Maha's

My sister had the day off and asked me to meet her for brunch. I had wanted to try Maha's for a while but it's out of my way and they don't take reservations. My sister agreed to get there early so I wouldn't have to line up with my baby, so I jumped at the chance.

Restaurant: Maha's
Location: Leslieville
Meal: Brunch
Day: Tuesday
Son's Age: 9 months

The space is quite small so I can see why there is usually a line. The restaurant serves Egyptian food, and my appetite was sufficiently whetted after watching the Egypt episode of A Cook Abroad on Netflix the night before.

Accessibility: ⭐⭐
This is a really small space, so strollers are pretty much out of the question. The entire restaurant also has only one high chair, which was already in use when I arrived. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long for it to become available.

The washroom is also very small and in the back of the restaurant.

The good news is that the toilet has a lid so you can change a baby there (yes, I realize my standards for accessibility have decreased with time).

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Despite the lack of high chairs in the restaurant, our server was very attentive and brought over the high chair as soon as possible. We were also given a table for four so that in the meantime I could put my car seat on the chair next to me. We were quickly able to get hot water for my son's food too.

Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm not sure where else in the city you can get Egyptian brunch - it is a pretty specific niche. I started with the signature honey cardamom latte. 

This is a perfect level of sweetness and if you like cardamom I definitely encourage you to try this! It's a great way to start the morning. For my meal, I ordered the Cairo classic. 

The standout here is the foole, which is fava beans mixed with tomatoes and onions. It is also served with a sliced boiled egg, falafel, creamy feta, and balady bread. I would order this again for sure. Egyptian falafels aren't quite the same as the typical falafel that I'm used to, but it is delicious. Everything works well together and they recommend that you use the balady as a vessel to eat a little bit of everything at once. If you are looking to try something different for brunch, you have to come here!

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While the accessibility is less than ideal for bringing a baby, the food and the service really make this trip worthwhile. Just make sure you send someone ahead to wait for a table, because even on weekdays there is a bit of a wait!

Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill

I was meeting up with my cousin to discuss planning my son's first birthday (EEK! ALREADY!) and we decided to come to Bayview Village, which is a nice baby friendly place to walk around and also catch up.

Restaurant: Oliver and Bonacini Café Grill
Location: Bayview Village
Meal: Lunch
Day: Monday
Son's Age: 9 months

I have previously reviewed this restaurant but it's been a while. I used to be able to say I knew the chef de cuisine, but he has moved on to Jump (don't worry, future blog post coming up). Of course, while I dropped the "I (used to) know the chef here" line on my cousin, she calmly responded by reminding me that she knows Michael Bonacini, so oops.

Accessibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Upon arrival, I was provided a high chair and my stroller was moved out of the way.

On this visit, I actually went to the washroom inside the restaurant, and it was not as accessible as I had expected. For starters, the washroom was located downstairs, so definitely not stroller friendly.

There was also no change table and no counter space, so actually changing a diaper here would be difficult. I still give accessibility 4 stars, however, because there is an accessible washroom with a change table and a nursing room just outside the restaurant in the mall, which I don't consider to be a major inconvenience.

Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The server was very accommodating to the baby, and was happy to provide hot water for me to heat his food.

The server also made sure to keep hot items out of baby's reach, which is always helpful.

Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
In case you didn't know he, I am a sucker for gnocchi and also for lamb, so when I saw lamb gnocchi on the menu, I had to give it a try.

This was delicious, and it was so good I had to let my son have a bite! The gnocchi was light and the lamb was tender, and the flavours complemented each other nicely. My cousin ordered the spinach and ricotta ravioli.

This came with wilted escarole, bacon, and caramelized onions. She said it was delicious. Everything was so good we decided to order dessert. I ordered the vanilla bean crème brûlée.

I have rarely met a crème brûlée that I didn't like, and this was no exception. My cousin ordered the phyllo wrapped cheesecake.

She said she really enjoyed it. Overall it was a very successful lunch.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Based on my experience, the food and service were perfect and the restaurant is quite baby friendly. I'd recommend coming with your baby.

Tich

One of my girlfriends recently had a baby, and we decided we should get together for dinner with our next generation. We thought a good meeting point would be Etobicoke, so one of my friends made reservations at Tich.

Restaurant: Tich
Location: Etobicoke
Meal: Dinner
Day: Saturday
Son's Age: 9 months

Tich is a modern Indian restaurant that was also featured on You Gotta Eat Here, so we were pretty excited. My friend had called ahead to let them know that our party would have two babies in tow, and both babies would be arriving in strollers. We ended up having to call and push the reservation back a few minutes because we were running late, which typically occurs when you are going places in big groups and/or with babies.

Accessibility: ⭐⭐
Since we were a group of 5 adults and two babies, the restaurant was prepared for us and seated inside where we had space to park our strollers.

As a warning, there is enough space to push the strollers through as long as other patrons push their chairs in, so we had no trouble getting to the table; however, when we were finished, we pretty much had to interrupt every table on our way out to ask others to make room. Also, there is a step at the entrance. The washrooms are located in the basement, so the stroller definitely isn't going there. I didn't actually use it this time so I can't report on the diaper changing situation, unfortunately. 

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

As I mentioned, we made reservations ahead of time, so the staff was prepared for our group. The server seemed accustomed to explaining the menu (there aren't a lot of Indian restaurants in the area), but was relieved not to have to explain it to our party. I was able to get cup of hot water for my son's food. 

Overall, our server was quite friendly and helpful. However, when we called to say we would be late, we were informed that there was a reservation after us, so we would still need to be finished within the allotted time. Since two of us had babies that needed to be home for bedtime, we were fine with this, but at the end of our meal when we were paying the bill, the server announced that the next reservation had arrived. He politely asked to remove one of our tables, since it was supposedly just a party of two, and we agreed. He moved the table over and set it up while we finished paying the bill and putting our coats on. When we were leaving, the table he had removed was still empty, and we didn't see anyone at the door. As such, I'm not sure why we were rushed out, but it was one strange hiccup to an otherwise pleasant evening. 

Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We started with the assorted tandoori platter, which included the tandoori chicken tikka, hara mirch tikka, jumbo prawns, lamb chops, and achari paneer.

This was so good. I really liked the hara mirch tikka, and the achari paneer had a nice amount of heat to it. We then ordered a few mains, and to be honest this visit happened in January so I don't remember everything we ordered, but I know I asked for the Hyderabad lamb shank.

We all ordered mango lassis, and I know there was a lobster and prawn curry and the Bengali fish curry.

There is also a chicken curry and another lamb but I forget exactly which ones we ordered. Everything was delicious though, and not just the same food you get at traditional Indian restaurants. We also weren't sure how many sides to order, so our server brought us some saffron infused basmati rice and a mix of plain naan, butter naan, garlic naan, roti, and lacha paratha. Everything was tasty and it was the perfect amount of sides to go with the food, which was more than enough for the group. I highly recommend coming in a group so you can try different menu items because there was no low point to the meal.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐½
When it comes to the food, the show didn't lie - you really gotta eat here. It's not the easiest place to bring a baby, though, but if you have a larger party, not only can you try more dishes, but hopefully your dinner companions will take turns entertaining your kid!

Factory Girl

I was headed to the east end of the city to meet a friend, and I must admit I am not too familiar with this part of the city, so obviously I had to try eating at a restaurant in the area. It was raining, so I ducked into one of the first places that caught my eye.

Restaurant: Factory Girl
Location: Riverdale
Meal: Lunch
Day: Tuesday
Son's Age: 9 months

The menu here is Italian but the vibe is clearly rock 'n' roll. There are posters on the walls of all the great rock stars and the music is all classic rock. Did I mention that my son is a Bon Jovi fan? I was a bit apprehensive about how receptive the staff would be to a baby, but thought I'd try my luck anyway.

Accessibility: ⭐
The setup is not designed to be stroller friendly at all. For starters, there is a step at the front or before you enter. At least I was able to get a high chair for my son.

Yes, his shirt says "(future) foodie", in case you were wondering. Since there wasn't enough room for him to sit beside me and keep the stroller at the table, his stroller was moved to the front. 

The washroom is also located downstairs, and there is no change table provided. At best, you could use the counter between the sinks. 

I don't know that the space is wide enough, and your baby cannot be super mobile. One other thing to note if you are trying to avoid exposing your baby to screen time: there are TVs everywhere, and there is really nowhere your baby can sit without being able to see one, whereas every other restaurant I've been to with TV screens still had a space or two without one. 

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What the place lacks in accessibility is certainly made up for by the service. When I first arrived, my server helped me navigate into the restaurant and initially parked the stroller beside my table. Once he realized I wanted my son beside me (I can't reach across the table to feed him), he offered to move my stroller for me. It turns out that there is a kids' menu, so I suspect the staff is prepared to work with families. The server also brought hot water for my son's food. 

While the cup looks small, it was just big enough for me to fit my baby cube in. The server offered to find something wider but since this worked fine, I figured it was easier to keep a small cup away from my son's wandering fingers than a large bowl. My server also checked in with me regularly to make sure I had everything I needed, and he nicely interacted with my son as well. 

Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have to be honest - when I opened the menu, nothing popped out at me and I was worried the food would be dull. I noticed, however, that the mac and cheese appetizer was described as "almost famous", and since it was lunch time I figured an appetizer portion would be substantial enough. 

So we need to talk about this mac and cheese, because oh my God. It's rigatoni, alfredo sauce, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, mozzarella, cheddar, and bread crumbs. I ordered it with the optional house made spicy sausage. As you can see, this is not your traditional mac and cheese, and it was amazing. Everything just worked together, and the sausage added a touch of heat. I was right about the portion being good for lunch but I also wished there was more because I didn't want to stop eating. If you are in the area, I highly recommend you try this. 

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐½

The restaurant itself isn't very accessible or, in my opinion, suitable for babies and strollers, but if you are in the area, the service and the food will make the visit worthwhile. 

Nodo

In case you didn't know, the Junction is actually a really baby friendly (and vegan friendly) neighbourhood, with lots of great restaurants that I frequented before I became a mom. I was taking my baby to the early years centre and thought I would grab some lunch first.

Restaurant: Nodo
Location: The Junction
Meal: Lunch
Day: Friday
Son's Age: 9 months

I remember coming to Nodo for lunch when I was pregnant and noticing a couple mothers with babies, which was surprising because the place is a nice Italian restaurant that seems more hip than baby-friendly. Since then, I had been meaning to review the place, so I was glad that I finally got the chance to come again.

Accessibility: ⭐⭐
While the neighbourhood is now baby friendly, the restaurant was clearly not. Ugly with babies in mind. The good news is, they have high chairs.

The washrooms are downstairs, so definitely not stroller friendly, and there is no change table.

I would say this counter might be your best bet if your baby doesn't roll? But even then it might be a bit precarious. Also, as you can see, the washroom isn't very big.

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The good news is that I found the service to be phenomenal. To be fair, I came at lunch time on a weekday when it was quiet, so my server was able to put two tables together so I could sit beside my baby and still park my stroller next to me. He also brought me some hot water to heat my baby food.

Everyone was extremely pleasant and the host held the door open for me when I was leaving with the stroller.

Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm a sucker for gnocchi, and Nodo does gnocchi two ways. I ordered the old school gnocchi, with lamb ragu, lemon-mint ricotta, and reggiano.

The gnocchi was delicious, and the perfect portion size for lunch. Unfortunately, Nodo doesn't have a separate lunch menu, so I'm not sure this would be as satisfying as a dinner portion, but for me it really hit the spot. The gnocchi was soft and pillowy, and the lamb ragu complemented it so well.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐½
The food is delicious and the service is impeccable, but the place itself isn't easy to navigate with a baby. Still, I think it's worth checking out, especially for a weekday lunch when the place isn't too busy.

The Beet

I know it seems like it has taken me so long to come back to the Beet with my son, but for full disclosure, I actually come here a lot for takeout. This time, I happened to be in the area for a La Leche League meeting (breastfeeding moms - seriously, check these out, they are so worth it) so I decided to stop by for lunch.

Restaurant: The Beet

Location: The Junction

Meal: Lunch

Day: Tuesday

Son's Age: 9 months

The restaurant is quite small, located inside an old TD Bank building, so I suspect on a busier day I would be asked to park my stroller outside. Luckily, on a winter Tuesday, there was enough room for me, my baby, and the stroller.

Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is still great for accessibility as it is stroller friendly, with automatic doors and a ramp to enter the building, and the washroom has a change table. They also have Ikea high chairs, which are my favourite.

That's right - the high chair even comes with its own tray and insert. I'm not sure how well they clean the tray, but that's why I always come prepared with wipes.

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The servers were extremely friendly and understanding, and they were happy to interact with my son and let him play with the menu when he didn't want to let go of it. They were very helpful in getting me to my table and parking my stroller next to me, and they remained pleasant the entire time, even when my son was making a mess (more on that later).

Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I actually wanted to order something different from my last post just to provide variety, but I am obsessed with their loaded avocado combo.

The avocado is stuffed with brown coconut Thai rice and veggies, and the combo is served with the daily soup, house salad (that chilli-cilantro dressing!), and toast with house pesto (not made with nuts!). Unfortunately, I'm a little behind on my blog posts so I actually don't remember what kind of soup I had, but it was delicious, and everything is healthy so you can feel good about yourself when you eat here. What really puts this place over the top, though, is the baby menu.

That's right - I didn't even have to bring food for my son. The nibbler platter includes chicken (or tofu), avocado (or cheese), potatoes, and apples. This is the perfect portion for my son, who loves to feed himself. Everything is served at room temperature and unseasoned, and because the high chair had its own tray, my son was able to pick up his own food, which allowed me to use both my hands to eat my own meal! As a warning, the menu specifically advertises this to be served with sweet potato, and as you can see, these are regular white potatoes. Personally, I am okay with this and didn't even realize the discrepancy until after the fact, but if your baby is really looking forward to sweet potatoes, make sure you mention it when you order this. If your baby is eating solids but hasn't started finger foods yet, they also do purees.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is pretty much the perfect place to take your baby. The food is so healthy and the restaurant is so baby friendly that you don't even have to pack baby food. 

Farmhouse Tavern

Finally made it into the new year! My mom and sister wanted to have brunch together for New Year's, and since I had a good experience at Farmhouse Tavern, we decided to return.

Restaurant: Farmhouse Tavern
Location: The Junction
Meal: Brunch
Day: Sunday
Son's Age: 9 months

Similar to my last experience, it seems that lots of families bring their babies here for brunch, so we felt very comfortable bringing my son.

Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐
Obviously, the accessibility of the restaurant wasn't going to change, although this time I actually put my baby in the high chair.

Washrooms are still not great and even though people bring their strollers in here, it's not exactly stroller friendly.

Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The service was very consistent with our last visit - still prepared to deal with the baby and still very friendly, but I could still have used some more coffee refills.

Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This time I took a photo of my food, which is why I decided to write another blog post despite my last visit being so recent. I ordered the eggs in a nest, which are poached eggs nested in a butternut squash, served with a side of salad.

I also added bacon, which lined the holes in the squash and surrounded the eggs. Conceptually, I love the idea of the bacon nestled in there, as the bacon flavour melts into the squash, which would otherwise be very light for brunch. While overall it was delicious, my only qualm was the distribution of the bacon - the majority of the bacon was under one of the eggs, with only a few pieces under the other. I started eating the egg with less bacon and thought I had been ripped off before realizing halfway through that the rest of the bacon was under the next egg. That aside, the combination makes for a very satisfying brunch, and the salad is very light and fresh and makes the perfect complement.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐½
While the restaurant itself isn't as baby friendly as other locations, the service and the food balance it out, and it's clearly good enough for me to come back within the month!