Bring ‘em Young

Dining with young charges can be exhausting—plotting amiable seating arrangements, scavenging for crayons/booster seats, etc.—without worrying if there’s actually anything healthy to eat.

These restaurants make kid-friendly their business.

By Warren Rojas / Photography by James Kim

TALLYING THE SCORE:
♥ a few gems  /  ♥ ♥ decent selection  /  ♥ ♥ ♥ lots to choose from  /  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ kid heaven

Foxfire Grill
6550 Little River Turnpike, Alexandria; 703-914-9280; www.foxfire-grill.com
Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Open for lunch, dinner and late-night dining daily, brunch Saturday and Sunday.

Becoming an actual pillar of the community is no small feat for an aspiring restaurateur. Yet Foxfire Grill owner Terri Fox and her crew make it seem effortless, treating every guest like a cherished regular—be they adult, infant or anywhere in between.

The tranquil suburban restaurant showers patrons with plenty of natural light (the collaborative efforts of the surrounding windows and mirror-polished blond hardwoods spray sunshine into every last square inch of the dining room). Staff are hyper-friendly and perfectly at ease with young children, going so far as to distribute complimentary Wikki Stix (fully poseable and totally reusable wax-like twists that will provide much more entertainment mileage than a box of cut-rate crayons) the average parent would be wise to pocket and re-deploy whenever boredom threatens to sour any future eating outing.

The kids’ menu features multiple, vegetarian-friendly dining options, including a personalized hummus and pita plate, cheese quesadillas (served with barbecue sauce, by request), traditional mac and cheese and crunchy carrot sticks. Baked whitefish filets are unapologetically fishy (no disguising the main event beneath breadcrumbs, cheese or anything untoward) but perfectly satisfying, while fruit kebabs flanked by honeyed yogurt grant children the sweet endings they crave sans all the processed sugars.

Daily specials like half-price burgers (reinvest the savings in gourmet add-ons like sauteed onions and tres tangy blue cheese) and discount wings help take the guesswork out of ordering for adults. Meanwhile, staff takes the bite out of scouting easy-to-sip wines by maintaining a list of 20 wines for under $20.

KIDS’ SCORE CARD:
Fruits/veggies: ♥ ♥ ♥     Entree diversity: ♥ ♥ ♥     Distractions: ♥

Red Robin
Multiple NoVA locations; www.redrobin.com
Average entree: Under $12 ($). Open for lunch and dinner daily.

Kitsch and kids go hand in hand at Red Robin, a gourmet-burger hut that keeps youngsters of all ages enthralled without forgetting that parents like to mix things up from time to time as well.

No matter what the age group, Red Robin most likely has something that’ll captivate your brood, be it an appearance by their costumed mascot (who doesn’t love hugs from giant, candy apple-red birds?), the bevy of reach-out-and-grab-’em balloons, interactive menus or quarter-gobbling game rooms. Grown-ups, meanwhile, can catch up on their sports highlights via the strategically placed TVs that dot the interior or enjoy a tension-relieving beverage from the fully-stocked bar (ample signature cocktails to choose from).

The kids’ menu is composed of under a dozen selections, but provides an amazing variety of permutations thanks to extensive substitution options (standard burgers can field beef, chicken, turkey, grain or Boca patties) and mix-and-match side items (mandarin orange slices are perfect for little hands, while baby carrots and ranch allow kids to mimic the condiment dunking they see everybody else doing). Meanwhile, the restaurant’s bottomless steak fries policy makes sharing a non-issue, particularly if any of your clan enjoys grazing on adjoining plates while family members aren’t looking.

The adult menu is all about rotating specialty burgers, and toppings run the gamut from caramelized pineapple rings to crispy onion strings. The hefty Santa Fe burger arrives dressed in melted pepper jack cheese, guacamole, roasted poblano peppers (expertly charred), crunchy tortilla strips and ancho mayo, all packed onto a roasted onion-backed bun.

KIDS’ SCORE CARD:
Fruits/veggies: ♥ ♥ Entree diversity: ♥ ♥ ♥ Distractions: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Mimi’s Cafe
Multiple NoVA locations; www.mimiscafe.com
Average entree: Under $12 ($). Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.

The question isn’t what’s there to eat at Mimi’s, but how much of it do you want to enjoy?

This comfort food corral bends over backward to accommodate all kinds of different appetites. Late risers can enjoy breakfast till 4 p.m. Calorie counters can indulge on the “just enough” entrees in lieu of breaking out their portable scales. And curious palates can nibble freely on the various “petite” portions rather than wholly committing to any one cuisine/style/menu item.

As such, the average crowd is anything but, culling together a cross-section of casual dining aficionados ranging from groups of retirees (no doubt attracted to the budget-conscious carte) to extended families to burger-toting businessmen.

The funky decor—the starting point is pseudo-French bistro, but each restaurant seems to be afforded some latitude to carve out their own identity—provides conversation-starters for dealing with moderately older kids. And a four-page foldout menu stocked with word, counting and even basic cooking games that go far beyond generic connect-the-dots activities should keep youngsters engaged for a good while.

The kids’ menu swings from fingerpicking (around a half-dozen cocktail weenies wrapped in puffy, fried cornmeal are paired up with a banquet of fresh grapes, melon and pineapple) to substantial (a turkey dinner packs all the pageantry of the holidays onto one plate, delivering healthy chunks of unadulterated breast meat drizzled with a home-style gravy and accompanied by a savory herb stuffing) in just over a dozen dishes.

Adult offerings include beer-battered fish and chips (stocky haddock filets and shoestring fries, all begging for a shot of malt vinegar) or broiled salmon escorted by balsamic-splashed greens decorated with ripe, delicious strawberries.

KIDS’ SCORE CARD:
Fruits/veggies: ♥ ♥ ♥ Entree diversity: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Distractions: ♥ ♥

Tap & Vine
5731 Lee Highway, Arlington; 703-532-1119; www.tapandvinerestaurant.com
Average entree: Under $12 ($). Open for lunch and dinner daily, late-night dining, Wednesday through Saturday.

“Do you need a highchair?” might as well be the default greeting at the neighborhood playground that is Arlington’s Tap & Vine.

The tot-friendly respite is the brainchild of sibling restaurateurs Joy and Jay Reinhardt—their flagship restaurant, Restaurant Vero, sits mere steps away. The comfort weavers have crafted the type of a place where charcuterie and gourmet suds live in perfect harmony with their grilled cheese and chicken fingers brethren.

Tables are wrapped in brown paper and preemptively outfitted with a complimentary four-pack of crayons. Bowls of gratis goldfish crackers are greedily emptied by tiny hands and adult snackers alike. And work-weary parents throw each other under the bus—”Go ask [Daddy],” one quiet-seeking mom instructed her rambunctious charges during a weeknight dinner—as casually as discussing the weather.

Assuming your young’uns actually sit still long enough to eat, the kitchen stands ready to refuel growing bodies with no-brainers like make-your-own mac and cheese (look to add-ons like roasted peppers or steamed broccoli for vitamin power, while bacon and chicken can sate protein cravings) or buttery orecchiette (tiny noodles are finger-friendly). Adult flatbreads (standout ingredients include crème fraiche sauce, roasted tomatoes, artichoke hearts fresh fontina) are perfect for sharing and can help prod curious eaters past standard pepperoni-and-cheese pies.

Meanwhile, adults can indulge in a goulash-like stew intertwining pulled pork, tender potatoes and jalapeno ribs with sour cream (plenty savory on its own, but extra goldfish add a cheddar-y crunch). Combat any after-burn with novel craft brews such as Founders Cerise (the Cheerwine of beers), Hook & Ladder’s Backdraft Brown (smooth drinking) and Flying Dog’s Gonzo Imperial Porter (a choco-hop beast as unruly as Hunter S. Thompson himself).

KIDS’ SCORE CARD:
Fruits/veggies: ♥ ♥ Entree diversity: ♥ Distractions: ♥ ♥

Redrock Canyon Grill
5815 Trinity Parkway, Centreville; 703-830-6600; www.rrcanyongrill.com
Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Open for lunch and dinner daily.

Rather than paring back portions or placating fussy tots with cutesy meals dreamed up by some youth-oriented focus group, Redrock Canyon Grill treats youngsters the same as their adult clientele: Everyone gets way too much, awfully-hard-to-resist food.

The Oklahoma-born chainlet prides itself on its Southwestern flair (the Technicolor, cactus-shaped salt and pepper shakers are quite snazzy) and approachable menu—the combination of which produces a jam-packed main dining room flooded by enough ambient music and sporadic laughter to camouflage any tantrums by unruly tots.

Add in a spacious patio graced with a curious fire effect (I’ve seen many a child stare in total silence as their tiny minds attempt to process the phenomenon of the seemingly inexhaustible dancing flame) and staff who seem genuinely tolerant, nay, comfortable with exuberant children (head off potential flare-ups by doling out pre-wrapped crayons and activity mats with precision, prevent accidents by delivering drinks in durable plastic containers with heavy-gauge flexi-straws), and you’ve got the type of place where parents can dine without fear of hard looks or accusatory glances.

The kids’ menu lacks depth (less than a half-dozen alternatives), but wants not for value (nothing over $6, with beverages included).

Fork-tender pork ribs are double- teamed by a savory house rub and sweetish barbecue sauce, the contrasting flavors uniting to hook amateur meat eaters for good. The rotisserie chicken plate summons half a spit-roasted bird, its skin infused with salt and oregano (terrific). The formidable prime rib burger should sate most adult appetites, revealing well-seasoned beef bolstered by caramelized onions, melted Swiss cheese, zesty horseradish and piles of shaved prime rib.

KIDS’ SCORE CARD:
Fruits/veggies: ♥ Entree diversity: ♥ Distractions: ♥

Legal Sea Foods
Multiple NoVA locations; www.legalseafoods.com
Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Check locations for times.

While expense accounts and market-price fresh catches clearly keep this seafood giant afloat, Legal’s surprisingly well-developed kids’ menu may net them a whole new generation of loyal customers.

Yes, the leather chairs and signature blue-and-white tile work still scream “power lunches happening here.” But if you look just a little closer, you’ll begin to notice Legal is well equipped to handle even the littlest of charges (highchairs, booster seats and infant car-seat slings are all readily available options).

The kitchen doesn’t just cater to children, it aims to educate—supplementing traditional seafood offerings (fish sticks, popcorn shrimp) with gourmet upgrades like panko-crusted chicken fingers, Niman Ranch burgers and even organic ketchup (suggesting a holistic dining vision).

Urge your kids to skip the novelty pasta (fish-shaped ravioli are lame on so many levels) and go right for the grand prize: a steamed, 1-pound lobster. Mind you, this same portion of sweet, coaxed-right-from-the-shell meat typically goes for double the price on the adult menu—flanked by drawn butter, and served with fruit, vegetables (request the corn on the cob, if available) and your choice of starch. Or check out the fish of day special (a wood-grilled, 5-ounce filet of whatever rolls off the trucks that morning), particularly if salmon is making the rounds (great grill marks, tender middle).

If the sight of different seafoods keeps your kids at bay, lure them by offering to split a seafood trio roll. The New England-style sandwich heaps whole lobster claws, shredded jumbo lump crab, diced shrimp and crunchy celery bits onto a well-buttered roll—perhaps the least threatening way to introduce skittish youngsters to top-tier shellfish.

KIDS’ SCORE CARD:
Fruits/veggies: ♥ ♥ ♥ Entree diversity: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ Distractions: ♥

Generous George’s
Multiple NoVA locations; www.generousgeorge.com
Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Open for lunch and dinner daily.

“C’mon chef. We’re leaving,” one flustered mom calls out to the oblivious youth still thoroughly engrossed in picking at her self-styled Generous George’s pizza and doodling on her complimentary chef’s hat.

Still, I suspect that type of dining devotion is preferable to the proverbial kicking and screaming, a routine that accompanies dragging most small children to a restaurant.

It’s easy enough to see why the average kid might want to linger indefinitely at Generous George’s. Most walls are covered with vintage toys, eye-catching knickknacks and cartoon figures of yore. Kids are encouraged to color on everything from the menu to the aforementioned chef’s hats, and colorful balloons bob cheerily from just about every seat in sight.

Management does its best to circumvent traditional pitfalls of family dining, supplying children with all the accessories and attention they need while also catering to parents as best they can. Checks are delivered promptly and returned lickety-split to facilitate seamless departures, while daily specials—including free kids meals, family-style feasts and half-price pizzas—make feeding an army fully fiscally possible.

Most kids seem to go gaga over the make-your-own pizza option: Staff unveils an 8-inch pie and invites interested tykes to assemble the sauce, cheese and a topping of their choosing as best they see fit, all from the comforts of their own dining chair. A spaghetti and meatball plate pulls no punches, delivering meat sauce-slathered noodles (think seasoned beef, garlic and sauteed mushrooms; not the Boyardee-like tomato-sugar solution so many others pass off as marinara), a giant meatball and accompanying slabs of pizza bread to the table.

Assuming an ultra-marathon is in your immediate future, don’t think twice about ordering a signature pasta pie, towering mounds of protein-packed noodles (loved the rosemary chicken-mushroom cream sauce pairing) baked into a deep-dish shell.

KIDS’ SCORE CARD:
Fruits/veggies: ♥ Entree diversity: ♥ ♥ Distractions: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

(July 2009)

Tags: kid-friendly, kids' menu