Flickr photo by WyscanWhen a restaurateur refuses to have a children's menu, doesn't that sound kid-unfriendly to you? Nicola Marzovilla, the owner of I Trulli in Manhattan, says the opposite is true and he's encouraging food exploration by not offering a less expensive, less exotic menu for the little ones. But I'm suspicious.
In fact, I would say turning your nose up at a practice (Marzovilla calls the children's menu the "death of civilization") that makes dining easier for parents with small children is not educational, it's simply anti-kid.
If I'm going to introduce new foods to my children, it's not going to be in a public place where I'm trying to enjoy my own, very expensive meal. I'd like to skip the embarrassment of passionately negative declarations about Brussels sprouts with bacon in a public setting, thank you very much. Bring on the mac and cheese so I can enjoy my steak de maison in peace.
Not that you have to be a kid-friendly restaurant; private businesses have the right to cater to an adult-only clientele. And I would still dine without the kids on a regular basis even if the red carpet was rolled out for toddlers. Just don't pretend to be kid-friendly when you're not.
As a recent transplant from New York to Los Angeles, I have to add to Sheri's discussion about "Looking Past the Children's Menu" today, and say New York City is the least kid-friendly city I've ever been to, restaurant-wise. The menus and smiling staff were few and far between.
Of course I haven't traveled extensively since I've had kids so I'm comparing New York to Los Angeles; Santa Barbara; Austin, Texas; various towns and cities in Oklahoma; Martha's Vineyard; Philadelphia and the surrounding areas.
Instead of watching for the waitstaff's grimace as they take note of my small children, in these cities I've been offered cups with lids and high chairs upon arrival. Not one waiter gave me the stink eye as I strapped my baby in and handed him some bunny crackers to tide him over. In fact, when my husband and I dined at a buzzy farm-to-table restaurant in Silverlake, the other couple was actually surprised we didn't bring our kids along.
I can't help but think Marzovilla isn't doing anything so revolutionary in NYC, as most high-end restaurants don't offer a kids' menu. And if the facial expressions of the hostesses are anything to go by, most passively discourage young children's hands on their white tablecloths.
Are the restaurants in your city kid-friendly?
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Comments 5
I'm surprised. I'm in Brooklyn and I have to say there are loads of kid friendly restaurants at all price points. I would never expect a place like I Trulli to have a kids menu -- but then again, I would never go there with a two year old. I think Marzovilla is being a bit idealistic in thinking they have a "kid friendly" approach. I get the feeling behind it,I would want to sit in a restaurant with a bunch of toddlers while I'm spending $30 on an entree but seriously, they don't need to act like they're doing us any favors.
Paula aka adhocmom
I take a kids menu to be a sign that my children are welcome at the restaurant. I won't venture to a restaurant without one because a)I want it to be a pleasant experience b)I want to feel welcome. I've found many/most restaurants in NYC to be kid friendly. My favorite serves the kids their entree during our appetizer and then ice cream during our entree. We all leave happy.
Who would take their kids to a high end restaurant to begin with? I went to NYC with my 6yo a few months ago and went to places in and nearby Times Square like Planet Hollywood and Ruby Tuesdays who were friendly enough and had kids's menus.
I hate kids' menus. I wish fewer restaurants had them. I share my meal with my tots, always have. It would make my life easier if I didn't have to tell my kids "we won't be ordering off that menu, those items are unhealthy and not worth the prices." The wait staff should ask the parent whether or not they want a kids' menu.
I have only been to one "restaurant" where they acted like they wished I didn't have kids. It was kind of a crappy establishment anyway - though the food was good. We go to grown-up restaurants, including expensive and exotic ones, at least weekly. My kids rarely eat junk food so they do not need a kids' menu in order to survive.
I am glad I trust my kids to be able to enjoy and let me enjoy normal stuff. Who came up with this now-popular idea that everything, including food, has to be dumbed down for kids?
I have a simple idea:
Get rid of kids menus altogether, and offer a smaller, lower priced (and don't take the so called "anti kid" foods out) version of all the entrees for kids. It's okay if you take a kid to a high-end restaurant in my opinion. Not all kids like nothing but mac n cheese, processed chicken fingers, nitrate rich hot dogs, and french fries.