When you live in the UK, you take advantage of every sunny day you get! A couple of weeks ago we had some glorious weather so decided to head down to Brighton Beach one Sunday. Iāve been to Brighton once before – years ago and by train ā I expected it to take about 90 minutes from North London (it took 2 Ā½ hours). I thought it would be crazy busy and parking would be a problem but it wasnāt too bad. Rather than drive around looking for a spot, we parked at the High Street car park (approx. Ā£8 for up to 4 hours) and it was about a 5-7 minute walk down to the beach.
We walked along the pier taking in all the sights before ending up at Palm Court Restaurant for lunch. Beware of the sea gulls!! A lady made the mistake of leaving her food unattended for 10 seconds ā before she knew it the hovering birds swept down and grabbed her fish and chips ā ruthless! Although Palm Court is right in the heart of the pier, I canāt say I was totally impressed by it. My mum and I ordered the classic fish and chips. There was far too much batter on the fish and the chips were not hot or crispy. My dad had the vegetarian lasagne which was quite stodgy. The only saving grace was Sās kids meal which he seemed to enjoy (chicken nuggets, chips and beans). Our order also took quite a while to arrive (our neighbours ordered after us and were half way through their meal before ours arrived) and we had to ask for condiments at least 3 times. Apart from the fact that we got to sit in the glorious sunshine right on the pier, the meal wasnāt particularly memorable.
Walking along the pier you end up at a fun fair / arcade. Look out for the various height restrictions so you know what your kids can go on. We bought S an unlimited band – Ā£10 for all the kiddie rides he could go on. We started with the carousel. As he is between 0.90 and 1.20 meters, I had to go on with him but I wasnāt charged. We went on the helter skelter together and again I wasnāt charged. That was my favourite as it sits right on the edge of the pier so glance down and around and all you see if the gorgeous blue sea. He then went on the tea cup ride, the mini transports ride, the inflatable slide and the trampolines. Next on his agenda was rock throwing on the beach. Itās funny how a lot of the times weāre trying to create fun experiences for our children when they are actually happiest doing the simple things. Brighton Beach is a pebble (read rock) beach. Not super comfortable to sit on but it provides the best rock throwing opportunities. S stood at the edge of the water seeing how far he could throw rocks for about 30 minutes. We finally got up, walked across to Starbucks for some coffee before we headed back home.
Although it was a great day out, Iām going to look for a nice sandy beach not far from London for the next time we have a bit of a heat waveā¦although living in the UK, I could be waiting all summer! š
Fun Facts! š
The ever changing nature of parentingĀ
This evening I lay down beside S and watched him fall asleep. Watched as his eyes closed at the end of another busy day, watched as his face relaxed and he fell into a deep sleep. I often use these moments to reflect on our day and think about how I can do better. Parenting is a tough job…We’re constantly having to make choices and hope they are the right ones for our kids. I don’t know any good parent who isn’t constantly berating themselves for the choices they make…it just goes with the territory.
Now that he’s 5, he’s started to make many of his own choices and my latest challenge is allowing him to do the things he wants to do, even if I don’t agree with them. I often look back at old blog posts and laugh at my naivety. When S was younger I truly believed you could negotiate/gently coerce children and that you didn’t need to raise your voice or resort to black mail. And now I increasingly find myself doing those very things.
I recently read a blog post where the writer asked : How would you feel if your spouse talked to you the way you talked to your child? This is a pretty powerful question and I’ve been asking myself a similar one: How would I feel if my parents spoke to me the way I speak to S? And that’s given me a lot of food for thought. While I do think that adults and children are different, sentences like that still make me think. Ofcourse most adults aren’t unnecessarily rude, don’t refuse to eat, refuse to have a bath or ignore you when you ask them to do something like many 5 year olds do so it’s not an accurate comparison but nevertheless, if it’s made you more mindful then more points to the writer.
I think of parenting as an ever changing responsibility. Just when you’ve tackled one challenge, another one presents itself. It forces you to look at yourself and analyse who you are. Why is that some behaviour bothers us and doesn’t bother another parent? What is it about our children’s behaviour that gets under our skin? I was listening to a podcast recently by Torie Henderson (A life coach for parents) and she got right to the point when she said that most of our reactions towards our kids comes from a place of fear that we are not good enough mums/parents. The more I pondered on her words, the more I nodded in agreement. Most of the time, when we get frustrated, it’s because our child is doing something we don’t think is right. And our reaction comes as a result of our perception. But what if we change our perception? What if we relinquish control of how we think things should be? Wouldn’t we be happier? Wouldn’t it make parenting more joyful?
What is it about parenting that makes us such control freaks? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
London in the SpringtimeĀ
You know Spring has arrived when the gorgeous Cherry Blossoms come out and boy have they arrived!!
We’re so lucky to live in an area surrounded by cherry blossom trees so we get to watch them bloom on our daily walk to the bus stop.
So with the Easter Holidays upon us, schools out and the skies are blue, here is my list of the best London (and the surrounding areas) have to offer this Spring!
1. Duck Tours – have a look on Groupon before you go to their website, they very often have deals on there. Make sure you read the terms and conditions!
2. The Big Bus Tour – See all the best sights of London over one or two days. I personally love a Bus Tour, especially if you’re only in the city a few days and want to make the most of your time.
3. Battersea Park Children’s Zoo – We haven’t been yet but it’s on my list of places of visit this summer. We are however members of London Zoo and S loves it.
4. Southbank – My favourite part of London! The Art of Brick: DC Super Heroes opened on the 1st of March. We went to the original Art of Brick and was amazed by it so this is definitely on our list for when we’re back in 2 weeks time.
5. The Tate Modern is running a “live exhibition“, something I think both adults and children alike will be fascinated by. Don’t forget to take a spare change of clothes, just in case your kids refuse to come out! š
If you don’t mind venturing out then I highly recommend Belmont Farm, Bekonscot Model Village, Windsor Castle and Legoland.
If the weather turns (let’s be realistic, it’s London) then there’s Sea Life and the London Aquarium, The National History Museum, The Transport Museum or the good ol’ cinema. VUE usually run Kids mornings over the holidays where movies are Ā£2.50 a ticket (kids and adults alike).
And of course if the beautiful weather sticks around, there are always the gorgeous London Parks – Regents Park, Hyde Park, Hampstead Heath and Richmond Park are my favourites. Email education@royalparksfoundation.org to find out more about what’s going on in the parks over the next few weeks.
Happy Spring! šøšøšø
A weekend in ParisĀ
If thereās one thing I believe, itās that travel teaches children much more than only school ever will. Heck I donāt just believe it for children, I believe it for everyone. And armed with that belief, itās been my mission to start ticking off places to visit every year. Last year S visited Rome, Istanbul, Dubai, Tenerife and Lagos (3 of them completely new destinations). With me working full time now, this year has been left pretty open.
I was always going to take a few days off during half term to spend time with S (catch up with friends) but in January I decided to book a weekend getaway to Paris as well. We donāt live too far from St. Pancras so decided the Eurostar would much a much more efficient in terms of our time. I booked for us to leave on the 7:55 train on Friday morning and return on the 18:13 train on Sunday evening, making the most of our days in Paris.
Getting there
I initially tried to book package deal through http://www.lastminute.com which I would advise against! It was only after 2-3 phone calls to them when I remembered a similar issue I faced last year. I truly believe that weāre being conned into believing their fares are lower than everyone elseās when in fact you go to book and find yourself unable to do so. After umpteen calls to their call centre, talking to people who have no answers and will not deviate from their script, they finally agree to book your holiday but of course by then they want to charge you Ā£75 more because your booking is not guaranteed and no longer available! Someone, anyoneā¦please remind me not to attempt to book with them again. A quick look at their twitter and youāll see just how many people write to them on an hourly basis with issues with their bookings. Anyway, I finally booked the train through the Eurostar website and booked our hotel through http://www.booking.com I would recommend you first try http://www.trivago.com which compares several hotel booking websites and tells you which one has the best rate for the room youāre looking for. Tips for the Eurostar ā grab your coffee, food and drinks from one of the many shops at St. Pancras as the cafĆ© on the train is quite overpriced. I understand they are introducing a new fleet of trains but these havenāt rolled out yet. We were on an old train with no working WI-FI and no sockets at each seat. Thankfully the toilets were clean!
Where to stay
My cousin and her family live in Paris and we wanted to be close to her but also close enough to all the sites of Paris. We ended up staying at a hotel from the Accor Group ā Mercure La Defense. The hotel is rated as a 4* but Iām not sure I would give it a 4 star. The rooms are a decent enough size and we were lucky we had a view of the Eiffel Tower as well as the La Defence district (business district, tall glass buildings, etc.) but the bathroom was pretty small. When I first opened the door, I saw the sink and tub in front of me and wondered where the toilet was. It was squeezed in behind the door. There were also no amenities in the bathroom except some packaged bars of soap near the sink and a squeezable bath gel/shampoo hooked on the wall in the tub. On the Saturday I realised my international adaptor wasnāt working and asked the hotel if they had one. Luckily they did and said I could use it but had to pay a 20 EURO deposit. I was fine with this but requested them to deliver it to the room and Iād give them the money as S was asleep and I couldnāt go down to the lobby. All I got was a āSorry, we canāt help you.ā I expected more from a 4* hotel.
Things to do in Paris
We arrived at Gare du Nord around midday on Friday. A quick trip through the city and we were on the West side of Paris in Courbevoie. We had lunch with my cousin and her family before heading back into the city. We took the train from La Defence to the Louvre and got off right in front of the museum. When I first looked at a map of the Paris Metro, I thought it would take us at least an hour to get across the city but Paris is a lot smaller than London and getting from the East to the West was quite quick.
āā
It was a gorgeous day. We didn’t end up going into the museum but got a peep in through a massive glass window. We then walked out across the main courtyard and through a park in the city, down to the Champs Elysee. Paris, with it’s wide open streets and ample space is a joy to walk through.
On Saturday we decided to head to see the Eiffel Tower…but not before popping into one of the many bakeries for some freshly baked breakfast goodies.
You can see the Eiffel Tower from various points in the city but nothing prepares you for just how amazing it is up close. I hadn’t been to Paris in 14 years and was amazed by it all over again.
S really wanted to climb to the top so we queued up at one of the stairs entrances. You can in fact only walk up to the second level from where you take a lift to the top. When you arrive at the Eiffel Tower there’s a security check which took us about 20 minutes and then we spent 1hr 20 mins queuing at the entrance to start our ascent.
The whole experience took us approx 3 hours. We were planning on doing the river cruise right after but it was already close to 4 and S was pretty tired.
I’d definitely recommend the river cruise though as it covers quite a few sights. The next time we’re in Paris, we’d do it without a doubt. We spent Sunday with family having lunch and exploring some parks before heading home Sunday evening. Paris makes for a great weekend getaway and S already asks to go back all the time. I think Paris stole his heart šš
Goodbye 2016
I spent New Yearās Eve 2015 at the top of Primrose Hill with my cousin J and her husband H ā that does not feel like almost an entire year ago! 2016 ā What a year itās been! Iām running out of adjectives but what Iām left with year-end is āextraordinaryā, in every way!
It hasnāt always been an easy year ā Iāve personally dealt with sudden demise and ill health within my family – and as a nation, weāve seen our break up with the European Union, the election of Donald Trump and far too many deaths of people who made a difference. On many occasions this year I questioned how we got to where we are. Watching the horror that unfolds in Syria, seeing children separated from their parents in the Calais Jungle, the exposing of the Panama Papers, lorries driving into Christmas marketsā¦.you get my drift!
But life is all about perspective and I strive to see the positive in things, specifically in my life. The media have a way of only portraying the worst in the world and not the best. That is not to say that what is happening isnāt happening and isnāt heart breaking in many cases. We must do all we can to help those in need, to make a difference to the lives of our fellow beings. But one of the biggest differences we can make is to our own life. Itās only when our cups are full, when we love ourselves, when we are happy, that we can help those around us.
With that, I look back at my year with a sense of contentment. Iāve made new friends, I got myself a pretty good job, I visited several new cities, I went on a date, Iāve watched S grow into a smart and cheeky little boy with a great sense of humour. Iāve spent lots of time with family, Iām in the best shape Iāve been in years and blogging has given me (and S) some fab opportunities this year.
So while Iāll say a little prayer for all who need it and hope for a better 2017, I will say thank you to 2016! You werenāt too bad, you could have been a lot worse!
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The Magical Lapland UK
Itās no secret that I absolutely love Christmas. Our tree goes up around the 3rd week of November and I start planning for Christmas around the end of October (researching Christmas presents, planning the different activities I want to take S to, getting social dates in the diary, etc.) Christmas has a way of evoking some of my favourite childhood memories. As a child, my parents would bundle my brother and I into our car and take us for a drive through London. Weād each be sat at either end of the back seat staring out at all the beautiful lights along Oxford Street and Regents Street. I may be 30 something years old but I still gaze in wonderment at the lights in the West End. Naturally Iād like to create some of these memories for S. Oneās he can look back on and smile at ā for me itās an easy way to find my happy place. And Christmas to me isnāt just about the gift giving (BUT that is a welcomed addition), itās also about the festive spirit, the kindness I see around me and the time for mulled wine (although I have been known to drag this tradition on until February!)
With that, I wanted to take S to Lapland UK this year. In my opinion, heās the perfect age where he was able to enjoy every aspect of it. I probably could have taken him last year but somehow we had so much else on, it didnāt happen. For all those āinvitedā to Lapland by Father Christmas, they receive a personalised invitation a week before with a time slot. Ours was 1:30 and we arrived there at 12:30. After parking in one of their many free car parks, we walked through the Enchanted Forest to the entrance. We checked in with the elves who were super chirpy and engaged with S. We were quite early so we sat down to share a hot chocolate and take in our surroundings.
āāāā
At 1:30 we had an introduction to our day before being taken through a beautiful dimly lit corridor into an enchanted forest. It was here that we met one of the oldest elves and was introduced to Ecko ā the āgreenā elf. They engaged us with stories before singing the elf song and whoosh the doors opened into what I can only describe as Winter Wonderland ā it was like a scene out of Narnia. We began our adventure at the Toy Factory where S got to make 2 toys, helping the elves get ready for Christmas. There was also a conveyor belt of dangling toys hanging from the ceiling.
āā
The second part of our experience was story time and gingerbread decorating with Mother Christmas and her elves. She was so lovely ā they ran out of spaces and she went and personally got S a placemat, a gingerbread man, some sweets and a chefās hat.
Finally we were let out into the Elf village which had an ice skating rink, a bauble shop, a post office (where we wrote a letter to Father Christmas), a restaurant, a souvenier shop and lots more. There was a juggler elf and a bauble elf. Although all the vendors accepted cards, you could opt to buy āJinglesā which is elf money. 1 Jingle = 1 Ā£.
Finally, about an hour later, we strolled through the Winter Woodland to end our magical day with a meeting with the man himself, Father Christmas. S had been counting down the days to Lapland and was even really excited in the waiting area. But the minute the doors opened and Father Christmas bellowed out āS, Iāve been waiting for youā ā he got really shy and hid behind me. We sat beside Father Christmas and he did really well considering S wasnāt responding to him that much. At Lapland theyād asked us for some information before we got there and using that, Father Christmas was able to engage S by talking about things he āknewā he liked ā and it worked because S perked up wondering how he knew. All part of the magical experience!
What I loved about Lapland is just how enthusiastic they all are and the very obvious effort that has gone in to create this stunning place. The āsnowā didnāt just sit on the trees you could see ā look up and there was snow even right at the top. No parts of Lapland looked run down and none of the elves missed a beat. They were funny, warm and engaging with all the children. Apart from his bout of shyness at the end, S absolutely loved the experience and honestly, so did I. It definitely brought out my inner child and left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Now the Christmas spell has been cast, I hope S loves the season as much as I do.
Lapland UK is open from the 19th of November until the 24th of December. We were invited to visit Lapland UK as press but as always all thoughts and views are my own and unbiased.
Aladdin, the musical, LondonĀ
My all-time favourite Disney movie is Aladdin. As a child, many a Saturday night was spent watching Aladdin and over the years we memorised every word, every song lyric. So when I heard Aladdin was coming to the West End, there was no question about going, it was just a question of when. My wish was fulfilled on Tuesday this week.
As you can imagine I had high expectations going in and I wasnāt disappointed (entirely). The real credit has to go to designer Bob Crowley (for Londonās most impressive sets) and Trevor Dion Nicholas (The Genie) whoās mesmerising and enigmatic performance made the show. Iagoās parrot to human transformation worked well (the voice was spot on) but Abu was missed. The flying carpet scene is pure magic – how they pulled that off completely baffles me but it was mind blowing. The special effects will leave you awe struck ā smoke, disappearing acts and fireworks are just some of them!
Iāve seen quite a number of West End musicals and I have to say that I expected more, vocally, from both the leads (Aladdin & Jasmine). Donāt get me wrong, their voices are amazing but not up to the standard Iāve seen on other shows (Wicked for example). Purists of the film will notice the artistic liberties taken with the narrative but nothing too far-fetched. The cheesy jokes do go a touch too far but youāre so distracted by the glitz and glamour on stage, youāll laugh anyway. The songs are all the originals with a few extra thrown in for good measure.
All in all, itās a great feel good family show ā youāll be beguiled by the colours, characters and pure energy that emanates from the stage.
Aladdin is showing at The Prince Edward theatre in Soho.
Stickman, Leicester Square Theatre, LondonĀ
This weekend we went to see Stickman, the play. If you read my blog regularly youāll know we go to the theatre quite often. This year weāve seen Disney on Ice, The Gruffalo, The Scarecrows wedding and now Stickman. S has also seen 2 other shows with his school. I love taking him to see shows based on books we read because heās able to literally watch the book come to life. My hope in doing this is to spark his imagination and extend to him my love for the arts.
Most of the childrenās shows we go to are an hour long (perfect for those shorter attention spans) and have very few people on stage. Stickman was no exception with only 3 people playing the various characters. Itās about a stick who lives with his stick lady love and his 3 children in a family tree. One day he goes out for a walk and is attacked by dog, thrown into a river and used as a mast for a flag. With each encounter he bellows out āIām not a twig (bat, pen, etc) why canāt they see, Iām stickman, Iām stickman, Iām stickman, thatās me.ā He just wants people to see him for what he is ā a stick being with feelings of his own ā who longs to be back in the family tree.
Written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler (The Gruffalo, The Gruffaloās Child, Tiddler, Monkey Puzzle, Room on the Broom, etc.) they are known for their poetic prose and imagination. Sally Cookson and her team have done a fantastic with this wonderfully exuberant and delightful stage production. They make deft use of a ukulele, banjo, saxophone, the drums and chimes. And thereās plenty of audience participation, the cast entering the audience at one point as the ādogā chases āstickmanā. This show had more audience participation than any other weāve seen before and this went a long way in holding the kids attention and keeping them highly entertained.
Stickman is a wonderful Christmas themed adaptation and Iād recommend taking your children to go see it this holiday season. Itās showing at The Leicester Square Box Office from the 16th of November until the 30th of December.
Dubai with kidsĀ
Earlier this year we visited Dubai for Sās spring half term. It was a very last minute trip ā we decided we were going on a Sunday morning and left the following Friday.
Weād been to Dubai previously (December 2014) for 2 weeks but S was only 2 yrs 9mnths and although I never expected to say this about Dubai, it wasnāt warm enough to do so many of the popular outdoor activities. However, in May this year, we had the most wonderful week in Dubai (you can read all my restaurant recommendations here). It was hot but not unbearable. Dubai is a wonderful place to visit with kidsā¦here are my top 10 things to do with kids in Dubai.
1. Ski Dubai
Funnily enough we didnāt actually go in to Ski Dubai. I was really looking forward to it but we met my cousin at the Mall of Emirates and once S saw my niece L, he had no interest in going into ski (baby L wasnāt allowed in). To have a ski slope in what is essentially a desert is pretty cool though. It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be but still offered the opportunity to ski, snow board and roll around in a huge Zorb ball. Kids would have a blast and if you donāt fancy going in yourself (and theyāre old enough to go alone), you can have a drink/bite in the adjacent Cheesecake Factory which has huge floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking The Alps Ski Dubai.
2. Atlantis, The Palm
We bought an all in one pass to go and see the Dolphins and go to the waterpark. It really was amazing. Iām a huge fan of waterparks and Atlantis did not disappoint. Itās quite big so we didnāt get to go on all the rides, plus with a child in tow, gone are the days of only going on all the scariest slides there are. I was very fortunate to have my parents and brother there who took S on the lazy river so I could in fact check out some of the more adrenaline fuelled thrills! There was a pretty awesome childrenās section which S loved navigating. If we went again I think Iād opt to stay at The Atlantis for a night so we get to spend two days at the waterpark. Seeing the dolphins and doing the waterpark in one day meant we only got 5 hours at the park (time flies when youāre sliding down tunnels!) Also, trying to leave the waterpark when it closes is a bit of a nightmare. The taxi queue probably would have taken us an hour. In the end we ordered an uber and were lucky enough to be out of there in 15 minutes.
3. KidZania and Sega Republic
We didnāt go in to KidZania in Dubai ā thereās one in London and itās the kind of place thatās a lot more fun when you go with other kids. We did go to Sega Republic though. Like most kids S loves all the little rides. You have to buy a card which you can top up and use on all the rides. When we went in May this year, I used the card Iād got in December 2014 and it still worked. Kids can be kept entertained for hours in this place. You just have to have a pretty heavy wallet.
4. Wild Wadi
I went to Wild Wadi back in 1999 and again in 2005 and absolutely loved it. Itās one of the best waterparks in the world. Right by the Burj Al Arab, itās also got some great views. As I understand, if youāre staying at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel then access to the waterpark is free. Alternatively you can just buy a day pass. Itās been around way longer than the waterpark at Atlantis and remains a firm favourite with many friends in Dubai.
5. Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
Spectacular!! But then again, itās Dubai so of course itās going to be. I recently wrote about visiting the London Aquarium and it really doesnāt compare. The most amazing thing about the Dubai Aquarium is the sheer size of it. Housed in the middle of Dubai mall, itās visible to everyone who walks by it. We paid to walk through the tunnel (not so spectacular ā you really get the best views from the outside), to visit the Underwater Zoo and to go for a ride on a glass bottomed boat which was pretty cool.
6. Dubai Fountains aka The Dancing Water (according to S)
He loved it and when we went in May this year, he remembered it from his previous trip in December. It starts at around 6pm, lasts about 15 minutes and starts again every 30 minutes after that. Sometimes the water ādancesā to local music, sometimes to Michael Jacksonās thriller and Iāve even heard it dance to Hero by Enrique Inglesias.
ā
7. Desert Safari
This is worth the visit, however, go in the day! I wanted to watch the sunset and we went for the evening one but we missed the sunset because the tour guides were running late. We didnāt get to go on the dune buggys because it was dark, we only just got to go on the camels (last ride) and the food was pretty lousy (it didnāt help that I could barely see the food on my plate in the dark). I know Iām making it sound really bad but I think thatās just because we did the evening one ā Iām sure itād be a lot better if you did the day one which ends at sunset. Depending on when in the year you go, the only downside of the afternoon one would be the heat!
8. Bounce Dubai
This is fairly new and we havenāt been but a friend mentioned it so I thought Iād put it on here. Weāve been to Oxygen Free Jumping quite a few times in London and S loves it (who doesnāt love trampolining?!) So if youāre in Dubai and itās too hot to go outside, this is a great venue to take the kids.
9. The Rainforest CafƩ
A delight for the kids (and adults too). Again, weāve been to The Rainforest CafĆ© in London but it does not even begin to compare to the one in Dubai. The best bit about it is the restaurant sits directly behind the Aquarium in Dubai mall giving you a fantastic inside view of all the sea life. Every so often the restaurant quakes as animals prowl through the jungle!! A must for the kids when youāre visiting Dubai.
10. Magic Planet
This is the largest indoor family entertainment centre in Dubai. It features award winning rides and games, providing fun for all ages, children and adults alike. They also have a 4D theatre, the first ever in the UAE. If you prefer something more relaxed, they have a soft play area, a professional child care centre and lots of restaurants to choose from.
Dubai with its sheer opulence means you could simply walk around one of their many malls and be amazed by all around you. If you get the opportunity, take a Gondola ride around Jumeirah Medinat and if itās not too hot, jump on one of their hop on/hop off bus tours for a more insider view of the city.
Dubai is a wonderful holiday destination and they keep adding to their ever increasing tourist attractions (apparently the next one is going to be an outdoor yet air conditioned theme park) which means there will more certainly be something new to visit every time you go back. I think I hear Dubai callingā¦.
Wagamama at the 02
I am quite lucky that food has never been an issue with S. Heās always had quite a varied palette and the more we travel, the more open he is to trying new foods. After our trip to Turkey earlier this year, heās now a fan of kebabs! We often go out to lunch with either family/friends or sometimes just the two of us. Giraffe has always been one of my go to child friendly restaurants. But places like Pheonix Palace (Chinese restaurant), Busaba and Wagamama are pretty good as well and the latter two do great kids menus.
A couple of weeks ago we were invited to Wagamama at the 02 centre not far from where we live to experiment with their kids menu. S is quite familiar with it as we go there often. We were booked in for dinner at 5pm but due to changes in our plans for the day, we went at 1:30pm for lunch instead and they were very accommodating. As usual S was given some crayons and paper to occupy him. As soon as the waiter came to our table, S asked him for the childrenās chopsticks (heās well acquainted with the place!) He chose the cob cubes and I decided to go with the Firecracker but requested tofu (rather than the chicken or prawns option). Again, they were accommodating to my needs. S also had a fresh apple juice and I had a Positive (which was very refreshing!) and that’s how I like to roll š
When our meals arrived however, I was disappointed with the cod cubes S got. They were larger than they usually are but as I tried to cut them in half for him, I realised just how hard they were. Also, a few of them were just empty shells. I realised this when S handed one to me and exclaimed that he wasnāt going to eat it because it was empty. I flagged this to the manager and she was nice enough to change the cod cubes and bring us a new batch. However when they arrived I wished Iād just ordered him a chicken cha han (chicken fried rice) instead. They were marginally better than the first batch but still quite hard. She (the manager) explained that they needed to be cooked well so that the fish inside was cooked all the way through and while I understand that, S has had the cod cubes at Wagamama before and weāve never had this issue. Perhaps itās a new batter or a different chef. S ended his meal on a happy note though with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
My meal on the other hand was very flavourful. Iāll warn you though, the firecracker is hot, approach with care! What I usually do (but had forgotten on this occasion) was to ask them to make it without all the dried red chillis. Itās still hot but obviously not as much without them. If youāre not a huge fan of spice, I highly recommended the chicken teriyaki donburi or one of the ramens.
Our experience wonāt put me off going back there but I donāt think Iāll be ordering the cod cubes again unfortunately.
*Disclaimer ā S and I were invited to Wagamama and our meals were complimentary. As always, all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.
