Charly T's: Kid Friendly Resto in Katong

I very rarely order roast chicken when we go out – for the simple reason that, more often than not, the chicken comes out pretty dry and tasteless. Actually in general, I never order chicken in restaurants. So I was really interested when I heard that Charly T’s specialised in rotisserie chicken!

I was really surprised to discover too that it’s not just rotisserie chicken that they serve, but a whole variety of dishes from around the world. It kind of makes it hard to decide what to get.

The interior of Charly T’s is welcoming and family friendly, with lots of high chairs and an outdoor patio area with a large TV screen. But the calling card is definitely the play corner.

My kids made a BEELINE straight for it!

On one Sunday every month, Charly T’s hosts a full-blown kids event with an instructor…. FOR FREE. Kids are eligible when accompanied by a dining adult. Not trying to sound cheap or anything here.. but any place that keeps my kids occupied for a good hour for free is tops in my books!

Last month, the activity was “instrument making”. It was a really simple concept and used simple craft materials, but was such a good idea and one that I’d never thought of before. The kids happily decorated the backs of two paper plates, stapled them together so they formed a drum/tambourine, and then threaded through large bells to make them jingle-jangle. What a hit it was!

My husband was a champion and guided both kids through the craft making… though I’d imagine if your kids are a bit older, they can just be left there while you eat in peace.

After that, we relaxed with a well-deserved Iced Latte and Iced Lemon Tea… whilst the kids played around the area for a bit more and shared a freshly-squeezed Green Flash Juice – Green Apple, Orange, and Pineapple.

Of course, we also had to try the Rotisserie Chicken with 2 side dishes! We were told that they pride themselves on chilled, never frozen chickens that are marinated for over 12 hours before they are slow-cooked Rotisserie-style. Yum!

The meat was plump and tender, and I liked how crisp and smoky the skin was. But most of all, I thought the sesame (I think!) dipping sauce it came with was excellent. The kids loved it smothered it all over their chicken! Speaking of which, both kids pretty much ate half the chicken each. I was definitely impressed.

Our two side dishes were the Garlic Rice, which was full of flavour and a total must order, and the Macaroni and Cheese, which I liked but wasn’t super kid-friendly due to its mild peppery flavour from the red peppers in the sauce. It’s a healthy version of mac and cheese however, which uses less cheese and incorporates cauliflower into the sauce.

I insisted on the Kansas City BBQ Pork Ribs because saying “no” to pork ribs when they’re on the menu is criminal. They were meaty and tender, but still had ‘bite’. The meat was mostly lean, which I appreciated, and the BBQ sauce wasn’t too rich or sweet. I swapped my vegetables side dish for German Potato Salad, and I’m so glad I did, because  the warm potato salad was delicious as it came with lots of bacon bits studded throughout.

The Kalua Pork was described as… uh… Kalua Pork on the menu, with no other description. I wouldn’t have ordered it if I hadn’t been told that it’s actually slow-roasted pork belly. I repeat: THIS IS SLOW-ROASTED PORK BELLY!!!

And thus, this was our star dish of the meal. It doesn’t look very attractive in the photo, but believe me, this is one of the best pork dishes I’ve ever had. The pork was so juicy, tender and silky… it was absolutely sublime. I normally don’t like the fatty bits, but I ate up the thin slivers of fat inbetween the layers and felt it added a silkiness to the texture of the dish. I didn’t even bother with the accompanying sauces – the pork was perfection eaten on its own.

I flipped to their little menu board that describes their dishes, and saw this “the pork belly is marinated in ti leaves for 48 hours and slow-cooked to perfection – fork-tender and moist.” Now it all makes sense.

A total must order! I would go back for this dish alone.

So there’s this outside patio area that’s totally enclosed by railings so it’s safe for young children to run about in. And since no one was dining there, and since we have a kid that cannot sit still in his high chair after eating *stares at child*, we chucked him out there!

He was kept pretty entertained and we could eat whilst watching him (we were seated next to the glass doors/windows overlooking the patio).

We opted for the cryptically named (to me!) Kaiserchmarrn. I was keen on it after being told it was “cut up pancakes in a bowl with ice cream“. You can’t go wrong with that! And true enough, fluffy warm pancakes studded with raisins arrived at our table, all chopped up and served with a scoop of ice cream. Awesome comfort food. The kids went nuts over this one.

I was already lusting over the Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich since I’d first eyeballed the menu when we arrived, so of course I ordered it pronto. I realised when it arrived that it was actually quite similar to the Kaiserchmarrn dessert we ordered! Both had vanilla ice cream, and both had sweet carbs with raisins. So silly of me.

I’d recommend ordering either one, but not both at the same time!

Charly T’s next kids craft event is being held on 19 January from 1-2pm, and is a Chinese New Year Fish Making class! Fab for bringing along their handiwork when you go round visiting the relatives.

Last Bite: Charly T’s is a HUGE hit with their free, instructor-led kids activity event each month. It’s an excellent way to keep the kids occupied whilst you enjoy a tasty lunch. The Kalua Pork is a must order!

Highchairs: Yes
Easy access: Yes
Change tables: Yes (in the mall)
Kids’ menu: Yes

Charly T’s
112 East Coast Road, #03-15 I12 Katong Mall, Singapore 428802
Tel: (+65) 6636 4701
Open: Mon to Fri 11am-11pm, Sat to Sun 9am-11pm

 

Beverly is a mama of 2, a confessed shopaholic, a hardcore foodie, and the writer and editor behind the new website, Brunch with my Baby. Brunch With My Baby is all about helping parents live a stylish, delicious and fun life with their kids in Singapore (and beyond!).