Family Dining, Hold the Whining
Every now and then we make the absurd decision to take our children to an adult restaurant, briefly fantasizing that the experience will be positive and memorable. Now the owners might say “Sure, bring your kids, we love kids!” But this doesn’t mean the restaurant is designed for their little special needs. Often the tables are too high, chairs aren’t stable, glassware is large and heavy, the utensils are an awkward modern shape, and the server hasn’t spoken to a child in fifteen years. I don’t even need to talk food. Radiatore with crumbled gorgonzola just isn’t mac and cheese.
The restauranteur makes a very conscious decision when planning his or her restaurant to include or exclude families with children. Going to the wrong restaurant with kids is very much like visiting your super cool childless friends with a home full of clean new furniture, white rugs, priceless breakables and lit candles positioned close to the ground. These situations make everyone uncomfortable. Catering to singles and dinks means seeing a higher disposable income spent on dining out, drinking and tipping. The profit made on a martini verses the profit on chocolate milk is significant.
So is the tip that will be left behind.
People who operate family restaurants most likely have families themselves. A family restaurant, no matter what ethnic culture, specializes in a simpler style of food that will please many tastes. Besides having a menu that works for the young and old, there has to be a kid-literate serving staff. Good servers know to move tables with kids along as quickly as possible. They know when to bring crackers and how to accommodate strange orders like they happened everyday. A family restaurant is not going to get away with the high markups of a “grown-up” restaurant. For parents choosing a restaurant, the ultimate question is always, “How little can it cost to feed a family of five and make everyone happy?”
Our area has a mishmash of family restaurants of all cultures, some good, some fair. Over the course of the winter - while schedules are busy with school and sports and holiday preparations - we’ll be running short reviews of some of our favorite local places to eat with children.
One of my family’s monthly stops is for perch and french fries at The Flat Iron (216.696.6968), located at 1114 Center Road in the Flats. While The Flat Iron is a well-known bar, they also have a dining room with highchairs, booster seats, and a kids’ menu. You can walk there from Ohio City and it’s usually not too busy unless there’s a sporting event happening or it’s a weekend night . The food usually arrives quickly. Lately the service staff isn’t as good as it used to be, so bring along extra patience. Prices are moderate. The kitchen is open from 11am - 10 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11 am - midnight Friday and Saturday.
Another local stop on the way to or from East side activities is the newly reopened Ruthie and Moe’s (216.881.6637), located at 4002 Prospect Avenue. The diner atmosphere is the main attraction for this 13-year-old establishment. The breakfast and lunch menu is all American comfort food. While there isn’t a kid menu, children’s meals seem to come out in smaller portions at lower prices. The staff has been there forever and are rather abrupt, yet personable. Breakfast is served from 7 to 10:45 am and lunch is served from 10:45 to 3 pm Monday through Friday only.