When I heard the tagline of Sandbank was Eat. Drink. Plunge. I immediately had images of a rocking adults party. “Woohooooooo”, I thought, “way to ring in the weekend!”

Ahem.

No.

Whilst Sandbank does have a bar, and probably is a fantastic location for after-work drinks by the beach.. this particular occasion was for a family breakfast by the beach.

 

A pretty kickass deal for all-you-can-eat breakfast, especially when Sandbank is located smack in East Coast Park and riiiiight on the beach.

It’s actually (believe it or not) the first time our little family has been to East Coast Park, so the kids were all agog that there was a beach and ocean right here in Singapore, just 15 mins from our place.

And just $19 for an adult buffet? “Hah”, I triumphantly thought, “I’d definitely eat my money’s worth here”. 

 

The restaurant has the fortunate location of being right on the beach, and is open on either side, so wind streams in, creating a bit of a wind tunnel and makes for a deliciously cool breeze. The ambiance is much like the lazy, breezy feeling you get when you’re on holiday – people are relaxed, the waves are crashing on the beach a few steps away, and the wind is cool. It’s pretty awesome.

 

This is part of the buffet area, and you can see how much sunlight is streaming it. It’s this relaxed resort vibe that would make me return to Sandbank – purely because it’s so difficult to find something remotely similar in Singapore and certainly not at this price point.

 

The beverage and juice bar, which the kids liked because they could reach the lever to fill up their glasses. Simple pleasures..

 

The buffet spread is replenished constantly. I was really impressed with this as I saw the chefs deftly bring out platters of food at a regular rate – which meant all the food was fresh (and hot!). I don’t like buffet food that has been sitting out in a vat for ages, so I’m pleased that Sandbank does small – but regular – replenishments.

 

There’s something about Asian breakfasts that just nails it for me. I can’t resist!! Sandbank’s rendition of Nasi Lemak had my belly so satisfied. People – make a beeline for the Nasi Lemak area and fill up, because it’s fantastic!

The fish is fleshy and tender (so different from cheap Nasi Lemak fish that’s dried up and inedible), and so is the crispy chicken wing. Everything was piping hot as it was replenished frequently, and this was my favourite part of the whole buffet. Cannot recommend this enough.

 

The Roti prata and curry was a popular dish there, but I found that the roti prata was too flat. Would have preferred if the chef had ‘clapped’ the prata after cooking so that it fluffs up.

Pork porridge was awesome because it was thick and chunky and sweet, and I could add lots of braised peanuts (my fave!) and pork floss. The kids really enjoyed this dish too and polished off a full bowl.

 

I also had the Western breakfast option, some of which is pictured above. The eggs were the best part, because they are whipped up a la minute at the Egg Station, so you can order them any which way you want.

 

Aaaand, of course, pancakes for dessert. I think there was also some fruit there but of course I wouldn’t bother with that 😛

I had all the food above – plus a second plate of Nasi Lemak because the stuff was terrific – and if you eat about the same amount as I do, then you can safely say the buffet is a super good deal. Kids under 4 years old also eat FREE!

 

The kids were pretty fascinated with the balloon twisting and glitter tattoos by Weekends Pte Ltd, and they kept the kids occupied whilst parents could scoff some food, so I hope they are a regular occurrence.

 

Bellies fed and feeling pretty pleased with ourselves.

 

So the “Plunge.” part in their slogan? It’s THIS.

A freaking pool for the kids!

 

It’s two pools, the shallower one being up to a 5 year old’s bum, and the deeper one being up to about his shoulders.

There’s an awning that comes down over the pools, so kids are shaded from the sun. Only drawback is that I suspect some kids play in the sand then jump into the pool here, which gives the water a bit of a weird off-colour appearance, due to the sand suspended in there.

 

After a plunge in the plunge pool, my kids raced over to the beach to build sandcastles. Yes, Sandbank is that close to the beach!

 

It’s also pretty empty, even though we were there on a weekend, because it was before noon. I suppose the crowds don’t come to the beach in the morning?

 

East Coast Park rents these… erm.. what are they called? Family bicycles?

Basically, adults pedal, kids sit back and enjoy the breeze. Good cardio for us, I suppose 😉

 

And this is Sandbank on East Coast Park (taken when I was standing on the beach). It’s got a massive area, a buffet breakfast, plunge pools for the kids, and the beach right outside. What more could you want for a relaxed family weekend?!