Noodles opening at Woodmore in Lanham (with a babe)

Who can complain about free food near your home, especially if you live in PG County? We weer invited to celebrate the opening of the new Noodles and Company at the Woodmore Town Center near the new Wegmans. Already a huge fan of the Wegmans, we were happy to combine a shopping trip with a free dinner!

We've been to many Noodles before, even many years ago back in Colorado where they originated. I've always liked the idea: I love noodles of all sorts, love the idea of fresh and tasty "fast food" and like the service concept of order at the counter but get food delivered on real plates with real cutlery. But somehow, it often falls short, and the opening was no exception.

It seems weird to say this nowadays, but I think their portions are too small. Now, I am a nursing mom, but I'm usually more than happy (or more typically overwhelmed) by portion sizes elsewhere. Secondly, they have WAY too few vegetables. My udon noodles with broccoli (and carrots) had only one teeny floret of broccoli. I want piles of vegetables with my dinner.

This dinner was no exception. But I would tend to just order a salad and a main course and this wouldn't be a problem-- but for the opening we just got a main course, so it was more obvious. All of that said, the food is tasty and it is made fresh. The real bonuses come in with you dine with children since this restaurant clearly caters to kids, with tons of great noodle options, plenty of high chairs, changing table in the women's room, and a good child friendly atmosphere.

All that and they are in PG County, which gives them some major bonus points. If you live in PG, you'll check them out sometime either way, just remember to order a bit extra.

Firefly feels ho-hum (with a sleeping baby)

It was already a bit of a frustrating night, thinking that we could get into either The Blue Duck or Westend Bistro early on a Wednesday night. Both were full. So, we wandered around a bit, looked at Ris (way too quiet for a baby)and then came to Firefly . Local ingredients? Child-friendly? American comfort food? Sounds great for a cold night with the babe.

It was a lovely, cozy space and they were able to seat us right away with a high chair. The lit tree in the center of the room gave it a fun and friendly feel. We started with the two soups, a vegetable soup and a matzo ball soup. Both were fine, if a bit over priced, and nothing I can really remember. My husband had gnocchi with a boar ragu, which he enjoyed. And I had the worst salad I have ever had.

Sigh...the "Roasted Squash" salad...It sounded great. Roasted squash, nuts, yum. Hearty, tasty, robust and delicious, right? What arrived was 4 tiny pieces of cold roasted squash, no flavors with the skin on. Topped with some wet, flavorless, leaves of lettuce. Then some almonds. Did I say it was $11? Need I say more?

Firefly has a great idea: a cozy, family-oriented fine dining restaurant. But until the food meets the mark we won't be back.

Minigolf on a cold dark night anyone? (With a baby?)

Yes, it's possible to have good food in a nice place in the winter time time and play minigolf afterwards. And heck, if daylight savings time just happened and you are trying to get your 7 - month old to stay up later, what better way than having dinner on a red faux-alligator skin couch he can scratch at and then play a round of mini golf?

It's all possible at the H Street Country Club , where upstairs there is a small, casual restaurant and a complete 9-hole mini-golf course featuring DC's landmarks.

The food was tasty, and some of their deals make it not too expensive, like their Sunday night pre-fixe. We enjoyed the duck and the enchiladas, although I would pass on the dessert.

Mini-golf was a blast, and in the winter time it will be even better. This isn't a serious course, but makes for a short diversion after eating. Best go and check it out yourself!

Zengo is delicious with a baby

There are so many restaurants in the Penn Quarter it can be difficult to remember which ones are there when you are hungry.

Last night we went to Zengo for dinner and it made us feel badly we haven't been for so long. We were greeted kindly with a baby and the waiter even brought him some extra chopsticks as a toy and inquired if he wanted or needed anything. At the moment, in this sitting but pre-crawling stage, he is as happy as can be to sit on a wide bench banquette and that is just what he did for the whole meal.

Everything was great. The food, the service, the baby. Highlights were the Thai chicken empanadas, the tuna wonton tacos, the vegetarian roll and the beluga lentils with taro root. Always the discerning customer, Alexander enjoyed the guacamole, lentils and taro root immensely. Since we are just beginning our food journey it was sweet to see him eat.

Zengo is a great place to take kids if they can at least sit still for a bit. The menu is good fun, there are gluten free and vegetarian and vegan menus, and the staff is friendly to children with plenty of high chairs. It won't be long until we are back.

6-months (the calm before the storm)

As Alexander turns 6-months (that's him with his first food there, harvested from our garden and made into a delectable carrot, garlic, breastmilk combo), we are reflecting that everyone has told us this is the "calm before the storm". Is it true? Is dining out with a crawling or walking 12-36 month old as difficult as they say? Sounds like it...

So, for now, we are going to enjoy these quiet times, Alexander happy in his highchair throwing beansprouts all over the place while we relax over our pho...

We'll let you know how it goes!

DaMoim mixes it up (with a baby)

We found ourselves out in Annandale, VA this weekend and decided to stop into DaMoim, a Korean fusion place I have been planning to check out for a while. While they were open on a Sunday at noon, we were the only folks in there other than a few patrons watching the game at the. But it was a friendly greeting and the waiter immediately brought over a cup for Alexander to have some water along with a highchair, which was sweet.


I had heard good things about DaMoim, and the first course of crispy and delicious house-made vegetable dumplings were a great start, although nothing I hadn't had before.


The next dish of Ddukbokki was something entirely new to me: gnocchi-like rice noodles with vegetables and a sort of fish patty thing all in a spicy tomato sauce. It was something I'll crave at some point on a cold day in the winter, and it was a huge appetizer. Definitely a hit with the whole family, a nice blend of east and west, kind of an Asian- American comfort food.


While a bit more standard, the chicken lettuce wraps were perfectly done and the crispy rice noodles were a good touch.

All in all, the best dish was the kimchi quesadilla-- it was like it was meant to be. Spicy cabbage and melted choose sounds...weird...but it really worked together. So much that I wondered when we will be seeing kimchi pupusas and the like (just ferment the cabbage and put it inside-- it's not really much of a stretch). It was a great dish.

DaMoim was a friendly place and the service was spot-on. They made the choice at some point to cater to the football crowd and turned off the music and turned up the volume of the telly, but at lunch on a Sunday I won't complain. The restaurant had the feel of a prosperous family place (perhaps there's also a bit of speculation as to who the 4 Mercedes parked out front belong to), and really, it should. I only wish it was closer.

Baby-friendly? Like most Asian establishments, it was very baby-friendly. The carpet on the floor was also so clean I wouldn't think twice having a little one down there. Children would have to be willing to try something new, and some of the food was very spicy, but I'm sure they would be accommodating as they seemed well prepared for children. It's certainly more friendly to little tastes (quesadillas and tacos, albeit with kimchi and the like) then the average Korean.

Back in town!

Here we are in Bristol, England, near the gorge enjoying a local cask IPA and a local pear cider.

We have finally surfaced after a steady month of work and play travel. Alexander visited the "homeland" to see his extended family and friends in Ireland, England and Scotland. You can assure there was much good food and drink to be had, but since this is a blog about dining around DC we'll just keep those experiences to ourselves.

However, there is one place where the UK is far ahead of us and I already miss it sorely. Everywhere you go, I mean EVERYWHERE there is a "babycare" room. Always with a sink, changing table, nursing chair, and usually a potty. In smaller places it is also the handicapped restroom, but it always is a great place to be able to change baby-- and it's easy for both parents to go into. It's also easy to strap your little one in and pee yourself, which was much appreciated. Anyways, I hope we head in this direction in the future here.

J & G with a babe: A relaxing lovely night out

With Daddy at J&G out front of the Treasury building

The prettiest places to eat in DC must be those along Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the Willard and W hotels where Cafe Du Parc, the Occidental and J & G Steakhouse are located. In recent years the leafy wide sidewalks have been converted to outdoor dining rooms for these three restaurants complete with sofas and plenty of flowers.

I had eaten a few times at J & G when I was pregnant and vowed to come back here after, thinking it a risky proposition to bring a baby to such a fancy place. Since then it has even won the accolade of the 4th best restaurant in DC from Washingtonian Magazine and I have yet to be back with my newborn. Now that Alexander is almost 6 months we decided he was ready, and it was a beautiful night to eat outside.

Our first course, sweet pea soup with creme fraiche and a watermelon and feta salad were both so good we didn't even photograph them and just sat there in the gorgeous evening and relaxed and enjoyed the starters. You might be wondering why we were so relaxed dining with a baby. Well, first of all, we were outside, and there was a LOT of things going on to keep him busy. Second of all, this restaurant was insightful enough to have Stokke Tripp Trapp chairs for their highchairs. The Peanut LOVES these chairs lately as he can kick and play completely unrestricted and really feels a part of everything.


Alexander in his Stokke chair!

Moving on to the dish responsible for bringing me back: the halibut with spicy scallion sauce, basil oil, and celery. It's a perfectly designed and executed dish, and just might be the best fish dish I have had. It was every bit as good as I remembered it!


Yum, this fish is so good!

Lastly, it was time for dessert. And you can't miss dessert here. Yes, there are three desserts in that picture- the two which came with the prix fixe menu which were a lovely strawberry meringue with poppy seed sorbet, and the ice cream sampler which was with the fantastic chocolate cherry and cinnamon ice creams and a rather benign condensed milk ice cream. The third was an incredibly kind gift from our waiter after he heard me lamenting the lack of the warm chocolate cake from the pix fixe menu. And please notice, although warm / molten chocolate cakes have been old news since about 1995, Jean-Georges literally popularized (possibly invented?) this cake, so it is a great place to have it and a perfect rendition.


Here I am with my three desserts!

The most amazing part was after we were done with our three courses, Alexander was happy as can be, kicking and playing in his chair and enjoying the evening. We hope for many more experiences like this one in the coming months!

Baby-friendly? If you go early, it appears that this hotel restaurant welcomes well-behaved children. They don't have a changing table in the restaurant but there is a private bathroom where there is ample room for changing and very clean. This is by no means a family restaurant, but the outdoor setting, the fantastic high chairs and the friendly service make a it a great place to treat yourself if you have a well behaved little one. We went early and opted for the $35 pre-theatre menu which helped out on the pocketbook as well.

Pho VN One offers some nice surprises

We've been to Pho VN One in Beltsville, MD a number of times. Always friendly, reasonable, and a quick place to eat, we were happy to take baby there as we were sure they were family friendly. Plus, what better food to eat than a steaming bowl of pho when it's 100 degrees out?

Nana and I started out with an excellent surprise-- the mango bubble smoothie. A real fruit blend of frozen mango and a little bit of ice, barely sweet but oh-so-fruity with the optional tapioca bubbles. Yum. So good before we left we got a coconut one for the road. At $2.75 this is worth it alone to stop in and will bring me back.



We started with fresh rice paper rolls with tofu (not on the menu, but they never seem to mind) and with shrimp. Served with peanut sauce, they are a reasonable rendition of one of my favorite foods, although they could use more mint.

I got the vegetarian pho, packed with broccoli and bok choy and piled in the typical basil, sprouts and jalapenos. But the best surprise was the jumbo onion in vinegar for 85 cents-- crunchy and sweet onion to add to your pho. It was a new favorite and I can crave it already.

Child friendly? Yes, there were other babies in there and if your kids like the two things they offer: pho and spring rolls, it's a great place for them. Take a trip some time and check it out.

Royal Tea room: Proper tea for proper children

Looking for something different to do on a way too hot Sunday, we decided to go for a hike and visit the Royal Tea Room in La Plata, MD.

It was a proper place, full of quirky antiques and more than a few members of the red hat society. Now, I should add that my husband is British, so the idea of going to a tea room for the afternoon with a bunch of old ladies wasn't the least bit off-putting.



We decided on the full tea which started with a salad and soup, moved on to a course of scones with clotted cream and jam, and then to the fancy three tiered tea service with little sandwiches, savories, and pastries and cakes. Included was any tea or beverage (the peach iced tea was lovely) with your meal followed by any teas with your scones and pastries (we had earl grey, English breakfast, and rooibos cranberry.



The food was tasty, fresh, and reasonably interesting-- but nothing fancy for sure. Some of the baked things clearly came from in house, and some clearly weren't which really was the only big negative for me (as well as the inclusion of food coloring in a few things). I didn't go there expecting anything fancy and it was a great way to kill a couple of hours.



Child-friendly? It's a quiet and proper place, and while they do have high chairs and innumerable older women who want to hold your baby, its quiet and the place is packed with antiques little hands could smash in a moment. However, if your child would like to go to a proper tea party, this is your place. They get to choose their tea cups and you can get all dressed up in hats and boas for the occasion. In fact, when we were there, the folks from below came to pay a visit. Who knew?


?

Kushi is a tasty treat for parents and older children (and those brave with babies)

Having a fairly accurate guess that the new izakaya and sushi restaurant, Kushi, wasn't going to be bouncing with babies, we decided to brave it at lunch when little ones seem more acceptable. The new restaurant located in the building off New York Ave with the Safeway and Busboys and Poets has had mixed reviews in the press. To sum it up, this is a place with quality over quantity. Translation: if you are really hungry and don't want to spend a lot of money this isn't a great choice.

The restaurant is a modern, open space and has a number of interesting things for children or adults to check out. You can choose to sit in view of the sushi bar or the kitchen which is pretty fascinating. Older children should be very amused by the spectacle here.


A large salmon being turned into sashimi at the fresh fish preparation area.


The open kitchen, pork belly being prepared, sous vide chicken and lots of other preparations going on.

We had the Living Social Deal for $50 of food for $25, so we were feeling a bit more spendy than usual. We focused mainly on the sushi options since this is one of the few places in the District where one can get truly fresh fish. The extra fatty tuna was like buttery ocean, melting away on the tongue.


I opted for the chirashi, which was fresh and lovely in it's lacquer box.


Some other rolls, notably the veggie roll with the interesting addition of raw okra giving in a almost fish-like feel and a delicious taste.

Last, we finished with the pineapple peppercorn sorbet which is not to be missed, and at $2.50 it's the best deal in the house.

Family-friendly? This is a quiet, sophisticated place and a crying baby will likely be glared at. That said, they did offer us a high-chair. There isn't a changing table, but there is a big bathroom good for changing. Older children should find the live cooking interesting and it could be a good place to experiment. It's expensive, however, plan on about $50 - $75 for two adults to eat lightly without drinks.

Eden Center restaurants are baby heaven

The Eden Center in Falls Church, VA is a good place to take the kids to an exotic destination without leaving the country. The large and always busy plaza is packed with more than a dozen Vietnamese restaurants and bakeries and is a fun place to explore before choosing a place to eat.

We're taking Alexander to Vietnam in December, so this was a bit of a preview for us. We went to Huong Viet , an old standby, and were greeting by a 20-something Vietnamese man who told Alexander he loved him-- "I love you baby....I love you". Yes, they like babies here.

Food was good as always. It lacks the precision you might get a Present or Four Sisters, but it was quick and tasty. Above is the grilled chicken with soft rice crepes complete with herbs and lettuce to wrap the meat and rice in and dunk in the sauce-- fun finger food.



Shrimp on a sugar cane skewer bun (rice noodles and veggies).

Oh, and don't miss the iced coffee and bubble tea for dessert...

Family-friendly? Yes, they welcome families and there are many there. No changing table, but there are high chairs and lots of simple things for children to eat.

Pete's Apizza finds tastiness for all

We have a friend in town from the west coast and she is dying for East coast style pizza, particularly pizza from New York. Cheap pizza, greasy pizza, late night after drunk jumbo slice kind of pizza. Not willing to stoop entirely to her level we went to Pete's Apizza in Columbia Heights for a pie.

Pete's has New Haven style pizza, and it's quality. There appears to be extensive discussions about exactly what New Haven style pizza is, as well as interest in their new location. More importantly than specific regional affiliation, you can get it by the slice so there are no disagreements. My husband loves the Sorbillo, a "A rectangular shaped pizza filled with Salumi, ricotta, mozzarella" and topped with tomato sauce. I go for the plain cheese and the chef's special. This time we also tried the antipasti, a compilation of four seasonal dishes, the highlight of which was the fantastic grilled vidalia onion and marinated peach salad. Yum.



I have a special fondness for this place because I went here when I was in labor and succeeded in eating enough calories to get me through the second and third days of labor. It was quite a feat, and Pete's will always have a special place in my heart.

Did I mention that during happy hour their beers are a steal, with micro brews like Lagunita's for $2.50 a pint (in a real glass glass, which is something I love about this place).

As for my friend, it wasn't New York. It was New Haven, and the pizza wasn't greasy or salty enough-- as she put it-- it was far too quality for what she was looking for. Sigh.

Family-friendly? It's pizza, so yes, and the place is mellow. There are high chairs, but no changing table but the bathroom is big and the floor is clean (I realize here that I am assuming other parents change their kids diapers on the floor with a pad, right?). And there are great salads so a balanced meal can be had.

Ethiopic is lovely, tasty, and has their own baby

We are on a roll here with good restaurants. On H St (between 4th and 5th) is Ethiopic Ethiopian restaurant. Being from PG County, this is much closer than Etete and others we have enjoyed, and after dinner last night at Ethiopic I think we just might become regulars.


It's a pretty space, and the owner and is wife are there to greet you. They just had a baby over 2 months ago (and I thought I was busy) and are attempting to make this a family-friendly restaurant. The service is professional and friendly and the space is a relaxing place for a dinner with sunlight streaming in the many windows.


It's not cheap, but it is good. The vegetarian sampler for two was $35, with an additional $2 for fish which was well worth it as the fish was delicious. We also got the spicy Doro Wat, a chicken leg and egg cooked in a delightful red gravy which was the finest version I have had this this dish. I was mopping up the red sauce with my injera and moaning through part of the meal. If you go, be sure to get the veggie sampler as it's the way to start, and meat should be an after thought. For three people this worked out perfectly.

Piglet thought the place was a bit too quiet and boring for his taste, so we rotated wandering around, but everyone was gracious and friendly about it. And the food came out fast enough so we weren't there forever.

Family friendly? Yes, absolutely, they intentionally welcome families with functioning high chairs, a changing table in the restroom, and a good attitude about it. However, your kids will need to try Ethiopian, and eat it with their hands- no utensils here! Seems like a good selling point.

Woodlands is a delight for everyone's senses

If you haven't been to the Woodlands Indian Restaurant in Langley Park for the lunch buffet you should just pack up your friends and family and head over there right now. We've been going for years and continue to be impressed and delighted by our meals here.

The Woodlands is a pure vegetarian South Indian restaurant, but I have yet to meet a carnivore who wouldn't delight in this array of food and sensation. When eating here you can tell that each dish is created from a unique blend of herbs and spices, coconut, chilies, vegetables and all of the other tasty stuff which makes Indian food so wonderful.


There are roughly 18 dishes plus 4 breads, 2 soups and a couple of desserts.


I adore the masala dosai, a thin lentil crepe filed with curried potatoes and onions you dip into one of tangy broths.

There are plenty of children and babies feel welcome as this is a family experience. The buffet is best on the weekends when there are more options and the Indian families are there with their saris and there are plenty of children. It's $10.95 for the buffet on the weekends, lassi and masala tea extra but the dosai are included.


Baby friendly? Yes, for children of any age. Bigger kids can wander around and even our little one liked the look of the buffet. Lots of colors and smells and sounds. There isn't a changing table, but there are high chairs and the staff dotes on children. Plus, the buffet option is perfect for parents who are "alternating" eating. Nothing ever gets cold....

Good Stuff Eatery is madness at lunch time

Not having completely lost my brain having a baby I knew that restaurants on Capital Hill are busy at lunch. So, at 1:10 we headed over to Good Stuff Eatery for a bite. The line poured out the door and the place was a complete zoo at that time of the day. By the time we had ordered and our food was ready it was after 2:00. Not exactly speedy for a burger place where you order at the counter.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the place this is the restaurant opened by Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn and it's popularity has only grown as the President and First Lady have become fans enough to have sandwiches named after them. My guess is that it is appearing in all of the tourist guidebooks by the looks of the place as well.

I applaud the mission of this place: a narrow menu with salads, fries, shakes and burgers and a defined style in each of them. Quality products: local meats, free range, grass fed. Handspun shakes.



It was all good, the food was fresh (as you would imagine with a line out the door), the burgers as promised and true to form, the mayo bar was a nice touch, the fries tasty with fresh herbs and sea salt. But nothing to get too excited about. Given the wait and the madness of getting a table I would probably give it a pass.

Baby friendly? On a weekend or at odd hours this could be a good place to take the kids and get a high calorie lunch. They certainly welcome children and there aren't too many kids who would pass up a burger and fries and shake. It isn't far from the Botanic gardens, Capital, and the Library of Congress, either. Just be aware that that trip will cost you more than $17 and you may have people eyeing your table as you munch along.

Nava Thai is delish as always with or without a baby

We frequent Nava Thai in Wheaton and have for many years mainly because of my addiction to their drunken noodles, papaya salad, Kaprow and Panang curry. That first intense zing of the papaya salad, the spicy coconut and peanut cream of the curry, the singed noodles and chili peppers in the drunken noodles....all the stuff I get some serious cravings for.

It's been fun to watch Nava Thai grow into their new digs. They finally seem to fit in there now, food comes out at a good pace, things aren't too hectic. And amazingly the food is just as good as it always has been. Which is pretty incredible and makes me have faith in all sort of other things in this often complicated world.

The babe, in and out of the belly, has been there more times than I can count. I have to admit it is not his favorite restaurant- it's pretty quiet, there isn't much to look at, and there is, with no creative exception, no place to change a diaper in there. But people don't mind a bit of howling if it happens and the food is so good it's worth it. Children of all ages are welcome (who like Thai food), and they have high chairs and the like. Parking is easy.

Child friendly? Yes, especially for older kids. The lack of a place you can change the baby and the quiet atmosphere make it a touch harder for little ones. But the food is worth it, so just go on and get over there.

Pueblo Viejo es muy bueno para los ninos

One of our favorite regular spots has become the humble Salvadorean restaurant Pueblo Viejo in Beltsville. Besides being 10 minutes away, never having a line, and being a bargain, the food is fantastic and the staff welcoming and helpful.

We found out about it soon after Alexander's birth on Todd Kliman's online chat and once visited we were delighted to find better versions of some of our favorite Mexican specialties as well as excellent Salvadorean items. You start off with a smokey roasted salsa and fresh chips, a prelude to good things to come.


The Regional Platter with chicken taco, pupusa and tamale of choice and fried plantains.


My favorite is one of the regional platters with a sweet corn tamale with chicken, a light and perfectly done bean and cheese pupusa, a crunchy chicken taco, fried plantains and crema. Everything is done with a fresh twist and relies on something other than cheese and grease for substance and flavor.



The Rena's Salad with grilled vegetables and chicken, avocado and a roasted tomato dressing (she got to it faster than I could take a picture, so it's a bit messy).

Child friendly? Absolutely! They have highchairs and the friendly woman working the counter remembers our little one and welcomes him each time we dine. They don't have a changing table but ample floor space and the mellow atmosphere, friendly staff, plenty of parking and great food are more than enough to entice you to try this place out.

Stoney's as a perfect summer day

About an hour south of us is Stoney's located on Broome Island directly south-east of the city. We hadn't planned anything especially ambitious for the holiday weekend with two sets of grandparents in town, so we wanted to have a "day at the beach" without crossing the bridge.

After a lovely morning on the beach at Flag Pond where the little one took his first swim in the wild, we headed to Stoney's out on the water. It's a great location for families and children, with extensive grounds along the water to roam, fish in the bay to gaze upon and plenty of casual outdoor seating overlooking the pretty waterfront. We dined on seafood galore: baseball-sized crab cakes, softshell crabs, oysters and the delicious blackened rockfish gyro with feta and crisp veggies. The beer flowed freely and even in the 100 degree heat there was a lot of shade and a nice breeze.

Child friendly? For sure, it's ideal, with kid friendly food, plenty of places to wander and play and a location near some fun parks like Flag Pond and the Cypress Swamps. It's a great day away with the kids and a perfect one for the adults.

FroZENYo with a babe

Yes, it's a fad and I am totally into it. I liked frozen yogurt before the topping-madness pay-by-weight places erupted, but now I love it. Because you see, it's really for me about a ratio of berries : yogurt 1:1, and these places let me do it. I feel like I am doing something really bad getting $4.50 worth of juicy, fresh, raspberries on my little pile of yogurt for $3.75. But not so bad I won't continue to do it. I must admit, however, that FroZENyo on 9th street threw me off a bit with their fantastic 98% fat free peanut butter yogurt. As a nursing mom I am more into the 102% triple cream yogurt, but this was damn tasty.

Good for kids? Um...yes, if you keep their little paws off of the yogurt machines or you are going to owe them $22 for a couple of giant creations no one will eat. Alexander is still to little for all of this and was contented with the plastic spoon.

Oyamel with the babe

Here's Nana with the babe while mom stuffs her face with flambeed cheese.

Geez...ever since Michelle Obama became infatuated with this place it's been impossible to get a table at Oyamel. Even at lunch on a Tuesday. I said some whiny thing about this and they smiled and found us a table. Basically so I could get my tequila flambeed Chihuahua cheese fix. They seem to like babies here, and the food is fantastic, fun, and exactly what you want it to be because of the small plates concept. Besides the cheesy-goodness we enjoyed the gazpacho salad of fruits, radishes and queso fresco which was nicely balanced with tart orange juice as a dressing, and my father enjoyed the grasshopper taco. Perhaps just to say he had eaten it, or perhaps it was actually good. We'll never really know.

Good for baby? Sure, it's a happening place, small plates, fun things to look at. Not a romper room, but nothing so austere they wouldn't want children around. I'm sure we will be back many times as it is one of our regular pit stops.

Ray's Hell Burger with a baby but without a burger....

So I don't eat mammals. It's a whole discussion for another day, but in bringing the copious family I have in town to Ray's Hell Burgers I got something delicious anyways. That picture is a burgerless burger, a brioche bun with Irish cave-aged cheddar cheese, pickles, tomato, lettuce, sauteed mushrooms, roasted garlic, charred jalapenos, roasted onions, and a bunch of Ray's Heck sauce. Damn it was good.

Kid friendly? Well, it's crazy in there for sure, but there are no changing rooms, no room for a stroller, and this is a meal you must eat with two hands. But it's probably worth the hassle!

Farm to Table in Gettysburg

It wasn't DC, but it was a lot of fun. As part of the Gettysburg Festival last weekend we went to the Blues, Brews, and Barbecue event. Outdoors at the restored train station, it was a steamy night, but the endless cold microbrews, the 'cue, and the music made for a great night. I was expecting some sort of aluminum trays full of meats and stuff, but it was a thoroughly lovely affair complete with a baby who ended up on the table after we had all stuffed ourselves and the music played on....

The restored train station:



One of my plates of food (hey, I'm eating for two):



Piglet was almost for dinner when he ended up on the table to enjoy the music:

Teaism is tasty but lifeless at dinner

After trying to get a table at Central, Oyamel, Rasika, and Nando's we ended up eating at Teaism. I like Teaism-- they serve tasty, fresh food on nice plates and for a good price. I like it a lot for lunch. I like it a lot less for dinner. For some reason this isn't a popular place for dinner. Is it the basement location?

It was quiet when we went there, and therefore a bit suspicious in the kid's eyes. The chicken curry was delish although indefinable as to it's origin, but I thought the seitan stir fry covered with handfuls of macadamia nuts was even better. The thing is, it's all pretty passable and for sure a place where you will get a seat. But just don't expect it to be too much fun.

Good for baby? Yes and no. He would have preferred something with more of a buzz, but there is a fish pond. At lunch it's more of a business crowd. There are clean bathrooms and plenty of good food options for kids and adults alike, and it certainly isn't fancy. If you have a stroller the upstairs seating is very limited and there isn't an elevator for the main dining room.

Eventide: Lucious for Mommy and Baby

Brunch is the magical meal for baby and parents. It's a nice meal, different and more special than brunch, more leisurely, but it's also a time when baby is happier and no one is bothered by them being there. Not that anyone ever would at Eventide, where they even have a separate baby changing room from the bathroom. But did I mention the food?

We took my in-laws, visiting from Ireland, there on Sunday for father's day brunch. It's such an elegant place, the towering ceilings and exposed brick, long drapes, crystal chandeliers and the plush booths with "car doors". If the kid was older than 10 weeks he would have loved the booths!

My chicken and biscuit with maple sage gravy was notable, hot fresh, rich and a nice balance of sweet and salty. The chicken was perfectly cooked but at times over breaded. The whole plate was huge and I had lunch today. Others enjoyed their pork belly hash and eggs and the roast beef sandwich and fries, knowing that the quality of the meat was good and local. The fries are perfectly cooked with herbs and sea salt and make me hungry right now!

Baby-friendly? Yes, and openly so, with a baby care room, cup covers and a patient staff. They even have a kids menu plan on the evenings with healthy options.