So you really, really want to get yourself out of the kitchen but you can't swing a sitter for a fancy night out. Or you just have a hankering to give the kids a treat and take them out for a meal.
Sounds like a good plan ... but where should you head?
As the parent of a 20-month-old, I've found myself mulling this one over frequently. I'm not planning to frequent any five-star places with my babbling little bundle of energy any time soon, but we do like to eat out sometimes. Which leaves me hunting for friendly and interesting places to eat that she'll enjoy - and that Mommy and Daddy will too.
So, for all of you parents out there, I've been doing some homework for you. I've been wandering around town, asking around - seeking advice in my column, on Twitter, on Facebook and from friends, and researching the Kids New West "Family Friendly Business" directory at www.kidsnewwest.ca to come up with some options for family-friendly dining in New West.
Here, for reference, are some of the criteria I've considered:
* Space. Unless your toddler is a much more patient sort than mine, he or she isn't gonna sit still for a whole meal, so you want somewhere they can move around if need be.
* Friendly service - and patience. It helps if the server likes kids (or at least pretends to) and treats them like customers too. Smiling and asking them how they're doing and what they'd like goes a long way to making a meal more fun. (Not to mention being patient when the inevitable happens and food gets spilled or an impatient child cries or yells.)
* Amenities like high chairs and change tables. And, for the tiniest diners, it's helpful if there's a quiet corner or comfy chair somewhere for breast and/or bottle feeding.
* Kid-friendly meals - that means both options that are friendly to a kid palate, and portions that aren't overwhelmingly huge, preferably at not-too-big prices.
With that in mind, in no particular order, here are a few of my top picks for family-friendly places in New West:
* River Market: With the big, bright airy food hall and all sorts of dining choices, parents have ample opportunity to enjoy great food in a pleasant but casual atmosphere. River Market provides high chairs and also has a kids' play and seating area with pint-size furniture, books and toys. And, of course, there's ready access to the outdoors, so if your small person has energy to burn, you can walk along the river to your hearts' content - or chase the pigeons, which seems to be my tot's preference! Plus, there are often special events - check out the website for the family-friendly events of the week.
As an added bonus, a number of the eateries do cater specially for kids - for instance, Longtail Kitchen tweeted me to let me know they have some kid-friendly items for the little folks, including kid-size Pad Thai (not spicy) and chicken satays with rice.
* Spud Shack: Located on the upper level at the Shops at New West station, Spud Shack earns raves from the Twitter crowd. Jen Arbo gives them the big thumbs-up for adapting to parents' requests with high chairs, kid portions and "oodles of patience." Although there's no kids' menu per se, Jen let us know that parents can just ask, and Dan will set you up with something for the small folks. It's also mentioned in the Kids New West Family Friendly Business directory.
* Coming Home Café: Another personal favourite, which wins for both its super-pleasant, homey service and delightful food - which they'll happily personalize if you ask. Although it's not big, they've provided comfy furniture and there's a high chair on hand for small diners, plus room to park strollers on the patio. And the atmosphere is casual enough that if you have a tiny diner who's not really into sitting still and eating quietly, well, no one's going to give you dirty looks. It's also earned a listing in the Family Friendly Business directory.
If you happen to be in the mood for a more "adult" setting but you can't get out to a bar, there are a couple of winning family-friendly options in town:
* Heritage Grill: The Heritage Grill downtown earns itself a place in the Family Friendly Business directory. Besides providing good food and a pleasant environment in its downtown heritage building, it's also a non-stop hive of activity - it's the home base for all sorts of Royal City Literary Arts Society events and has masses of live music options pretty much all the time.
* Dublin Castle: It feels like an Irish pub and has a great beer and pub food menu, but in fact, it's a restaurant, and kids are allowed to come. I have enjoyed a number of evenings with friends with my tiny person in a high chair. This is particularly family-friendly in nice weather, when you can all enjoy the spacious and pleasant patio.
Let's not overlook some of the standby chain restaurants too ...
* The Old Spaghetti Factory: A family classic, this one has earned itself a spot in the Family Friendly Business directory and won the thumbs-up from local folks on Twitter. Rebecca Coleman put in her vote for the "very kid-friendly" Old Spaghetti Factory, which also won a vote from Callyn Dorval, who said, "I have fond memories as a child going to the Old Spaghetti Factory and sitting in the trolley!"
* Boston Pizza: Both the Columbia Square and Queensborough locations earned themselves spots in the Family Friendly Business Directory.
Boston Pizza New West's write-up notes: "We have a great menu with lots of options for kids (healthy choices too!) Our dinners come with a free kids drink AND dessert! Our store has highchairs and booster seats, a change table, no-spill kids' cups, kids' activity packs, and a treasure chest to visit before you leave! Every Sunday our kids meals start at just $3.99 and we do BIRTHDAYS too!"
* McDonald's: This one got the thumbs-up by email from reader Carine McEwen - specifically the location at McBride Boulevard and Eighth Avenue.
"My daughter is six, so on rainy days, I like to take her to MacDonald's on McBride because she gets to play with other children in the playground structure, she eats well and mummy can work on her computer or chat with other moms there," Carine writes.
The list could go on and on. Perusing the Kids New West Family Friendly Business directory, you'll also find a number of coffeeshop options - Blenz, Take Five and Waves among them. (I'll vouch for all three, having had a number of coffees at all three with my wee one at various stages of her young life, from infancy on.) There are also your classic family restaurant and brunch stops, like The Pantry, De Dutch Pannekoek House and White Spot. There's Greek food - Yianni's and Stefano's - and Italian and other family-friendly fare at Gino's in Sapperton. For casual and oh-so-filling dinners, there's Burger Heaven and Cockney Kings Fish and Chips.
And, for slightly more exotic eating, there's Thai New West - which is in the Family Friendly Business Directory and also earned a plug from "Gye Incognito" on Twitter: "great family-friendly restaurant. Outstanding menu."
Also on Twitter, Vandeca Choir voted for Taqueria Playa Tropical Mexican restaurant on Sixth Street - "yummy, affordable, and we've seen plenty of families!"
So there you have it. It would appear that there are plenty of welcoming places to take your kids and enjoy a good meal in New West.
For the full list of restaurants in the Family Friendly Business directory, check out the website at: www.kidsnewwest.ca - click on the Family Friendly Business tab.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Did we miss your favourite? Are you a local restaurant owner who strives to be family-friendly? Then drop me a line - email [email protected], or find me on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
