EatPlayLove Cafe: Craft Paradise Found

(Daddy blogs)

Over the weekend, we had the good fortune of stumbling onto a quaint cosy cafe around the Kampong Glam area and oh my, what a magnificent find it turned out to be.

Situated along Aliwal Road, EatPlayLove Cafe is a stylish retro cafe with all things vintage, whimsical and full of nostalgia. And you know what, the wifey immediately fell in love with the place the moment we stepped in.

I wasn't kidding when I mentioned that the entire place has old school stamped all over it. The cafe sold toys of the yesteryears and even snacks like Ding Dang too!

Those certainly brought back wonderful childhood memories. The boys though, were rather intrigued with a certain vintage typewriter... which incidentally was their first time coming into contact with one.

But that wasn't the main draw of the cafe.

This was.

An entire crafting corner for kids!

All you have to do is make payment for $5 per child for 2 hours worth of unlimited crafting activities.

And when I say unlimited, I really mean it... just check out all the crafting materials that the kids are free to take and use!

Fret not, if your kid does not know where or how to begin. There are loads of crafting ideas and examples scattered all around the craft corner.

There are even crafting books which parents can refer to for some extra inspiration... how's that for that added personal touch?

But as much as the monkies wanted to start on their craft masterpieces immediately, there was still the tiny business of having our dinner. After all, this is a cafe, no?

I'm glad to say that the food doesn't disappoint. The cafe serves a mix of Thai-inspired cuisine, Western dishes and sandwiches, and the best thing is that the prices are rather reasonable with each dish averaging $10.

The wifey had the Spicy Beef Burger - the patty was moist and flavourful - while Ash had the Pineapple rice which he polished off more than three-quarters.

I had the Thai Green Curry Chicken with rice and it was palatable, nothing fanciful but pretty appetising on the whole. It could have been greater if there were more chicken chunks in it though. But that's just the carnivore in me talking.

However, if kids are in your entourage, the one dish which you would not want to miss ordering is the Macaroni with Cheese. Ayd had that and he totally went crazy over it.

Even Ale who was initially sharing the Pineapple Rice with Ash, wanted more after sneaking a mouthful of the creamy and cheesy pasta.

In fact, we noticed that was the default dish of choice among the many teenage customers while we were there!

Of course, no matter how marvellous the food tasted, there was still the nagging thought of getting down to the craft-making proper going through their minds. And this probably explained why they finished up their dinner in record time.

Just so that they can get their hands busy.

Ash had great fun in creating his own alien spaceship out of paper plates, ice cream sticks and bottle caps while Ayd doodled away and made a face out of a paper plate, furry balls and crepe paper. Ale was a tad young to do the more complicated crafty stuff, so the wifey aided her in making a shaker using a Vitagen bottle and some beads... and she was totally ecstatic with that.

Adults need not feel left out as well, as there is a wide selection of more complicated craft work (at a separate charge) to choose from.

The 'Adopt-A-Monster' station was rather tempting for the wifey, where you get to sew and stick knick-knacks on a stuffed toy to create your very own unique monster.

But she eventually settled on the Sock Monkey ($35 for a DIY kit) because it just looks too ultra cute and irresistible to resist... oh, and Ale laid claim to it as well.

With all the monkies being kept busy, there was ample time (and space in the bellies) for some Thai Sticky Rice with Mango dessert. Yums.

And it is GOOD! We got the version with the coconut ice cream and it complemented the sticky rice very well. And in case you are wondering, the green drink is some concoction of ice cream soda, milk and basil seeds. I forgot what is the name of the drink, but it is very good too!

Even better was the peace and quiet that the wifey and I could afford to have while the monkies were busy at their craft corner I say.

So yes, I totally love this kids-friendly eatery... even more so for the wifey I suspect.

At home, I am sometimes reluctant to let the kids go on an all-out art and craft session because I am wary of the mess and mayhem - it's funny how glue always seems to end up on someone's hair - that it can generate. And if there is one thing that the boys love doing other than fixing up their LEGOs, art and craft is it.

So it was really pure bliss that such a place provided them with all the space AND materials that they will ever require... and all these giving the wifey and I the humongous chance of having a peaceful and unhurried meal. What more can we ask? 

Whilst we were on the way home, Ayd popped the question, "I really enjoyed the place. Can we go back again some other time?"

I guess we all know the answer to that one. :)


Useful Details:

EatPlayLove Cafe
28 Aliwal Street
Aliwal Arts Centre,#01-07
Singapore 199918
Opening hours: 12pm - 10pm daily except Tues
Tel: 6444 6400
Website: http://www.facebook.com/eatplaylovealiwal