A fairly amazing-sounding Better Beer Society brown bag series event at Butcher & the Boar, some revised menus at local restaurants, a local foodie’s epic Mother’s Day feast, tasting notes for Summit Pilsner and Steel Toe’s Provider, the Star Tribune’s Taste 50, and a new urban farm in Minneapolis.
Natalie Champa Jennings / Heavy Table
Mexican restaurants may be nirvana for parents dining with young children. The dining experience can be summed up simply: margaritas (or other strong, tequila-based beverages) for the moms and dads and tortilla chips for the kids. Lucky for us, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area boasts a number of such family-friendly establishments, and our recent dinner at Cocina Del Barrio in the 50th and France shopping district proved that there’s room for everyone — date-night couples, bachelorette gatherings, and the toddler and preschooler crowd — at this Mexican restaurant with cosmopolitan flair.
Though with an adult-only party I prefer Cocina Del Barrio’s rustic red front-of-the-house bar, the long dining area near the kitchen was a perfect fit for our family of four. Not only is there ample room between the round tables for diners to maneuver, but the view of the kitchen provides entertainment to a generation raised watching the Food Network with their parents. “Mom, that man is wearing a Twins hat!” my 4-year-old excitedly observed as we waited for our food. (Nothing ingratiates a line cook to a baseball-loving boy more than seeing him share his love of a favorite team.) The waiter also became a rock star, at least in this mom’s eyes, when, noticing I had moved the knife away from my 1-year-old, he quickly removed it from the table altogether.
Natalie Champa Jennings / Heavy Table
Despite eating avocado since infanthood, neither of my kids would eat guacamole… until we ate at Cocina del Barrio. The chunky guac featured slices of jalapeño resting lightly on top of the mixture, making it easy to push away from young dippers and add to your scoop. We literally scraped every bit of guac from the molcajete, even requiring a second basket of tortilla chips, which, by the way, will set you back an extra $1. (Hint to the waiters: Please mention that to your table when you ask if we want more chips. Knowing about the charge wouldn’t have made me say no, but I prefer not to be surprised when I get the bill.)
A reasonably priced kids’ menu — all dishes are $5 — makes you feel less guilty about your second $9 margarita, and there are no chicken nuggets to be found. Instead, choices like chicken tacos and a black bean and cheese burrito seem relatively healthy compared to the usual kids-menu selections, and if your kids demand soda, at least here they’ll get Mexican Coke or Jarritos made with sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. But if you order the cheese quesadilla, inspect the contents before handing it over to your hungry kid. Ours was filled with chicken and chiles instead of cheese, and that didn’t make for a happy toddler — he’s still working on handling heat.
With other kid-friendly restaurants like Edina Grill and Salut nearby, Cocina Del Barrio offers another tempting option for families visiting 50th and France. And if the kids don’t sit still, you can threaten to skip the post-meal trip to Sweet Retreat or Edina Creamery across the street. That’s enough of a warning to get many adults to behave themselves, too.
Cocina Del Barrio, 5036 France Ave S, Edina, MN 55424; 952.920.1860
Natalie Champa Jennings / Heavy Table
Jill Lewis / Heavy Table
There’s something about a steakhouse that implies to me “no kids allowed” — maybe it’s the sky-high prices or the elegant, dimly lit interiors. Even though I’ve seen plenty of children at high-end steakhouses, including a Morton’s in Seattle just three weeks ago, I’ve been reluctant to take my own kids to one. Sure, they love their red meat (their father is so proud), but if I’m going to spend upward of $40 on a steak, I’d rather enjoy it at a leisurely pace with a bottle of red wine rather than some apple juice. But when Jax Cafe offered a Groupon recently, I thought, what the hell? We’d never been, and since I noticed a “Jax Junior” menu on the restaurant’s website, I knew we wouldn’t be treading on uncharted territory. Little did I know that it would turn out to be an excellent choice.
Since my youngest is in bed no later than 7pm, we tend to dine on the early side, so we made a 5pm reservation for a recent Sunday night. The upside to this kid-friendly dining hour is that is often coincides with happy hour, and Jax Cafe is no exception if you sit in the bar or on the beautiful patio. We wisely chose the patio over the bar and not only enjoyed discounted drinks and fries, but also got to experience one of a child’s favorite distractions — water. Jax’s lush, fragrant outdoor dining space is divided by a delicate stream that flows into a small pond, complete with a small water wheel and a stock of rainbow trout. There’s no better way to amuse a small child than to let him watch the fish and marvel at the water wheel. The water’s entertainment value isn’t limited to the preschool set, though. We also witnessed a party of tweens grab nets and valiantly try to scoop up their rainbow trout dinner.
Jill Lews / Heavy Table
Dining on a Sunday offers another water-themed bonus — the lobster tank. Jax boasts a $30 lobster special that night, and watching the tank full of crustaceans is also a highlight. It’s on the way to the restrooms, so it’s a good incentive to get your fidgety kid to use the facilities — or wash her hands — before dinner.
Beyond all things agua, though, Jax makes family dining a pleasure in numerous ways — particularly on the patio. The tables are generously spaced, so your neighbors won’t be subjected to endless readings of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? The bread basket arrives promptly to help little mouths stay full, and coloring books make sure their hands are busy, too. Plastic cups for kid-sized beverages alleviate the nervousness parents feel whenever a full-size glass is handed to a slippery-fingered child. And it’s always nice to see a children’s menu that goes beyond the standard grilled cheese sandwich to include healthier choices like a grilled chicken breast or a turkey sandwich. Your kid still may demand a bowl of mac and cheese, but you may be able to convince him to order the grilled chicken with the promise of ice cream for dessert (included in the price of a kid’s entree, $6-$8).
Not every element of the evening was spot-on, however. The relaxed pace of service, while not exceedingly slow, made it difficult to wrap up our meal before the pre-bedtime fussiness reared its head. In particular, the wait to get and pay the bill could have been cut in half. And the comfortable, wrought-iron, heavy patio chairs didn’t make it easy to scoot out from the table, which, if you have a 1-year-old who likes to drop his sippy cup, you’re doing quite often. But those are small blips in an otherwise enjoyable meal, and there’s no reason why we wouldn’t return to Jax Cafe again. Hopefully, a mild fall will keep the patio open for several months to come.
Lori Writer / Heavy Table
For new mothers, toting a sleepy newborn to a restaurant often means having the option to quietly tuck their carrier under the table or hang it in a carseat sling, all while savoring in the peaceful sounds of the not-crying-at-this-moment window. Bringing a kid out to eat? Not bad at all. Should they wake during the meal, they’d quickly be met with a bottle and often times drift back to slumber. Really, how much trouble could a miniature meal companion cause? Perhaps there are other parents like me who have also experienced these naive thoughts that come from the initial dining experiences with baby. Fast forward a year later and I take it all back.
Public mealtime with a one-year-old has evolved into a rushed state of trying to maintain some state of calm, all while trying to obtain a tiny slice of personal enjoyment. Preparedness is integral in achieving this. One must come with a stock of snack options, sippy cups, wipes, and toys to withstand his attention span (since it’s apt to jump from one thing to the next in a matter of seconds). This work is rewarded by the entertainment and pleasure you receive by introducing them to new foods. But being in the midst of a solid food exploration phase, it seems there’s usually not much to choose from that goes outside of the macaroni and cheese and / or hamburger box.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Cue Brasa, the brainchild of Chef Alex Roberts (also of Alma, pictured above). A father himself, Roberts gets what parents want: a variety of nutritious food choices, quick and friendly service, and upbeat music to muffle the occasional scream or cry. Brasa, an American / South American / Caribbean rotisserie, has locally sourced, organic plates of dishes like pulled chicken and slow roasted pork available from 1/4 to a full pound. With side options like rice and beans, cornbread, and creamed spinach with jalapeno, there are a unique sampling of choices that are easily chewable. There are a few options for children: Order a meal off the kids’ menu ($7) — with a main course, side, drink, and dessert — get a side or two for the little one ($3 each), or go family style and share everything.
Brasa feels gourmet without being stuffy. The food is adventurous for kids. (Think crispy yuca and locally sourced roasted pork). Plus, on any given day it’s likely there will be other children there, promising sincere glances of empathy that are incredibly comforting when your little one decides to dump their cup of spinach on the floor to see what it will do. And if need be, order yourself a Surly and bask in the exhausting glory that is parenthood.
Lori Writer / Heavy Table
Two Locations:
600 E Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612.379.3030
777 Grand Ave
St Paul, MN 55105
651.224.1302
HOURS:
Sun-Thurs 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 10pm
BAR: Beer and Wine
RESERVATIONS / RECOMMENDED: No / No
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN: Yes / Yes
ENTREE RANGE: $5 – 20
Lori Writer / Heavy Table
by Tricia Cornell on January 24, 2011
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
I submit that one of the greatest losses suffered by parents is the hangover.
That’s right. The hangover.
Before those adorable 6am alarm clocks in footed pajamas came along, a mild hangover could feel kind of luxurious: an excuse to lounge around in a dim room, stay in your sweatpants, watch a little mindless television, eat heavy breakfasts at noon, say very little to those around you, and indulge in your hangover cure of choice — I liked coffee with indecent amounts of cream. Time slowed down — because you simply couldn’t move any faster. While I certainly don’t miss waking up with a headache — and who’s got time for shenanigans like that, anyway — I do miss the enforced slowness of a Sunday morning hangover.
While parenting and lazy hangovers no longer fit together in my world, there is one place where they go together like jam and toast, or, like whiskey and a chaser: the Suburban World Theatre. No longer showing Hollywood hits, the Suburban World now projects old-time cartoons — Looney Tunes, Betty Boop, extraordinarily un-PC early Mickey Mouse — and serves up a diner-style brunch every Saturday and Sunday. Parents with kids who have been up since the crack of dawn open the place at 9am; the hangover crowd tends to take over in the late morning.
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
This is not the bustle of a typical breakfast spot: The lights are low (“dark” is another good word for it) and rather than the clank of silverware and the buzz of cheery conversation, the only noise is the familiar “Buh-buh-BUH-buh, th-th-th-that’s all folks!” Cabaret tables and a couple of low bars — perfect for kids — fill in where the theater seats once were and they’re all separate enough from one another that it’s easy to ignore your fellow diners, enjoy your family’s company (but the kids are too distracted to chatter), and get ready to face the day. Otherwise, the theater’s interior is almost unchanged, with the lights twinkling in the starry sky above and faux evergreens growing next to even-faux-er Roman columns. Continue reading Cartoons and Breakfast at the Suburban World Theatre »
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
When I first started writing these “Take the Kids?” stories a couple of years ago, more than a few people told me, “You know where you shouldn’t go? Cafe Maude.” I had never eaten there, but I found it hard to believe that a neighborhood bistro would be so unwelcoming to children. After all, I’ve seen kids eat at restaurants where the cheapest entree is a $40 steak, so why would a cozy cafe be off limits? But after a recent meal there with my two boys, ages 3 and 8 months, I came to understand what those naysayers were thinking. Cafe Maude is definitely not a no-man’s land for the 18 and younger set, but for the noisier and squirmier youngsters, it’s probably not the best choice.
It’s not that Cafe Maude doesn’t try to be accommodating. It has established the 5-6pm hour as “family hour” — though the decal on the cafe door still reads “leisure hour” — and the special menu offers a variety of kid-friendly dishes for $8.50 each. The entrees, ranging from standbys macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese to BBQ ribs and grilled chicken skewers, come with a side of buttered broccoli, milk, and a choice of hot fudge sundae or chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich, making them a good value. Family hour also boasts drink specials for Mom and Dad, including $5 glasses of wine, $3 pints, and a $5 featured cocktail of the day. I don’t know any parents who would balk at the offer of a discounted drink.
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
But with kids as young as mine, dinner was more stressful than satisfying. Though the staff didn’t flinch when we entered the restaurant at 5:03pm, the diners at the other three tables gave us glances that ranged from curious to disdaining. My husband and I both breathed a sigh of relief when another family walked in about 10 minutes later, hoping that the presence of other children would take the spotlight off ours. However, those kids, whose ages ranged from preschooler through elementary school, were able to sit nicely in their booth, while the leisurely pace of service was too long for my younger children to handle without fuss. If we had been there sans kids, I wouldn’t have minded waiting 10 minutes to get our drinks and another 20 minutes to get our entrees, but every minute seemed like a lifetime. A loud burst of babble from the baby generated unpleasant stares. Once we got the food, it was hard to enjoy it because we felt the need to rush through the meal and exit ASAP. When we told the waiter that we’d skip dessert, even though it was included in my 3-year-old’s meal, he looked relieved.
While family hour at Cafe Maude wasn’t that enjoyable for my kin, I wouldn’t discourage other families with older children — or impeccably behaved younger children — to try it. It’s a more sophisticated choice than your typical family restaurant, and $5 wine always goes down easily. But until my boys are older, I’ll only be going for date night or brunch with girlfriends. There’s no point in dining out if you’re too stressed to enjoy the carefully and tastily prepared food.
Cafe Maude
Bistro and bar in Armatage
5411 Penn Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55419
612.822.5411
OWNER / CHEF: Kevin Sheehy / Burke Forster
HOURS:
Monday 5-10pm
Tuesday-Thursday 11am-2pm, 5-10pm
Friday 11am-2pm, 5pm-12am
Saturday 9am-2pm, 5pm-12am
Sunday 9am-2pm, 5-9pm
BAR: Full
RESERVATIONS / RECOMMENDED: Yes / Yes
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN: Yes / No
ENTREE RANGE: $8-16 for small plates and a la carte items, $18-28 for large plates
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
With a drink menu that’s almost as long as its food menu, Town Talk Diner may not be the first place that comes to mind when you’re thinking about grabbing dinner with the family. All the buzz about alcoholic malts and floats and hand-crafted cocktails makes it seem that the Longfellow mainstay is strictly for the 21+ set. But as a recent excursion with a 2-year-old proved, Town Talk has a lot to offer those who are too young to imbibe those signature drinks, starting with its location.
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
Don’t tell the toy industry, but little ones really don’t need an armload of playthings to keep themselves occupied. All they need is a window seat at a restaurant on a busy street — East Lake Street is a fine example. All the cars, trucks, and buses provide endless entertainment to the average toddler, even one who is desperate for a grilled-cheese sandwich. Those tables near the windows offer another advantage: With generous space between tabletops, parents don’t feel like they’re crowding other diners with their noisy chatter or with the assorted gear that inevitably accompany them on any outing. And when you show up laden down with a car seat or diaper bag, the staff members don’t flinch.
Parents are often accustomed to eating on the early end of the dinner hour, and hitting Town Talk before 6 pays off in more ways than one. Not only is it easier to get a table and avoid waiting in a crowded entry with restless kids, you get to enjoy the restaurant’s happy hour specials! Half-off appetizers and discounted drinks can make early-bird dining attractive to even the kid-less crowd, and it’s pretty sweet when you don’t have to choose between the frickles that one kid demands and the garlic fries the other one wants — you can get both.
Another perk of those happy-hour specials is that they even out your overall dinner tab, because while you may get a deal on your appetizers, you’ll be paying full price for Junior’s meal. Like Modern Cafe, Town Talk doesn’t offer a children’s menu, so you’ll shell out $7 for a grilled-cheese sandwich or $9.50 for a cheeseburger for your kids. Those aren’t outrageous prices, by any means, but they may come as a bit of surprise to parents who typically frequent chain restaurants with their children.
Even if the Monkey Business malt initially drew you to Town Talk Diner when you didn’t travel everywhere with sippy cups, there’s no reason to stop going now. Just time your dinner for a little earlier and order your malt — the banana liqueur gives you a great excuse not to share.
Town Talk Diner
Upscale diner in Longfellow
2707 ½ E. Lake St.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612.722.1312
OWNER / CHEF: Theros Restaurant Group / Thomas Begnaud
HOURS: Tuesday-Thursday 4pm-12am
Friday 4pm-1am
Saturday 9am-1am
Sunday 9am-9pm
Closed Mondays
BAR: Full
RESERVATIONS: No
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN: Yes / A few salads
ENTREE RANGE: $8.50-23
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