Out with golf range, in with hip new hangout

Parkland Green

920 East Coast Parkway

REMEMBER the old Parkland Golf Driving Range at East Coast Park, and where Singa Inn seafood restaurant used to be? All that is gone, and in its place is a spiffy new hangout area called Parkland Green.

Located next to Carpark C1, the four-hectare space is spread across four connecting blocks and houses eateries, a convenience store-cum-local cafe and sports-centric outlets. It also has a one-hectare open lawn where visitors can have picnics, or where children can run around. Parkland Green, which was completed last September, is managed by the National Parks Board (NParks).

"In deciding the tenant mix, consideration was given to the theme and the visitorship patterns at Parkland Green. This is to better serve the needs of our park visitors. A significant portion of the visitorship comes from residents living in the East, especially families and young adults coming for recreation," says Tan Lai Kheng, director for lifestyle business at NParks.

Out of the 11 tenants at Parkland Green, eight are F&B outlets, mostly casual dining joints. With plenty of parking lots available, and not to mention the beachfront a stone's throw away, the place is packed on the weekends, F&B operators say. Parkland Green was buzzing too, when BT Weekend visited on a drizzly Wednesday evening.

Pick Me Up Cafe

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Opening Hours: Mon to Thur, 3pm to 11pm; Fri, 3pm to 12am; Weekends, 9am to 12am

PICK Me Up Cafe prides itself on serving cafe food, but with a healthier option. "East Coast Park is all about healthy living, hence we want to cater to the health-conscious crowd," says Didi Gan, one of its founders.

The cafe serves all-day breakfast, fresh cold-pressed juice, artisan yogurt-gelato and hand-brewed coffee.

The artisan homemade yogurt-gelato has low fat content and is made with fresh yogurt with Greek yogurt probiotics. Ms Gan says that their signature yogurt-based gelato boasts a high count of live and active yogurt culture as a healthier option to store-bought ice-cream or gelato. Available flavours include Tiger Beer, Organic Honeycomb Nougat and Sourplum.

Another popular item to try is the Manuka Waffle, which are buttermilk waffles topped with Greek yogurt and organic honeycomb imported from Australia. The dish is plated with fresh seasonal fruits, drizzles of Manuka honey and completed with a homemade almond crunch. Honeycomb is the purest form of honey, and is said to be a strong antioxidant, and also boosts metabolism.

Patro's Sports Bar & Restaurant

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Opening hours: Weekdays, 11.30am to 3pm, 6pm to 11pm, closed on Tues; Weekends 11.30am to 11.30pm

FOUNDER Raj Kishor Patro chose to open here, as he wanted a place close to water. The restaurant has views of the beach at East Coast Park.

The cuisine here is Mexican and Northern Indian, with the food coming from two separate kitchens. "I wanted to do something different hence the two cuisines," says Mr Patro.

Some of its star dishes include its burritos, with a choice of beef, chicken, prawns or vegetables served with Mexican rice and salad. From the Indian kitchen, there is the classic Palak Paneer or the Malai Kofta.

The restaurant also screens cricket and soccer matches, through its two 75-inch TV screens and a projector screen. Mr Patro says that he has been getting enquiries from customers who want to book the whole place, when cricket season starts next month.

Full Pint Microbrewery

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Opening hours: Weekdays, 3pm to 12am, closed on Tues; Weekends, 12pm to 12am

FULL Pint Microbrewery is the place to go for a relaxing beer, even in your swimwear, if you want to. The bar and restaurant offers five kinds of beer from Archipelago.

Those who choose to have their own beer can also do so. Speak with the onsite master brewer to create a bespoke brew. The beer is made on the premises, and is stored in 100-litre tanks.

There are seven such tanks. "We want to be the first to start a microbrewery by the beach," says Bob Khan, group general manager. A tank of beer costs between S$2,500 and S$2,900, depending on the variant and level of alcohol. The beer can be kept for two months. There is already a waiting list for this service.

Food-wise, the menu is extensive, from pizzas to seafood, grilled and smoked dishes.

Atmosphere Bistro

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Opening hours: Mon to Thu, 5pm to 12am; Fri and eve of public holiday, 5pm to 1am; Sat, 10am to 2am; Sun and public holiday, 10am to 1am

BUOYED by the success of the Shin-Sapporo Ramen chain, founder Chiam Wee Long is now venturing into a different style of dining. The result is Atmosphere Bistro, a bistro/bar with soccer screenings every week.

"When I heard that Parkland Green was being developed, I felt it was a good opportunity to open a bistro here, where diners can enjoy the sea view and the breeze, away from the bustling city," says Mr Chiam.

The bistro's chillax location is reflected in its casual dining menu, which includes items such as Miso Salmon, which was inspired by Shin-Sapporo Ramen's famed miso ramen; pizzas and meat skewers. Their Calpis Kirin Frozen beer slushie is very popular on hot afternoons.

On weekends, there is a special brunch menu that has two types of eggs benedict, and 3D latte art is also available.