Exploring Hort Park and its hidden gem, Vineyard restaurant

We visited Hort Park this week. The main aim was to try out Vineyard Restaurant’s lemon lava cake which my colleague was raving about the other day, AND to make a nature lover out of little Vera.

The last we were here was when our best friends’ got married in May 2009. More than 2 years! What has changed? Hmm, the one thing that’s noticeably missing is the greenhouse / plant nursery at the basement! How sad that you can admire the greenery but not be able to go home with a little potted something of your own. (I certainly hope they bring it back soon.)

Other than that, the view is still breathtaking.

And there are still many PRETTY THINGS to see(and capture on camera).

Then came the fish. Not eating them, but feeding them! Well, mummy was quite disappointed really, by the lack of energy exhibited by the fishies while feeding. I was kinda expecting a feeding frenzy – the kind you see on National Geographic. Well, the toddler liked it, and had fun stepping up to the edge and reaching her little hands as far as she could. That’s her version of throwing.

Then there was this cool little air-conditioned house which features lots of green as part of its furnishings and decor. Like this vase of dried flowers sitting atop a  coffee table housing a real GARDEN. Living rooms don’t get this wild…

Here’s Vera taking a closer look. (There’s even water droplets on the glass!)

The only thing not green in the house? This RED HOT FLOWER CHAIR.

As parents pick up tips on how to greenify the home, older kids can also learn about the various flora and herbs in the house. Tip: keep a close watch on younger ones. (Vera couldn’t keep her hands off the ceramic teapot and cup. I had one hand on the camera and the other fending her off!)

I thought this was a pretty cool idea: housing small potted plants beneath your work-desk. Good for the eyes.

Last stop was Vineyard. Finally.  We walked into the rather small but classy restaurant. The toddler was of course immediately drawn to the play area in the backyard, which houses some drawing materials, push-toys, as well as a sticky-dart board and a mini bowling area for older kids. Not super fun but at least it kept her busy for awhile.

As we were dining at a rather odd time in the late afternoon, we only had a limited menu of pastas and pizzas to choose from. Still, the pizza was pretty good, thin and crisp. Unfortunately, my camera ran out of battery, so I couldn’t get shots of the real star: lemon lava cake. But, this blog review of Vineyard Restaurant did a pretty good job, so do pop over and have a read.

It was nice to find the place rather kid-friendly, as you can see by the spacious ramp linking the top and bottom floor, and a CHILD-FRIENDLY TAP. They also have a nursing and diaper change room in the ladies’ room. No kids toilet though, and we had a mini-accident when Vera’s pee went sideways and out of the bowl. Oops.

All-in-all, it’s worth a visit, especially to get your preschoolers and older kids in touch with nature. They actually conduct workshops such as floral arrangement and herb and spice craft, so long as you can gather a min. of 20 kids (K1 and above). The place could do with a few more food /snack options though, so do remember to BYO.

Last word: Vera says, ‘Thanks, aunty Wei Yee and uncle Gabriel for coming along and making this trip so fun!’