. You can easily bring your pram along and park it right next to where you sit, as there is so much space. High chairs are also available if you need them. The toilet facilites are close by - they don't contain a baby change table, but there's heaps of space to get your pram into the disabled loo. 

You're also allowed to bring your fur baby! So you don't have to leave pooch at home and there are a few different spots where you can tie them up in case they get too frisky with any of the other canine visitors at Lil Miss Collins.

Your babies without fur, have their very own menu (see below) and there are babycinos, nutella hot chocolates, milkshakes and cold pressed juices available for them to slurp on. They are also serving up 2 mega shakes. The first is called Choc of Block. It is full of oreos, chocolate ice cream, milk & tim tams, and it's topped with whipped cream and oreos. Then there is the Nutella Tower. Nutella, peanut butter, milk and vanilla ice cream make up this baby, and it's topped with a nutella scroll drizzled with yet more nutella! I'm thinking these would make a great treat for kidlets to share after school or on the weekend. Lil Miss Collins is open from 8am - 4pm every day!

The food for grown ups is a bit delish. The Farmer's Stack is a great way to start the day. Scrambled eggs with gruyere, mushies, wilted spinach and tomato relish on crunchy bread, combine together perfectly. The Granola sounds awesome, as does the Smashed Avo (although it comes with green peas and as I've had an aversion to these since being forced fed them as a child, I won't be sampling it). At lunch time salad lovers are certain to enjoy the various choices - Grilled Chicken Pesto or Grilled Haloumi with spiced peanuts, labne & roasted pumpkin; or Roasted Beetroot with mograbiah and dill infused yoghurt. And if you have a fella in your life who just needs to wrap his chops around a big burger, they are also on the menu.

On the front table where you pay, there is a selection of sweet treats that will go perfectly with a coffee or a T2 tea. Scrolls, slices and muffins are in the mix. I'm also thinking that Lil Miss Collins would be the perfect spot to bring a bottle of vino to, so that you can enjoy a lazy weekend lunch too!

If you need to stretch your legs after your meal from Lil Miss Collins, take the fambam for a wander around the farm. Most of the the important buildings are fenced off but you can still see though it. There is a beautiful old homestead, farm sheds from yesteryear and also some sheep! I didn't realise that sheep actually lived on Bella Vista Farm, and between you and me I think they are due for a hair cut before the weather gets too warm out here in north west Sydney. The homestead and surrounding buildings are only open to the public on the first Sunday of each month, however the rest of Bella Vista Farm including the picnic/bbq shelters are open 7 days a week.

When you visit Lil Miss Collins, it feels as though you are visiting your friends in the country. It's so homely and welcoming and let me tell you, this country girl felt as though she was back home on the farm when she visited. As a result, you'll be sure to find me and my "Mum Pack" at Lil Miss Collins quite often over the next few months - it's only popping up at Bella Vista Farm until 28 February 2017.  

​So I suppose the big question is, where will Lil Miss Collins pop up next?

www.facebook.com/lilmisscollinspopup
Bella Vista Farm
Cnr Norwest Blvd & Elizabeth Macarthur Dr
Bella Vista NSW
Open 7 days 8am - 4pm 

There seems to be a flurry of new cafes swinging open their doors in Sydney at the moment, perhaps it has something to do with spring and the season of new beginnings. Whatever it is, it's a boon for us parents, as they all seem to be seriously kid friendly. Take for example our latest find - Hide & Seek Cafe on the main drag of Leichhardt. This cafe has actually been set up with families in mind, and is being touted as Sydney's "ultimate kid friendly cafe" by the owners.

Hide & Seek has taken up residence in the space on Norton Street that used to be Bubbabar. The new owners have remodelled the cafe somewhat, and have put in place a very tasty and healthy menu. There is a fully enclosed play area outside at the back of the cafe, and there is also a room where you can hold a birthday party. The inside of the cafe has a cute little play area too. Their motto is "Eat Play Learn" and once they are up and running, they are also going to be holding developmental classes.

The play area out the back is great for younger kids as it has a cubbyhouse, tee pee with books to read, toys, puzzle table and a sand pit (although I wouldn't want to be the poor sucker who has the clean up the sand off the floor every day). There are also some tables and chairs inside this play area which are perfect for parents of toddlers. And the best bit is that you can book a table, so if you do have little humans in your life, request a table in there.

​And if you have older kids there are board games for them to play - which got the tick from my toothless terrors who think they are getting a bit too old for play areas apparently!

There are excellent toilet facilites complete with baby change table, toddler step and wipes, inside the cafe. There's very easy access for prams and also space to park them near your table, as well as a designated pram parking area. There are high chairs for little bottoms to be plonked in, and there is an excellent and cheap kids menu - so yes kidlets are definitely well catered for at Hide & Seek Cafe.

When I first looked at the kids menu and saw that it had Vegemite toast for $2.00, my immediate thought was, about time! First of all it's a meal that a huge number of Aussie kids will eat, and secondly it's $2.00!! I think I can safely say, that I haven't seen something as cheap as that on a kids menu anywhere in my travels. And yes you only receive 1 slice of toast for that price, but that's what most small kids only eat anyway. If your kids need a bit more sustenance, then order them the boiled egg and toast for $4 or the chia pudding ($4). We also love that the kids meals are served on plastic plates!

​The kids menu is served all day, and some options for lunch include grilled cheese on toast ($2), and it can also come with avo ($4); or a yummy sounding bento box with meatballs, carrot sticks, corn, peas, fruit and youghurt ($6); or meatballs with zucchini spaghetti and tomato sauce ($6). We're very impressed that the kids menu is healthy and cheap!

The adults menu at breakfast time covers all of your favourites. I especially recommend the avo stack with a poached egg ($17.50). This dish is huge and delicious and I just loved the garnish of seeds and grains. The eggs benny ($16) was pretty good too. You will also find granola, bircher and chia puddings on the menu, as well as the classic bacon and egg roll, corn fritters and of course the big brekkie, otherwise known as the Big Poppa ($22).

The $15.00 lunch time menu is full of some very healthy and delicious sounding items. First of all there's a great selection of salads, and then there's the panko puff chicken burger, beef burger and pulled pork roll for the carnivores. I like the sound of the falafel & cauliflower flatbread with tabbouleh and beetroot hummus. I also love that there's not one hot chip on either the kids or adults menu!

They serve an excellent brew of Five Senses Coffee at Hide and Seek and they also have babycinos, which I do believe are free (but don't quote me on that). There are milkshakes and freshly squeezed orange juice to satisfy thirsty little munchers. And for those of you who aren't caffeine addicts you can try the matcha latte, chai latte or the hot chocolate. Tea is by TeaEsk and apparently they offer a different assortment each day. And of course there is always table water which is served in plastic cups - tick!

Now it wasn't all beer and skittles (to quote my father) at Hide and Seek. We normally have a rule that we don't visit a cafe when it first opens, as we think it's hard to give it a fair review because it may have some teething problems. So I'm not sure why we decided to visit Hide and Seek on their second day of business, because we didn't really have the best experience. And that was all to do with service. The facilities, the food and the coffee were all absolutely fine. It's just that the staff (and there were quite a few of them) were very inexperienced and as a result our order was lost in the system and we waited WAY too long for our food (they did offer us a free coffee whilst we waited). We also had issues paying the bill, as our food and drinks had been allocated to different tables - and then we had to pay two seperate bills. Anyway, hopefully these are just teething issues, and we will remember for next time, to give a cafe a bit more of a breathing space before it gets Little Munched.

hideandseekcafe.com
102 Norton St, Leichhardt NSW
​02 9572 9673
Mon: closed
Tue - Fri: 7.30am - 4.30pm
Sat: 8am - 4pm
​Sun: 9am - 3pm 

To be honest, Phuket was never on our radar as a family destination. But then my sister moved there for work, so we decided to go and visit her. And it was a fairly big decision for us, as we had never left Australia with the boys before - the thought of being stuck in a plane for longer than 2 hours with my kids had never appealed when they were tiny tots. So we bit the bullet, and booked our flights and accommodation, and off we flew to Phuket (via a 1 night stopover in Singapore).

Phuket has recently opened a new International Terminal and our transition through customs and immigration was seamless - which is a big bonus when travelling with kids. When you walk out into arrivals you are immediately outdoors. So the heat and humidity whacks you straight away. There are drivers everywhere holding up signs for the various resorts on the island, ready to whisk you away to your island paradise. If you want to catch a taxi you have to book and pay for it at one of the taxi stands - there's a bit of competition happening between the various companies for your business, so be prepared for that. 

Our return flight experience to Singapore wasn't so good. The new terminal seemed to be having a few teething issues with departures, and there are 3 security checks (including a full bag search) that you have to go through, which created huge queues the day we left. We had to catch a bus to our plane which the boys loved (us not so much). The plane was late taking off, and seemed to be older and smaller than the one we had going over - basically there was absolutely no leg room and when your pesky fellow travellers recline their chair, the flight becomes unenjoyable. These are all totally first world problems I know, but alas they can leave you with a negative vibe after experiencing such an enjoyable holiday.

There are literally hundreds of glorious resorts all over Phuket. Some are cheap and others are super expensive. Our advice is to visit in low season because you can snap up some bargains, like we did! The September school holidays coincides with low season in Phuket, which is perfect for Aussie travellers. The low season means it rains quite a bit. But during our stay the longest it rained for was a couple of hours, which is the time you make the most of your beautiful room or kids club!

JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa - Mai Khao, Talang

This resort is located just north of Phuket airport. We spent 3 nights here when we first arrived (the rest of the time we stayed with my sister). Our twin room with day beds over looking the lush gardens (2 x queen beds) was about $AUD200/night including full buffet breakfast - this is 50% off the normal rate. The resort is picture perfect with pools (1 of which is adults only), a swim up bar, a spa to make you all beautiful and relaxed, water sports, yoga, 6 different restaurants, several bars, kids club and kids activities. And it is also right on Mai Khao Beach. ​

​The buffet breakfast was delicious with special treats coming out on a Sunday morning. We ate our way through most of the restaurants during our stay, eating traditional Thai food, Italian and Japanese as well as some Western fare. All the restaurants welcomed kidlets, but not all had kids menus. However it was easy enough to find food choices that our lads would eat. We spent most of time by the pool as we were only there for a few days, however if you are staying longer the front desk will organise tours for you down into the touristy areas of Phuket.

​The Beaches
Most tourists visit Phuket for its beautiful beaches. And yes they are stunning. Water sports are huge and you can hire all sorts of equipment to have fun with on the ocean. Most beaches also have massage huts on them where you can score a super cheap massage.

Phuket TrickEye Museum
​This was our favourite "touristy" thing we did in Phuket. Located in Phuket Town you can spend ages in here taking the most awesome photos ever! The Trick Eye Museum is full of amazing 3D paintings that you can basically step into, and it looks like you are part of the picture! There are signs around the museum showing you how to take the best shot. When you arrive you have to take your shoes off, then you pay your entrance fee. Try to avoid the chaps who want to take a photo of you, as you enter the museum, as they are just trying to flog you a dodgy family portrait. The museum is fully airconditioned so it's a great place to cool down in after a morning of exploring outdoors.

​Upside Down House (Baan Teelanka)
This is hidden on the busy Bypass Road (one of Phuket's main roads). Basically everything in the house is stuck on the roof and you contort your body into different poses to make the photo look as though you are upside down. So it's great for the fun social media photo. Our boys weren't tall enough for most of the shots, so if you have really small kids think twice before parting with your cash for the entrance fee.

The Upside Down House is open, and as such it doesn't have air conditioning. There are two levels and the house is up quite high. So if you suffer from bad vertigo (like I do) this ain't the place for you - it was a waste of money for me to go into it, as I only lasted 2 minutes before I ran for the ground floor having a mild panic attack. 

There's also an outdoor garden maze and a escape room on site. We bought the ticket which covered entrance to the house and maze - the thought of being locked in an unairconditioned room with my 3 boys trying to work out clues of how to get out, made my stomach turn. The maze is fun and they provide you with cute little umbrellas in case the heavens open up.

​You would need to be in Thailand for a year or more to visit the plethora of eateries available. So I'm just going to tell you about the places we visited - most of which are in the Bang Tao Beach area. We ate at rustic restaurants and also at the most gorgeous place that I have ever been too!  And yes we did fill our bellies with the best Thai food we have ever had in our lives. The boys did struggle with  a lot of the local dishes, but satay sticks and rice were always a favourite, and most places do a Western type of meal anyway. Also quite a few Thai dishes are garnished with intricately cut vegetables such as carrots, so the boys just munched away on those and some rice.

​Andaman Seaside - Bang Tao Beach
We ate at this place a few times. Once again it is quite rustic, but it is smack bang on the beach and there is also a pool in the adjoining resort which they let the boys swim in. The boys were in heaven as they ran between the beach and pool the whole time - grabbing a bite to eat now and then. This meant that Mr Munch and I were also in heaven, and we enjoyed a couple of long lunches which is almost unheard of when you are parents. 

​We chose finger food most of the time which we washed down with ice cold beers - and yes they do put ice in their beers over there to keep them cool, which may freak Aussie beer snobs out a bit! Grilled prawns, satay sticks, pot stickers and Thai spring rolls were our favourites and they even cooked some chicken nuggets for the boys. And at the end of each meal we always received a big plate of fresh fruit - bliss! They are open for lunch and dinner every day.

​Bennys American Bar & Grill - Bang Tao Beach
We had a great meal here with friends. The garden like setting for the restaurant means that the seating is outside and thankfully the night we dined it wasn't too hot. The service was brilliant and they made special kids meals for the boys including ice cream. The place was packed with well heeled locals and tourists, and there was almost a party atmosphere in the air. They are only open for dinner (or drinks), so make sure you drop by if you are staying in the area.

​Bocconcino - Cherng Talay
We had breakfast here a couple of times, purely because they serve Illy coffee and we are caffeine addicts. It's an Italian style of restaurant/cafe that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. They bake all of their own bread and pastries (our boys became addicted to their bomboloni donuts) and they have a wood fired pizza oven. Their breakfasts are ok, on the smaller side and reasonbly priced. Service was always agreeable and they never seemed to be busy which was a bonus.

​Wine Connection
You will find a few of these places located around Phuket and they are a Western style wine bar/cafe. You can have everything from a full American breakfast, to a pizza, to a yummy cheese plate. They are a good choice when you crave air conditioning and Western food.

​Iniala Bakery - Boat Avenue
A little slice of Paris in Phuket is how I would describe this cute little bakery. Their pastries are fab and their coffee is pretty good too! You can pick up fresh baguettes and other gourmet food products and their tarts look amazing. They have a small eating area and they are open from 7am every day - perfect timing for those of you with early risers - just jump in a cab to get there. They have restaurant and wine bar opening up next door, later this year which I'm sure wil be fantastic. The Boat Avenue area in which Iniala is located is a bit posh - loads of lovely frock shops and a excellent Villa Market supermarket (where the expats shop).

Cafe Waya - Boat Avenue
​This is the place to go if you want a decent Western breakfast. They serve up everthing from bacon and eggs, to french toast and fresh fruit. The coffee is good and service is very friendly (although a bit slow) - you'll also find the place packed with expats. 

​Palm Seaside - Bang Tao Beach
This place! It was the piece de resistance of our trip. It was sublime. I'm not exaggerating. You must go there if you get the chance - and yes you can take the kidlets! I can't believe that it took me until I was in by 40s to eat at somewhere so divine, and my kids ate there when they were 6 & 8! Firstly its location right on the beach is perfect to see a magical Phuket sunset. Secondly the sunken dining booths along the serenity pool are the best way to experience the restaurant - you must book one of these. Thirdly the food is some of the best I've eaten in my travels across the world. And lastly the service - it was faultless!

There isn't a dedicated kids menu but we found a few items suitable for the unadulterated tastebuds of the boys - like a gourmet beef burger for example. And there was delicious coconut gelato for dessert which comes in a fresh coconut. There were a few other little diners in the restaurant too, so don't be concerned about taking your kidlets along. They will probably end up grooving away Ibiza style to the tunes that the spunky Eurpoean DJ is pumping out.

​Palm Seaside is definitely not a cheap restaurant, it's a once in a life time kind of experience. They are open for lunch and dinner, and if you smile at them sweetly (and leave a good tip), they might even drive you back to your accommodation.

Tuk Tuks - all kidlets will want to ride on one of these, especially if you get a Spideman Disco tuk tuk like we did. Tuk tuks are great for short distances - make sure you negotiate a price befoer you get in!

Taxis - we found them to be quite inexpensive and once again, make sure you confirm the price before you hop in. More often than not they are happy to wait at your destination until you are finished to bring you home again. I'm not sure if it was luck or not, but we always had a big clean 4wd as our taxi, and the drivers were excellent.

Hire car - these are reasonably priced in comparison to Australia. Phuket traffic is quite manic, you have to do loads of freaky U turns with dozens of other cars to get where you are going, and most of the local roads are badly maintained, so save yourself the stress and get a taxi.

Local bus - we never used these (I'm sorry but my backpacker days are long gone). They resemble a truck more than a bus, they are dirt cheap and all of them have natural air conditioning.

Walk - I was so proud of the boys (and myself) for how much we walked, considering the heat. You always find little hidden gems when you get out and walk and that's what travelling is all about - so invest in some good walking sandals before you go.

Frankie's Food Factory has recently fired up its coffee machine in Flower Power at Glenhaven, giving a new lease of life, and a complete makeover, to a wondeful space that was in serious need of some TLC. This transformation would have to position Frankie's as a serious contender for the funkiest cafe in the North West of Sydney!

The interior of Frankie's Food Factoy reminds me of a classy farm shed - it has a retro country chic style that appeals seriously to this country gal. Rusted corrugated iron has been pannelled along the walls, there's a hills hoist complete with laundry thrown over it, and an old ute has been backed in as well. The retro style tables and chairs could have come straight out of Nanna's farm kitchen from the 50s, and I love the fruit and veg stall in the middle of the room. 

The dining area out near the playground is bright and airy, with hanging baskets and bird cages dangling from the ceiling. The tables have a pot of crayons on them that kids and adults can use to doodle all over the white paper table covers. There's also melamine cups on the table for water if you need it - and you can help yourself to this at the very cute lemonade stand! If you are dining with a pram, there is heaps of space to park it near your table, and high chairs are in abundance. I'm also happy to report that the toilets have had a massive upgrade, and now include a disabled toilet which doubles as a family room, complete with a baby change table.

The playground has a little bit of a facelift too, with a fun new mural dominating the area. The playground is fully enclosed, and is covered in soft spongy stuff, to minimise bumps and grazes. Shoes are to be left outside the gate on the stool provided. And as you can reserve tables, you should ring up and request one close by to this area. Just to let you know, you have to order and pay at the front counter, however if you are paying via the cashless Paypass method, then there is no need to even leave your table, as Frankies is technology savvy and they come to you.

I'm sure your bellies are rumbling by now, so let's move on the food. Little humans have their very own menu that is served all day. The kids Fruit Plate ($12) for breakfast, was a big hit with the lads (it can also come with youghurt +$3). There's also Scrambled Eggs on toast ($8); Vegetti Pasta with cheese sauce ($11); Mini Cheeseburger with chips and dips ($14); Chicken Schnitty with chips ($15) and Fish & Chips ($16). The prices are definitely up there with some of Sydney's more expensive kids menus, that's for sure, so you may want to think about ordering shared kids meals instead which does seem to work with mine sometimes, depending upon their emotional states, and appetites.

For breakfast we sampled the Avo & Fetta Smash with Poached Eggs ($17), which came with pickled onions and was totally yum (but didn't photograph too well), as well as the Chorizo Hotpot ($21) that came with a side of bubble 'n squeak! Now this hot pot was perfect in every way - juicy and spicy with 2 big eggs in the middle. The patty of bubble 'n squeak was tasty, but the murmurings I heard from Mr Munch were very much that some crunchy toast to mop up those delicious pan juices would have been preferred. 

Coffee is by Vittoria and it's the first time in my travels that I've seen coffee served in a melamine cup - it's not what I was expecting and the jury is still out on whether or not it should be served this way from my perspective. Large coffees are $5.00, and they are served on a smart looking wooden board - as are babycinos which will cost you $2.00. I'm thinking a marshmallow wouldn't go astray on that board with the babycino. Milkshakes with a sprinkle edge are $7.00, and there is a delicious range of freshly squeezed juices available as well.  And if you are dining a little later in the day, you can even have a drinkie poo as they have wine, beer and cider on the menu too!

So my dear Parents you now have another fabulous kid friendly cafe to explore with your brood. And as Frankie's Food Factory is located in a Flower Power Garden Centre (which includes a lovely homewares section) you can pick yourself up some pretties for the garden, as well as a few pretties for the house too x

www.facebook.com/frankiesfoodfactory
609 Old Northern Rd, Glenhaven
Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm
Saturday - Sunday: 8am - 5pm

We're a little bit obsessed with Singapore. There's something about this lion city that has myself and the hubster entranced. And that something is the food scene. We've visited a few times, but have always left the boys behind. Until now. We took the plunge and whisked the lads away on their first international flight, and I'm really glad we waited until they are the age they are now, as we had such an easy holiday with them.

We flew to Singapore with Qantas, for a couple of reasons: we're QFF members, their flights are at the best times, we purchased our tickets on sale, and the hubster has a Qantas Club Lounge membership, so we could chill out in there in both Sydney and Singapore, before our flights.

Changi Airport in Singapore, is known as one of the world's best, and yes it is quite amazing. But don't expect to find all of its amazing facilities in one terminal. They are spread between 3 different terminals (soon to be 4), and you can catch a free sky train between each of them. We did this when we had some time to waste before our return flight. If you fly with Qantas you will arrive into, and depart from Terminal 1 - which you may presume is the main terminal, but it's not. The main terminal is No. 3 (Singapore Airlines fly in and out of here), and this is where the best shops and food outlets are - there's even a Hello Kitty Diner here (but on the public side of the terminal).

​To keep kidlets occupied whilst in transit, there's a huge playground at both Terminals 1 & 3. And make sure you take your kids to check out the Butterfly Garden in Terminal 3. There's also a cinema, transit hotel and pool in Terminal 3. Terminal 1 has a cactus garden if that is of interest!

There are bucket loads of hotels in Singapore, and they are all bloody expensive when you have a family of four to accommodate!

We needed two different types of accommodation on our travels. The first night we wanted a hotel close to the airport, as we were just transiting through Singapore, en route to Phuket. And we found the fabulous Village Hotel Katong. They have very comfortable family rooms, a pool and restaurant. We were very kindly upgraded to a suite for our stay, which gave us heaps of space (which is exactly what one needs when flying cattle class for 8 hours as a family).

This hotel is about a 15 minute drive from the airport and is located really close to an awesome stip of restaurants/bars/cafes on East Coast Road. We can thoroughly recommend Rabbit Carrot Gun (a British inspired eatery), or right across from that is Singapore's best Laksa House called 328 Katong Laksa. Village Hotel Katong is also located in the front of a small shopping centre which is ideal, in case you need to go to a chemist or a supermarket.

​The East Coast of Singapore is not mentioned too often in the "tourist brochures" but it should be, as it has heaps to see and do for families - including an amazing new playground (see below). ​

For our longer stay we wanted an apartment, as I'm not a fan of sharing a room with my children for any longer than 2 nights. After an awful lot of internet research I found the Louis Kienne Serviced Residences on Havelock Road - which is on the edge of Chinatown. And we highly recommend that you look at staying here when you visit Singapore too!

Louis Kienne Serviced Apartments - Havelock Rd (near Chinatown)

The apartments aren't huge by Australian standards, but they are well furnished and very comfortable. There are small kitchen facilities in case you want to do cooking, and a continental breakfast is included in the room price. There is a shared laundry in the building and car parking as well. When it's time to eat, you will find loads of different places to dine at, within an easy walk.

​BREAKFAST

Even though we were in Asia, we are still fans of the western style of breakfast to start the day. If you think Sydney is starting to get a tad expensive for breakfast, it's actually cheap in comparison to Singapore. Most brekkie items are north of $20.00 and then you have to plus, plus in western style cafes. That is, add the 10% service charge and the 7% GST charge - ouch! So to save yourself some money, try and get a deal which incorporates breakfast into your hotel room price. Below are the 4 places we had breakfast at during our stay (the first 2 were in easy walking distance of the Louis Kienne Serviced Residences).

1. Toby's Estate 
This Sydney favourite has swung open its doors on Roberston Quay, and is open from 7am during the week and 8am on weekends. Their coffee is on point as is their food, and they also have some toys for kidlets to play with. A firm favourite with the expat crowd craving a slice of home, you will have to jostle for a seat mid morning when the yummy mummy crowd hits the cafe. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, with high chairs and toilets both being available for you to use.

​2. Common Man Roasters
You will find this hipster joint on Martin Rd, not too far from Robertson Quay. Everytime we walked past this cafe it was packed to the rafters, and it is packed with expats craving the liquid gold that this cafe brews up. The menu is definitely expensive but the food and coffee is delcious, and the service was excellent. 

3. The Lokal
This delightful cafe is owned and run by an Aussie chef. You will find it in the back streets of Chinatown and it was one of our favourite finds during our stay. The vibe is very relaxed, the coffee is by Common Man Roasters (so it is excellent), and the food was simply delicious. If I was a local in Singapore, I would definitely make this joint my regular.

​4. Paul Patisserie 
There a few "Pauls" in Singapore, including one at the airport. We visited the cafe in the gorgeous Takashimaya Shopping Centre on Orchard Road. At breakfast time they serve a delicious basket of pastries that can easily feed 2 people for $9.90 (++). We ordered 2 baskets and 2 coffees and it was the cheapest breakfast we had during our stay in Singapore, which also coincided with our last day when we were starting to run low on coin! Each basket had 3 pastries (croissant, pain au chocolat and a raisin snail). Jam and butter also accompanied the pastries. This is also a great spot to stop in for morning/afternoon tea as their range of eclairs and other sweet treats looked totally amazing. And at lunch time they also offer a special with their range of yummy looking filled baguettes - so don't be afraid of the expensive shopping centres they are loacted in, as they just happen to be a reasonably price option by Singapore dining standards.

Limoncello - Robertson Quay
This family friendly restaurant is a 10 minute walk from the Louis Kienne Residences. The night we dined, the outside of Limoncello was packed with casually dressed expats and their kids who were riding their scooters. There's a big area in front of the restaurant which is perfect for little ones to play on. However as we were not used to the humid weather, we opted to sit inside in the comfort of air conditioning. 

Limoncello is an Italian restaurant that serves delcious pizza, pasta and other classics. They have a kids menu, a really good wine list and their service was excellent. The menu, like most restaurants in Singapore is on the expensive side when you add on the taxes.

Din Tai Fung - various locations
Dumplings! That's what Din Tai Fung does best and we love them. You normally have to queue to get a table, but they've stream lined this process so that you order as you wait. So your food normally hits your table as soon as you sit down. Their restaurants are air conditioned and thier dumpling kitchens are glass fronted so that you can see the dumpling masters in action - which is great fun for kids. Din Tai Fung also have several restaurants in Sydney.

DC Comics Super Heroes Cafe - Marina Bay Sands
The boys desperately wanted to eat here as they adore all of the DC Comics Super Heroes. The cafe is seriously touristy and quite expensive. The kids meals are pretty darn cool , the adult meals not so much. So we let the boys eat here under the watchful eye of Superman, whilst we had a cool drink (then we headed to Din Tai Fung downstairs for our lunch). Next time I think we would just go for a treat in the middle afternoon like a Super Hero ice cream, or a cupcake so that we can still have the experience, but it won't cost as much money! 

Hawker Markets - various locations
For the cheapest meals in Singapore the myriad of Hawker Markets are your best bet. Not only is the food cheap, but it's also deliciously authentic. We had one across the road from our hotel that we ate at, and also we received a couple of recommendations from our Taxi drivers on the best ones to visit - so our advice is to ask a local, so that you can eat like a local! You can't really go wrong with the popular Newton Food Centres or Maxwell Food Centres either.

PS Cafes
​There are quite a few of these excellent cafes/restaruants located throughout Singapore. They are very western in their design (I think they are owned by an Aussie expat) and the menus are delish! They also serve a very decent coffee and breakfast as well.

Bread Street Kitchen - Marina Bay Sands
This a restaurant from the F bomb King himself, Gordon Ramsay. And bloody hell it was good. And we need it to open in Sydney!! The location in Singapore is spectacular - right on the waterfront at Marina Bay Sands. It's a bit fancy pants, but not so fancy that you can't take kids. They have the most awesome kids menu that comes in a little activity pack full of everything British and it also includes a chef's hat! And for dessert, kids can decorate their own ice cream with the chefs (if they aren't too busy).

Dessert Cafes
There are quite a few delicious dessert cafes located throughout Singapore. We had one close to where we were staying which was a blessing to enter at the end of a hot day - thankyou Dessert Project! Their speciality is Ice Cream Toast! Some other ones to check out are Sunday Folks and Non Entree Desserts.

Some other cool kid friendly cafes we missed checking out are:

• Cafe Melba
• Eat Play Love
• Open Farm Community
• Platform 1094 (a Harry Potter themed cafe)

And if for some reason the hubster needs to watch an all important rugby match, check out the Boomarang Bar at Roberston Quay. It's full of expats, and their kids can be found zooming past on scooters. They have a decent Little Tackers Menu, which covers breakfast, lunch and dinner - they even serve babycinos!!

Golly gosh there's heaps to do for the whole family in Singapore - we only touched the surface with the places we visited. Sentosa Island has by far the most family friendly attractions on it, and you could almost spend a whole week there doing everything that's on offer (if you could afford to). Marina Bay Sands also has quite a few things to do as well.

Universal Studios - Sentosa
If you have a fair bit of cash saved up, you need to make sure that you visit this place with your kids - but it is expensive! There are heaps of awesome rides - some of which are ridiculously scary for kids (and their mums) and also some great stage shows. The queues for some of the rides are huge, so if you can afford to, purchase an Universal Express ticket. That way you can jump the queue and go straight on the rides.

​There are quite a few different places to eat here, but to be honest all the food outlets are fairly ordinary. It's all deep fried, junk food type of stuff and it's pricey. We took some of our own snacks and water to get us through our visit.

​You need to dedicate at least a half day to visiting the Aquarium. For the other half you could visit any of these other activities on Sentosa:

• Adventure Cove Water Park
• The Beach
• Trick Eye Museum
• Madam Tussauds
• Fort Siloso

Art & Science Museum - Marina Bay Sands
The stunning looking lotus flower shaped building at Marina Bay Sands is home to the Art & Science Museum. It is a great place to spend half a day in airconditioned comfort as they host amazing family friendly exhibitions. The exhibitions change every few months, so check what's on before you go and you can can also purchase tickets online as well, which is time saver during peak visiting periods. There's a decent cafe on site, in case you need a caffeine injection.

Gardens by the Bay - Marina Bay Sands
Everyone knows about these amazing gardens, but what you may not know is that there is an excellent playground here as well. It's called the Far East Organisation Children's Garden and it has both an adventure playground, as well as a large water play playground. Just follow the signs from the main gardens and you will find it. And I bet all members of the family will want to run under the water spouts to get cool! There's a kiosk, toilets and also lockers for the stuff you don't want to get wet at the playground.

Other things to do
We believe that you could spend 2 weeks in Singapore (if you could afford to), and still have things to see and do! Below are some of the other awesome attractions can be done as a family, but we didn't have time to:

• Cruise the river on a bumboat
• Take a selfie with the famous Merlion
• Visit the National Museum - one of the best in the world
• Play at Marine Cove Adventure Playground - a brand new outdoor playground on the East Coast
• Check out the Goodman Arts Centre for heaps of hands on kids art activities
• MacRitchie Reservoir - a long family friendly walk where you might meet a monkey or two
• Changi Museum - probably best to visit with older kids who have an appreciation of history
• Visit Diggersite and let you kids loose on the mini excavators
• Jurong Bird Park - home to some of the most amazing birds you will ever see
• Explore the Botanic Gardens & the brilliant looking Jacob Ballas Playground
• Go snow skiing at Snow City
• Visit Kidzania and let your kids be firemen for the day
• Do a day trip to Legoland in Malaysia

Singapore is seriously one of the most expensive cities in the world to live, but for some reason its transport is cheap, especially in comparison to what we pay in Sydney.

MRT is the train line that runs throughout the city. If you love public transport then get to know the system. The MRT is efficent, clean and safe. You will need to buy a Singapore Tourist Pass card which will offer you unlimited travel each day, depending on what value you purchase. These can also be used on the bus system.

Taxis are really cheap and are what we used to get from the airport to our hotels, and to a few other destinations. You can have your hotel desk call them for you. You can flag them down in the street, or you can wait at a designated taxi rank (TIP: do not do this at peak hour, as the wait time is long and the heat can make your whole fambam a wee bit grumpy). There is also an app you can download on your phone, and they will come straight to you. And if you want to know where the best Hawker centres are in town, just ask your taxi driver - we received some awesome tips about centres that were previously unknown to us.

Uber - this is the service we used most whilst staying in Singapore. All of the drivers were brilliant, with some giving us some helpful advice on what to do and see. We already had the app on our phone from Sydney, and we didn't get charged any exchange rates on our credit card for using it in another country!

Walk - Singapore is a great city to walk around BUT you will get hot and sweaty doing so! Like in most places, the best way to find the hidden gems in the back streets, is to  use your legs and walk.

So my dear Little Munchers, we recommend that you start saving now and plan a trip to this marvellous city soon. It's a fabulous family friendly destination. The heat, and the cost of eating and playing are basically the only negatives - oh and all the tourists on their selfie sticks!

​The Castle Hill RSL Club is an institution with local Hills families - it's THE place to go out. With 5 different eating venues, and a brand new super duper kids playground, I can see why. ​

IN A NUTSHELL: Being a RSL Club you have to be a member, or live outside the 6km radius to enter the Castle Hill RSL Club. Membership is reasonably priced ar $22/year, and you can pay on the spot. You also receive a $15.00 voucher to be spent on your birthday, so really your membership is only costing $7.00! The Club has loads of parking, an excellent gym as well as a pool where kidlets can learn to swim. There are cocktail bars, and extensive event/function spaces available. Like all Clubs, if you are a member you receive discounted prices for food and drinks. The Castle Hill RSL is also a huge supporter of the local community, sponsoring many sporting teams and charities. The doors to the club are open 7 days a week, from 10am until late.

​Before you go out to the the courtyard, it is advisable to order something to eat and drink from within the club (unless you are dining with other people who can keep an eye on your kidlets). The Courtyard Cafe is where you can have coffee, cake or a snack 7 days a week from 10.00am. Once you place your order you receive a buzzer and then you have to go back and collect your meal once it is ready. There is a dazzling array of cakes available for you to have with your coffee - oh and the coffee is really good! Babycinos and kid size milkshakes are also available. Besides the sweet treats there are pies, wraps, toasties and other hot snacks available, and nothing costs over $10.00! 

​If you arrive at lunch/dinner time you can order food from the Courtyard Restaurant - it's basically the club's bistro and it is open 7 days a week. The menu is quite creative and you can have everything from a gourmet salad to an old fashion roast of the day. Most of the menu items cost between $20 - $30, with simpler items such as burgers costing less than 20 bucks. Once you order and pay, you take a table number and staff bring you your meal.

Kids have their very own menu - $9.50 for members and $10.50 for non members - each meal includes an ice cream or slushie. The kids meals are fairly typical but you can choose to have either salad or chips served with the meal which is a bonus. In the bistro area you will also find colouring in for kidlets - you just go and help yourself. This is an ideal way of keeping the kids at the table whilst you all eat dinner.

​Every Tuesday in the courtyard the RSL provides entertainment for kidlets which will hopefully give parents a little break from parenting! Face painting, balloons and a clown are the usual entertainment from 11am - 2pm. Also during school holidays they normally have some sort of activity for kids to participate in as well as shows such as Play School Concerts, The Jitterbugs and other kids favourites. So yes the Castle Hill rissole is definitely family friendly and it receives 5 big fat lollipops from us!

​So Little Munchers, does your local RSL Club have facilities as good as the one in Castle Hill? Is it THE go to place for dining out in your hood?​

www.castlehillrsl.com.au
77 Castle St, Castle Hill NSW
02 8858 4800
Open 7 days lunch & dinner