Kids and restaurants

One thing that I noticed on this site is that whenever anyone asks about recommendations for restaurants with kids, often (not always) the answers include rib places, pasta places, diners, etc. I think kids (of most ages) would greatly benefit from going to nice restaurants (if you can afford it). It%26#39;s a great way to expand their palates from the usual teenage fare of hamburgers and pasta and they get to learn to appreciate fine cuisine. And NYC is the mecca of fine cuisine.

I do understand that many people have budget issues also. The restaurants don%26#39;t even have to be high end. Inexpensive ethnic restaurants are also fun places to discover and can be an adventure. And we all know there are plenty of inexpensive ethnic cuisines here in the city. Granted, not every kid will enjoy Thai or Cuban or whatever, but this may be a unique opportunity to at least try them. Ever have Ethiopian food? Do you even know how to eat it without silverware?

How many kids from a small midwest town have ever tried pad thai or kalbi (guaranteed almost every kid would love it) or an eel roll or pierogies or escargot, etc.

I know that many of you have some great restaurant recommendations (I%26#39;ve seen and tried them). My suggestion to those travelling to NYC with kids is to try what we have to offer outside of the usual chicken wings, pizza, and cheeseburgers.

Kids and restaurants

Yeah, I agree. The whole kids%26#39; menu chicken fingers concept, etc. is gross to me.

I%26#39;ve often wondered if other countries have a completely different menu catering to children with foods that aren%26#39;t on the regular menu (rather than just smaller portions)

Kids and restaurants

To expand on the above, many restaurants also offer half portions of regular menu items to accommodate little appetites.

Additionally, what we often do when we go to ethnic restaurants and are trying unfamiliar things, is we eat family-style - we order several dishes and eat a little of each. This way, we can try more and share the food. Another vote for tapas style eating.

I totally agree with your message; even though our daughter was a very cautious and limited eater, we exposed her to various cuisines and some high end eateries and then, suddenly, as a teenager (and with some help from a summer in Lausanne) she started eating all cuisines and enjoying the experience....you don%26#39;t know anything until you have tried

I agree that kids should have their horizons expanded. However, I don%26#39;t think it is always a good idea to take a young child to a fine restaurant. UNLESS they are always on perfect behavior.

I just returned from an overseas vacation. While eating out--the couple at the next table had a 2 (ish) year old. This child just sat and screamed!! The parents did their best to ignore him--and cared less that everyone else was being annoyed. They finally quieted him by letting him out of the high chair to run around and roll around the floor. Only when he was laying --blocking the passage from the restaurant to the patio where we were eating--and a waitress carrying coffee almost tripped did someone say something.

Bottom line, my meal was ruined. I wanted peace, good food and good conversation and only had the good food. So please, expand horizons--but show consideration.

Absolutely agree with you about behavior. It is completely inappropriate to bring a 2 year old who can%26#39;t sit still to a ';fine'; restaurant and ruin others%26#39; meals. Obviously proper judgement needs to be exercised. I%26#39;m proud to say that often times when my children were very little, we would take them to nice restaurants and other couples would come over and compliment us on our children%26#39;s behavior. I think it comes down to teaching kids how to behave and their getting used to eating out. I have had friends who rarely brought their kids to any restaurants and as a result, when they did take them out, they didn%26#39;t know how to behave properly.

I agree with the children%26#39;s meals I look at some of the menus and think they are awful for a child to eat as mentioned I think all children%26#39;s menus should be smaller portions of the adults one that way there not just getting chicken nuggets and fries. On the behaviour front its poor judgement from parents on holiday parents may keep kids out all day, tired, angry and that makes them misbehave a little (or alot!)parents need to know their child%26#39;s limits and its off putting for other people in the restaurant

Two year-olds are pretty likely to behave poorly in any sort of restaurant- not just the nice ones. I really wish more parents would realize that the behavior isn%26#39;t appropriate anywhere.

I also find it really disappointing to see so many people seeking out fast, cheap, bland food for their children of all ages. There%26#39;s no reason a 12 year-old can%26#39;t put on decent clothes and sit for a meal of food that%26#39;s not battered and fried. When I first started posting here, I remember a question from a family about whether or not it was appropriate to take kids in their early teens to the River Cafe, and nearly everyone told them it wasn%26#39;t. I still disagree with that one- in fact, that%26#39;s probably the ideal age for someone to eat at the River Cafe.