June 2015

190 286

WINE&DINE
190 June15
When: All-day breakfast is served on weekdays from 10am
to 10pm; brunch is available from8.30am to 4pmon weekends
and public holidays; à la carte all-day breakfast items are
available from 4pm; and pizza is served from 11am. You can
order from the kids’ menu all day, every day.
There aren’t many places where you can relax with the perfect
latte knowing the kids are playing safely on the huge lawn in
front; but at Café Melba, you can. With its lovely alfresco patio,
this place makes for a relaxing family brunch; it has a cool
vibe, friendly staff and lush green surroundings.
The food has a mix of influences from Australia and Asia,
with a menu of everything from sandwiches and light bites to
pizza and pastas, plus an All Day Brekkie menu that includes
to-die-for free-range eggs Benedict ($20) with lemon
hollandaise sauce, and the Full Melba Cooked Breakfast
($25), your choice of eggs, pork sausages, house-cured
bacon, baked beans, mushrooms, hash browns and toast;
this can be upsized to a “mega” version ($36, or $44 with a
bottle of beer).
The kids’ menu offers five options – pizza, fish and chips,
spaghetti Bolognese, macaroni and cheese and chicken
schnitzel – each can be ordered with a juice and a scoop
of ice cream for $15.
Special features: In addition to colouring sheets to
keep kids occupied, there’s a bouncy castle just outside the
patio where they can jump to their hearts’ content. The huge
lawn is great for running around and playing ball games – in
fact, there are football goals set up on the grass. Older kids
who want to explore can scooter around the safe pathways
of the Arts Centre.
Café Melba
90 Goodman Road, Block N#01-56
Goodman Arts Centre
6440 6068 |
Words to the wise: This place is great for groups, but
get there early, as they don’t take reservations on weekends
or public holidays. They also maintain a “no pets” policy, so
leave the pups at home.
– Jacqui Young
La Barca
Here, mums and dads can relax over hearty Tuscan food
and some bubbly (free-flow Prosecco is available for $45
with the brunchmenu from11am to 2.30pmon weekends),
while kids are occupied with the indoor playroom’s slide,
crawling tunnel, toys, books and TV; outside, they can ride
their scooters or play foosball in the alfresco section. 90
Goodman Road, Goodman Arts Centre.
Brussels Sprouts
Adults can linger over giant beers and Belgian fare –
homemade waffles, sausage and eggs Florentine – and
watch as the kids work up a sweat on the large grassy
area outside. Sunday brunch is available from 10am to
12 noon, but, from 12 to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays,
kids 10 and below can choose from complimentary fish
sticks or sausages when an adult order is placed from
the “Big Eat” or “Main-sized Moules” section of the menu.
902 East Coast Parkway, Block F #01-27, Big Splash.