For those of you who don't know, once your kid starts daycare (or school, if you forego daycare), you will probably end up taking your little one to the doctor a lot. I'm told that after a year, my son wil havethe best immunity system, and I'm seriously banking on that to be true. In any case, I took him to the doctor's office and then realized that I didn't have any lunch plans for him. My mother had decided to accompany me and we tried to find something nearby with food he would eat.
Restaurant: Tabule
Location: Bayview Village
Meal: Lunch
Day: Thursday
Son's Age: 12 months
Tabule is a middle eastern restaurant that has a couple locations in the city and recently opened in Bayview Village. I had been meaning to try it before and figured this was a good opportunity. Despite the fact that it was a Thursday, however, we had to wait. The good news is, you can leave your cell phone number and wander around the mall. The bad news is, other patrons are downright rude. I came back after I was called and I was shown in and an older lady yelled at me, saying that the next table of four should be hers and I don't need a table for four because there were only two of us (excuse me, but my son eats solids now, so yes he needs a spot at the table). I noticed in general that a lot of the clientele seemed very entitled overall, but that isn't really the restaurant's fault.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The benefit of going to a restaurant at Bayview Village is that the place is full of mothers and seniors, which means it's very accessible. I was given the option to keep my stroller at the table or park it at the front, and I was promptly provided with a high chair for my son.
As you can see, he was very excited and wouldn't sit still, which is pretty impressive considering he was too sick to attend daycare. The washrooms are individual and have a nice counter top.
No change table, but you can easily change a smaller baby on the counter. If that makes you a bit nervous, the washroom outside the restaurant has a proper change table, not to mention a nursing room.
Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The other customers might have been a pain, but the service on all counts was excellent. The host was very open about the wait time and took my number to let me know when a table was available. She helped to bring my stroller to the front after I was seated. The server was very friendly too. When he served water, he would pour from a high distance to create a stream, and he intentionally ensured that my son had a good view every time. He even refilled my son's sippy cup when he finished his own water. I mentioned when I sat down that I needed my appetizer to come quickly as I was feeding my son, and he kindly obliged. I especially loved that he interacted with my son and asked him how he was enjoying the food. I suppose the servers are trained to deal with babies, which I really appreciated.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐
We started with a cold mezze sampler platter, and we chose hummus, baba ganoush, and of course, tabbouleh.
This is served with both white and multigrain pita bread. The dish itself was delicious, and my son really enjoyed the pita with hummus and baba ganoush. I also liked that I was giving him chickpeas and eggplant with his bread, so I had covered off three food groups! My one complaint is that the multigrain pita was quite tough, so I didn't feel comfortable giving it to my son. I was so concerned about feeding him that I forgot to take a photo of the mains, but my mother and I ordered the kefta and tawuk to share. Kefta is ground lamb and beef skewers and tawuk is chicken, and both are served with rice and grilled vegetables. I found the mains to be underwhelming, with the meat being a bit dry. The portion size is generous, though, so my mother was able to pack a takeaway box to bring home. The rice and vegetables were pretty tasty too, although they really aren't supposed to outshine the meat, in my opinion.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
The accessibility and service make this a great spot to bring your baby, and the hummus, baba ganoush, and tabbouleh are fantastic, even if the meat was not impressive. I would recommend this as a good family friendly option.
Showing posts with label 4.5 stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4.5 stars. Show all posts
Monday, 22 May 2017
Saturday, 13 May 2017
Dirty Food Eatery
My son was getting ready to start daycare and I was about to start work, so I was treasuring my last days of maternity leave. I decided to meet my sister for brunch and try a new restaurant in the generally baby-friendly Junction.
Restaurant: Dirty Food Eatery
Location: The Junction
Meal: Brunch
Day: Monday
Son's Age: 12 months
Dirty Food is a relatively new restaurant that apparently is affiliated with Junked Food - I didn't actually know this at the time but my husband informed me afterward when he found out that I came here without him. I was just excited to have a new brunch place nearby.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The restaurant itself is quite small, and I didn't bring a stroller because I was able to find parking nearby. I saw that someone else had left a folded stroller at the front, though. They not only had a high chair for my son, but they also had a kids' menu and plastic cutlery for him!
I'll talk about the food itself later, but my so loves trying to use the knife and fork by himself. He wasn't particularly successful but it was cute watching him try to imitate my sister and me. The washrooms are in the basement, so not stroller friendly, but the larger stall has a change table.
It's more like a shelf (think of the change tables on airplanes if they were padded), but it gets the job done, and it's a good use of such a small space.
Restaurant: Dirty Food Eatery
Location: The Junction
Meal: Brunch
Day: Monday
Son's Age: 12 months
Dirty Food is a relatively new restaurant that apparently is affiliated with Junked Food - I didn't actually know this at the time but my husband informed me afterward when he found out that I came here without him. I was just excited to have a new brunch place nearby.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The restaurant itself is quite small, and I didn't bring a stroller because I was able to find parking nearby. I saw that someone else had left a folded stroller at the front, though. They not only had a high chair for my son, but they also had a kids' menu and plastic cutlery for him!
I'll talk about the food itself later, but my so loves trying to use the knife and fork by himself. He wasn't particularly successful but it was cute watching him try to imitate my sister and me. The washrooms are in the basement, so not stroller friendly, but the larger stall has a change table.
It's more like a shelf (think of the change tables on airplanes if they were padded), but it gets the job done, and it's a good use of such a small space.
Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The servers are clearly prepared to deal with young children. Our server was extremely friendly and interacted with my son, and he was happy to answer all the questions I had about the menu also (specifically about the kids' menu). He checked in on us frequently to make sure we had everything we needed, which really helped to make the experience pleasant.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really did not know what to expect, given that all I knew was that a new brunch place had opened up nearby. I couldn't decide what to order, so the server recommended I try the chicken 'n' waffle 'wich.
This is buttermilk fried chicken in a waffle sandwich with mayonnaise, candies jalapeños, and lettuce, served with jalapeño syrup, slaw, and fries. This is so delicious, and if you like chicken and waffles you will want to try this. The slaw was actually really good too. There's a fried drumstick separated from the sandwich so you can eat that with your hands without worrying about biting into bone. For my son, we got the kid size Jonny cakes.
These are cornmeal pancakes, served with some pineapple and maple syrup on the side. As you can see, my son was really eager to eat this that I couldn't even get a photo without his hand in the shot. I like that the syrup was on the side because I try not to give him too much processed sugar, but even without syrup he was a huge fan. The kids meals all come with a small drink, but I drank his juice because I haven't given him juice yet and he really likes drinking water.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
This is a really great baby-friendly restaurant with delicious brunch food. If you are particularly reliant on your stroller, you may run into some difficulties, but otherwise I highly recommend you bring your baby here.
The servers are clearly prepared to deal with young children. Our server was extremely friendly and interacted with my son, and he was happy to answer all the questions I had about the menu also (specifically about the kids' menu). He checked in on us frequently to make sure we had everything we needed, which really helped to make the experience pleasant.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really did not know what to expect, given that all I knew was that a new brunch place had opened up nearby. I couldn't decide what to order, so the server recommended I try the chicken 'n' waffle 'wich.
This is buttermilk fried chicken in a waffle sandwich with mayonnaise, candies jalapeños, and lettuce, served with jalapeño syrup, slaw, and fries. This is so delicious, and if you like chicken and waffles you will want to try this. The slaw was actually really good too. There's a fried drumstick separated from the sandwich so you can eat that with your hands without worrying about biting into bone. For my son, we got the kid size Jonny cakes.
These are cornmeal pancakes, served with some pineapple and maple syrup on the side. As you can see, my son was really eager to eat this that I couldn't even get a photo without his hand in the shot. I like that the syrup was on the side because I try not to give him too much processed sugar, but even without syrup he was a huge fan. The kids meals all come with a small drink, but I drank his juice because I haven't given him juice yet and he really likes drinking water.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
This is a really great baby-friendly restaurant with delicious brunch food. If you are particularly reliant on your stroller, you may run into some difficulties, but otherwise I highly recommend you bring your baby here.
Labels:
4.5 stars,
brunch,
Canadian,
one year,
The Junction
Saturday, 22 April 2017
Indie Ale House
Before I became pregnant, I was pretty much a regular at Indie Ale House. I don't even like beer, but for some reason I really enjoy some of the beer here. It's local and original and there are so many options to choose from. Bonus - the food is fantastic. You'd think a place that focuses so much on beer would treat food as an afterthought, but not here. If you asked me where to go in the Junction, hands down I would have said Indie Ale House. Fast forward to pregnancy and birth, and I hadn't stepped foot in here. I assumed it was inappropriate to bring a baby to an ale house, and besides, people might judge a breastfeeding mother for indulging in a flight of beer. Then, one day, after taking my son to the OEYC, I decided to pop into the bottle shop to bring some beer home. I noticed a stroller parked in the front and commented that I'm clearly not the only parent bringing my kid here. The seller, totally serious, proceeded to inform me that there were always children here, and that was in fact their stroller parking area. So what do I do with this information? Immediately plan dinner with my husband and son!
Restaurant: Indie Ale House
Location: The Junction
Meal: Dinner
Day: Saturday
Son's Age: 12 months
We decided to go at 5:30 on a Saturday and discovered that they weren't kissing - the place was packed with babies and kids! Immediately I felt better knowing that I wouldn't need to worry about my baby being out of place. Please note that the place does fill up and they do not take reservations so if you want to come a bit later you may have to wait.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The entrance was full of strollers that were parked at the door.
There were actually more strollers but someone was standing in front and I didn't want to photograph someone without permission. Even with all the babies, we were still able to get a high chair.
Yes, that's my kid with all the beer. We are teaching him good values at an early age, obviously. On top of all this, the washroom actually has a proper change table!
The actual layout of the washroom is not the most convenient, because the change table blocks the entrance to one of the two stalls, but given how many families there were, people were pretty understanding.
Restaurant: Indie Ale House
Location: The Junction
Meal: Dinner
Day: Saturday
Son's Age: 12 months
We decided to go at 5:30 on a Saturday and discovered that they weren't kissing - the place was packed with babies and kids! Immediately I felt better knowing that I wouldn't need to worry about my baby being out of place. Please note that the place does fill up and they do not take reservations so if you want to come a bit later you may have to wait.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The entrance was full of strollers that were parked at the door.
There were actually more strollers but someone was standing in front and I didn't want to photograph someone without permission. Even with all the babies, we were still able to get a high chair.
Yes, that's my kid with all the beer. We are teaching him good values at an early age, obviously. On top of all this, the washroom actually has a proper change table!
The actual layout of the washroom is not the most convenient, because the change table blocks the entrance to one of the two stalls, but given how many families there were, people were pretty understanding.
Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Our server was great and very accommodating to my baby. He brought extra coasters which my son loved playing with, and he brought a little teapot of hot water to warm my son's food.
I think he is more accustomed to older children rather than babies, however, because he seemed surprised that we didn't want to order something off the menu for him (they do not have a separate kids' menu) and then brought an extra plate for him to share our food (given his penchant for banging and throwing plates, he can't really be trusted with anything breakable). I totally get why restaurants expect you to order off the menu but I think that, unless they specifically have a baby menu, allowances should be made for babies who are just learning how to eat.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Since I hadn't been here for so long, my husband and I agreed to buy a flight of beer and split it.
They rotate their beer so what we had isn't always available, but from left to right you are looking at: Spadina Monkey, Ritual Madness, Broken Hipster, Breakfast Porter, and Rabbit of Caerbannog. Disclaimer: I am not a regular beer drinker so I don't know all the proper lingo, but Broken Hipster and Breakfast Porter are my usual go-tos. The Breakfast Porter is similar to a Guinness but with a hint of coffee flavour, while the Broken Hipster is a Belgian wheat beer. The Spadina Monkey is more of a sour cherry flavour, and Ritual Madness is also a fruity flavour (I don't recall what it tasted like exactly, just that I wasn't a fan). The Rabbit is a white IPA that my husband really enjoyed. For our food, I ordered the short rib royale burger with a side salad.
This burger is not kidding around. I'm taking the description from the menu, but it's stout braised, shredded short ribs, quarter pound patty, gruyere cheese, crispy onions, and roasted garlic and thyme aioli. I love this burger and it is ridiculously filling I highly recommend you order this. The side salad was underwhelming on its own but worked well to offset the heaviness of the burger. My husband got the BBQ duck pizza.
This came with pineapple, caramelized onions, fior de latte, tomato sauce, cilantro, and chillies. The pizza was pretty good and my husband liked it, although I must admit that I'm not a fan of pineapple on my pizza. Otherwise, it's very good, and definitely not your average pub fare.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
There's a reason I used to come here so often, and discovering that the restaurant is in fact very baby friendly is such a great bonus. If you are looking to try a great craft beer with delicious food, but you don't want to bring your baby to a pub, this is definitely the place to go.
They rotate their beer so what we had isn't always available, but from left to right you are looking at: Spadina Monkey, Ritual Madness, Broken Hipster, Breakfast Porter, and Rabbit of Caerbannog. Disclaimer: I am not a regular beer drinker so I don't know all the proper lingo, but Broken Hipster and Breakfast Porter are my usual go-tos. The Breakfast Porter is similar to a Guinness but with a hint of coffee flavour, while the Broken Hipster is a Belgian wheat beer. The Spadina Monkey is more of a sour cherry flavour, and Ritual Madness is also a fruity flavour (I don't recall what it tasted like exactly, just that I wasn't a fan). The Rabbit is a white IPA that my husband really enjoyed. For our food, I ordered the short rib royale burger with a side salad.
This burger is not kidding around. I'm taking the description from the menu, but it's stout braised, shredded short ribs, quarter pound patty, gruyere cheese, crispy onions, and roasted garlic and thyme aioli. I love this burger and it is ridiculously filling I highly recommend you order this. The side salad was underwhelming on its own but worked well to offset the heaviness of the burger. My husband got the BBQ duck pizza.
This came with pineapple, caramelized onions, fior de latte, tomato sauce, cilantro, and chillies. The pizza was pretty good and my husband liked it, although I must admit that I'm not a fan of pineapple on my pizza. Otherwise, it's very good, and definitely not your average pub fare.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
There's a reason I used to come here so often, and discovering that the restaurant is in fact very baby friendly is such a great bonus. If you are looking to try a great craft beer with delicious food, but you don't want to bring your baby to a pub, this is definitely the place to go.
Labels:
4.5 stars,
dinner,
one year,
pub,
The Junction
Thursday, 13 April 2017
Beaumont Kitchen
Some friends wanted to meet up in Etobicoke, so we decided to try Beaumont Kitchen, located inside Sherway Gardens.
Restaurant: Beaumont Kitchen
Location: Etobicoke
Meal: Dinner
Day: Sunday
Son's Age: 10 months
This is another Oliver & Bonacini restaurant, and Sherway Gardens is an extremely baby friendly mall. The nursing room is quite nice (although I personally prefer Yorkdale), there's lots of space to navigate a stroller, and there's a Lego store with the larger Duplex blocks that my son could play with while we were killing time. Generally speaking, restaurants located in these malls tend to be baby friendly as well.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
There is a handicap accessible entrance to the restaurant from within the mall, so we had. I trouble getting our stroller in. Right away, we were presented with a high chair, and we were also able to park our stroller next to the table.
I did not get a chance to check out the washroom here, but there are plenty of washrooms inside the mall that are large and have change tables, so there should be no trouble doing diaper changes.
Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Our server was quite pleasant and brought us some hot water to heat up my baby's food.
One of my friends actually showed up late (we thought there was going to be a no show), so we were able to move our stroller to the front of the restaurant to accommodate. My baby also got restless during the meal, but luckily we were there early so we weren't disrupting other customers.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
For my dinner, I ordered the lamb bolognese.
This is made with lamb shoulder, tagliatelle, and fontina. I really enjoyed it, and it was definitely a proper tagliatelle. The flavours met my expectations, as I've previously mentioned that O&B is known for quality food. My son was still hungry after his own dinner, so we also ordered the bread and dip.
I wasn't actually a big fan of the crisps, but the bread and dip were quite good. My son was a big fan of the bread. The portion was also much larger than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise but unfortunately we were unable to finish.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
If you are coming for early dinner, this is a nice upscale restaurant that you can feel comfortable bringing your baby to.
Restaurant: Beaumont Kitchen
Location: Etobicoke
Meal: Dinner
Day: Sunday
Son's Age: 10 months
This is another Oliver & Bonacini restaurant, and Sherway Gardens is an extremely baby friendly mall. The nursing room is quite nice (although I personally prefer Yorkdale), there's lots of space to navigate a stroller, and there's a Lego store with the larger Duplex blocks that my son could play with while we were killing time. Generally speaking, restaurants located in these malls tend to be baby friendly as well.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
There is a handicap accessible entrance to the restaurant from within the mall, so we had. I trouble getting our stroller in. Right away, we were presented with a high chair, and we were also able to park our stroller next to the table.
I did not get a chance to check out the washroom here, but there are plenty of washrooms inside the mall that are large and have change tables, so there should be no trouble doing diaper changes.
Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Our server was quite pleasant and brought us some hot water to heat up my baby's food.
One of my friends actually showed up late (we thought there was going to be a no show), so we were able to move our stroller to the front of the restaurant to accommodate. My baby also got restless during the meal, but luckily we were there early so we weren't disrupting other customers.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
For my dinner, I ordered the lamb bolognese.
This is made with lamb shoulder, tagliatelle, and fontina. I really enjoyed it, and it was definitely a proper tagliatelle. The flavours met my expectations, as I've previously mentioned that O&B is known for quality food. My son was still hungry after his own dinner, so we also ordered the bread and dip.
I wasn't actually a big fan of the crisps, but the bread and dip were quite good. My son was a big fan of the bread. The portion was also much larger than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise but unfortunately we were unable to finish.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
If you are coming for early dinner, this is a nice upscale restaurant that you can feel comfortable bringing your baby to.
Labels:
4.5 stars,
Canadian,
dinner,
Etobicoke,
ten months
Friday, 7 April 2017
Emma's Country Kitchen
I finally had a chance to visit one of my favourite brunch spots at the new location! I was doing a trial boot camp class nearby, and of course, what better way is there to treat yourself after bootcamp than with brunch!
Restaurant: Emma's Country Kitchen
Location: Corso Italia
Meal: Brunch
Day: Monday
Son's Age: 10 months
I've been obsessed with Emma's buttermilk biscuits pretty much ever since I moved into the neighbourhood, so I was really excited to see what the new space looked like. The place is definitely bigger, so it can accommodate more traffic, and I believe they now have a liquor license. How was the experience, though?
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heads up - this is another restaurant that has an IKEA high chair!
I always prefer these high chairs because they just feel more secure than the typical wooden restaurant high chairs. The downside is that if your baby is too small to sit up, you can't just flip it over to set your car seat down, but I've probably only done that once ever so the lack of that feature doesn't bother me. The other good news is that the washroom has a proper change table! It's in a spot that I suspect could have been another stall instead, but I applaud the accommodation. The one downside is that the washroom is now located downstairs. That's right - the new location is no longer stroller friendly.
Restaurant: Emma's Country Kitchen
Location: Corso Italia
Meal: Brunch
Day: Monday
Son's Age: 10 months
I've been obsessed with Emma's buttermilk biscuits pretty much ever since I moved into the neighbourhood, so I was really excited to see what the new space looked like. The place is definitely bigger, so it can accommodate more traffic, and I believe they now have a liquor license. How was the experience, though?
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heads up - this is another restaurant that has an IKEA high chair!
I always prefer these high chairs because they just feel more secure than the typical wooden restaurant high chairs. The downside is that if your baby is too small to sit up, you can't just flip it over to set your car seat down, but I've probably only done that once ever so the lack of that feature doesn't bother me. The other good news is that the washroom has a proper change table! It's in a spot that I suspect could have been another stall instead, but I applaud the accommodation. The one downside is that the washroom is now located downstairs. That's right - the new location is no longer stroller friendly.
Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Service here has always been excellent, and the new location did not impact that. I asked for some hot water to heat up my son's food, and they brought me a coffee mug.
It was actually the perfect size for my baby cube! Overall the servers were always extremely friendly, and either they all really love their jobs or they're really great actors. I always feel welcome whenever I come.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Did I mention the buttermilk biscuits? I ordered Emma's benny, which is my favourite thing here.
Poached eggs are served over peameal bacon on the infamous buttermilk biscuits, covered in mousseline sauce. Usually they are served with red skin potatoes, which I highly recommend. I chose to substitute them with fruit salad. I like to pretend it's because I'm healthy, but who am I kidding? My son really loves fruit, and he actually ate almost that whole bowl! Don't worry, I cut all the grapes in half before I gave them to him (sidebar: moms really love to judge other moms, don't they?). There was a great mix of fruit, so if you do prefer to be healthy, this is a great alternative to the potatoes.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
This is one of my favourite brunch places in the city and you really have to come here and give it a try. The restaurant is very baby friendly, albeit not stroller friendly, and everyone on the staff is so helpful. One important thing to note: I don't know what the weekends look like at this new location, but in the past there was always a significant line up and they don't take reservations. The weekdays seem pretty safe, though, if you prefer to avoid the wait. Don't forget to try a donut if you have the chance!
Wednesday, 15 March 2017
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.
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.
Friday, 10 February 2017
The Good Fork
After a successful morning of Boxing Day shopping (yes I know, I'm still in December), my sister and I met up with my husband and son for brunch at the Good Fork.
Restaurant: The Good Fork
Location: Bloor West Village
Meal: Brunch
Day: Monday
Son's Age: 8 months
Yes, this is another repeat visit. I love coming here but I hate that they don't take reservations for brunch. Luckily, we didn't have to wait long, and there is a Timothy's down the street whose customer base I'm pretty sure includes a lot of people waiting for their table at the Good Fork.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Obviously the accessibility still hasn't changed - the entrance is wheelchair (and stroller!) accessible and there is an accessible washroom with a change table. This time, I didn't bring the stroller, so we were seated upstairs and given a high chair.
They provided my son with a kids' menu which I think he decided was a new toy.
Restaurant: The Good Fork
Location: Bloor West Village
Meal: Brunch
Day: Monday
Son's Age: 8 months
Yes, this is another repeat visit. I love coming here but I hate that they don't take reservations for brunch. Luckily, we didn't have to wait long, and there is a Timothy's down the street whose customer base I'm pretty sure includes a lot of people waiting for their table at the Good Fork.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Obviously the accessibility still hasn't changed - the entrance is wheelchair (and stroller!) accessible and there is an accessible washroom with a change table. This time, I didn't bring the stroller, so we were seated upstairs and given a high chair.
They provided my son with a kids' menu which I think he decided was a new toy.
Service: ⭐⭐⭐
Our server was extremely friendly and very approachable, and she seemed to find my son adorable, which is always a plus for me. That said, she also seemed very forgetful. I asked her for milk with my coffee several times before finally getting it when I asked a different server - each time she would apologize profusely, then say she's going to get it right now...and then forget again. She was also very forgetful at bringing coffee refills (did I mention I spent the morning Boxing Day shopping? Mommy needs her coffee!), which also required me to flag down another server. I asked how big a portion was in the menu and she kept emphasizing that I shouldn't worry because my baby definitely wouldn't be hungry. He's a baby - he doesn't need a lot of food, but my questions were more about whether the food was baby appropriate and if it might be too much, which she didn't understand. The kids' meals also come with a cup of juice, which she kept saying was so great, and then forgot to bring it until I asked (not that I give my baby juice, but if it comes with juice my husband will drink that!). I do want to point out that this kind of service is not typically what I encounter here, but it does seem like this server in particular could use a notepad.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm starting to think I need to hire a food photographer because clearly I am not getting this job done. I ordered the Nova Scotia benny with smoked salmon and fresh dill with a side of salad, and my photo did not turn out but it was delicious. The eggs were perfectly runny and the hollaindaise was rich, while the salad was a refreshing complement (if you hate salad for brunch, there's an option of home fries, too). Of course, I had to get a side of my favourite red velvet pancakes!
For my son, we decided to order a grilled cheese on multigrain toast with a side of fruit.
This is definitely a kid portion and not a baby portion, in case you are wondering. My son loves to chew on proper food (he's totally over puréed food now), and he is obsessed with fruit, cheese, and bread, so I knew we couldn't go wrong. No, he did not eat the whole thing, although he did polish off the fruit. I wouldn't generally recommend ordering off the menu for a baby, but if you are so inclined, the fruit is fresh and the grilled cheese is very simple, so this probably isn't a bad meal to get for your child.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Even with the questionable service, this restaurant is a fantastic place to take your baby for brunch. The food is excellent and bringing your baby is so convenient. Plus, the atmosphere is casual enough that people won't really blink an eye if your baby decides to be fussy.
Our server was extremely friendly and very approachable, and she seemed to find my son adorable, which is always a plus for me. That said, she also seemed very forgetful. I asked her for milk with my coffee several times before finally getting it when I asked a different server - each time she would apologize profusely, then say she's going to get it right now...and then forget again. She was also very forgetful at bringing coffee refills (did I mention I spent the morning Boxing Day shopping? Mommy needs her coffee!), which also required me to flag down another server. I asked how big a portion was in the menu and she kept emphasizing that I shouldn't worry because my baby definitely wouldn't be hungry. He's a baby - he doesn't need a lot of food, but my questions were more about whether the food was baby appropriate and if it might be too much, which she didn't understand. The kids' meals also come with a cup of juice, which she kept saying was so great, and then forgot to bring it until I asked (not that I give my baby juice, but if it comes with juice my husband will drink that!). I do want to point out that this kind of service is not typically what I encounter here, but it does seem like this server in particular could use a notepad.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm starting to think I need to hire a food photographer because clearly I am not getting this job done. I ordered the Nova Scotia benny with smoked salmon and fresh dill with a side of salad, and my photo did not turn out but it was delicious. The eggs were perfectly runny and the hollaindaise was rich, while the salad was a refreshing complement (if you hate salad for brunch, there's an option of home fries, too). Of course, I had to get a side of my favourite red velvet pancakes!
For my son, we decided to order a grilled cheese on multigrain toast with a side of fruit.
This is definitely a kid portion and not a baby portion, in case you are wondering. My son loves to chew on proper food (he's totally over puréed food now), and he is obsessed with fruit, cheese, and bread, so I knew we couldn't go wrong. No, he did not eat the whole thing, although he did polish off the fruit. I wouldn't generally recommend ordering off the menu for a baby, but if you are so inclined, the fruit is fresh and the grilled cheese is very simple, so this probably isn't a bad meal to get for your child.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Even with the questionable service, this restaurant is a fantastic place to take your baby for brunch. The food is excellent and bringing your baby is so convenient. Plus, the atmosphere is casual enough that people won't really blink an eye if your baby decides to be fussy.
Saturday, 31 December 2016
Azul Beach Hotel
I must admit that I am literally a month behind in my blog posts, partially because my phone crashed and I lost all my notes, and partially because my son doesn't nap as much as he used to which means I have less time to write. Nevertheless, I decided to deviate from my regularly scheduled programming to talk about the fabulous time that we had in Mexico!
Restaurant: Azul Beach Hotel
Location: Mexico
Meal: All
Day: All
Son's Age: 8 months
Azul Beach Hotel is an all-inclusive resort by Karisma, located in Puerto Morelos near Cancun. It's different from your average all-inclusive in that, while there are some buffets available, the food is actually available across several different restaurants on-site with full service, which allows for a different quality of food that I haven't seen at a resort before. It is also a boutique hotel specifically designed for families with babies and young children, so you don't see drunken party people running around at all hours of the night. If anything, all the bars close at 1am (although all rooms are stocked with a mini bar and there is 24 hour room service, so yes, I did order a late night piña colada to be delivered to my room). Since I know how hard it is to travel with a baby, I wanted to include this review for any Toronto moms looking to plan a family vacation.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Like I said, this place is designed for babies. They provided a crib, stroller, baby bath/change table, baby monitor, bottle warmer, and sterilizer.
The restaurants are all equipped with baby high chairs, restaurant high chairs, and booster seats to suit children of all ages.
Restaurant: Azul Beach Hotel
Location: Mexico
Meal: All
Day: All
Son's Age: 8 months
Azul Beach Hotel is an all-inclusive resort by Karisma, located in Puerto Morelos near Cancun. It's different from your average all-inclusive in that, while there are some buffets available, the food is actually available across several different restaurants on-site with full service, which allows for a different quality of food that I haven't seen at a resort before. It is also a boutique hotel specifically designed for families with babies and young children, so you don't see drunken party people running around at all hours of the night. If anything, all the bars close at 1am (although all rooms are stocked with a mini bar and there is 24 hour room service, so yes, I did order a late night piña colada to be delivered to my room). Since I know how hard it is to travel with a baby, I wanted to include this review for any Toronto moms looking to plan a family vacation.
Accessibility: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Like I said, this place is designed for babies. They provided a crib, stroller, baby bath/change table, baby monitor, bottle warmer, and sterilizer.
The restaurants are all equipped with baby high chairs, restaurant high chairs, and booster seats to suit children of all ages.
While there are several pools, one is a kids' pool that is warm and shallow, which is perfect for babies! It's even lined with kid-sized beach chairs!
Speaking of beach chairs, instead of fighting for chairs in the morning and draping towels all over the place, you can reserve a beach bed the day before.
These are particularly nice because it makes it easy for baby to take a nap while you read your book and relax by the water. They even have some hanging beds if your baby likes the swaying motion.
If you are used to doing circle time at home with parent and baby groups, they actually have an indoor kids' playground that is air conditioned, and circle time in the morning!
If you like any of the toys there, you can also sign them out for the day to let your baby play with them on the beach. Actually, if you forgot sunscreen, they also have some kids sunscreen you can use! Finally, there is a partnership with Nickelodeon which means your baby can meet characters and attend an orange carpet event.
I think my son was too young to appreciate what was happening, but if you have an older child, this would probably be very exciting. From an accessibility standpoint, this resort was pretty much made for babies, and I can't imagine it gets any better than this.
Service: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The staff here are all pretty much trained to deal with babies and young children, so everyone was very cordial and helpful. High chairs are regularly cleaned. I brought my son's bib, which the staff offered to clean after most meals and bring back. Because it is a small place, the staff is pretty good at remembering people, and the server bringing drinks around the beach remembered our drink orders and would bring us new drinks without us asking. I have to remove a star, though, because there were a couple incidents that could have been improved. Specifically, on he first day, we were told to wait in the tequila lounge while they got our information to check us in. Later, I realized it was one of the few indoor or conditioned places on the resort (the restaurants are open air), but at the time, this was not explained, and we waited quite a whole before anyone told us what was going on. Also, the baby amenities were not in the room when we arrived, and I had to call the front desk three times before they were delivered. Finally, at one point we ordered room service, and it took much longer to arrive than they had said it would. Granted, they then brought us a bottle of champagne as an apology, so they were clearly aware that there was an issue. I bring these up because, other than the room service,
the issues were all on the first day, which gave us the impression that we were in for a stressful vacation, when this was nowhere near the case. Everyone was nice and happy to interact with my son, and we even managed to book a baby friendly trip to Chichen Itza and bring the resort-provided stroller.
Food: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Obviously, this is a food blog, so my focus is going to be the food. And oh boy, the food alone was totally worth it! Everything was restaurant quality. There are five restaurants in the resort. The main one is Blue, which is the only one open at breakfast and one of two open at lunch. Upon arrival at lunchtime, they always bring some bread with hummus and aioli.
Now I was here for a full week and did not initially intend to blog about this, so the rest of my photos aren't going to be categorized. But all the restaurants provided an assortment of Gerber baby food so you don't have to worry about packing food for the baby.
Also the rocket salad with tuna carpaccio was fantastic but you can see the presentation of Gerber food in the photo. The bad news is that my son does not digest Gerber food very well (let's just say results were explosive). The good news is that they were happy to cook food for the baby instead, so he was able to eat banana, avocado, steamed vegetables, chicken, pasta, peanut butter on toast, etc.
I include this information as part of my food review because really, he was eating baby portions of the adult food, and he definitely enjoyed it. The other restaurants are Chill (lunch only - burgers and sandwiches), Roma (Italian), Tainan (Asian), and Latino (self explanatory). For dinner, Latino was definitely my favourite, but the food was delicious everywhere so you won't be disappointed. And now for my onslaught of random food photos from the trip:
Oh also I know I didn't take any photos but they had some of the best ice cream ever - I swear it must be made in house because the coconut ice cream definitely has real coconut and same with the strawberry and the lychee. Plus they have a separate crepe and panini place and I never would have thought peanut butter and berries go together until I tried their crepe.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
If you are looking to go on vacation but you are worried about travelling with a baby, I highly recommend Azul Beach Hotel. They really take care of everything for you, and if you just want some sun and some seriously amazing food, this place is worth every penny.
Labels:
4.5 stars,
eight months,
Mexican,
Mexico
Location:
Puerto Morelos, Q.R., Mexico
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