BEST KIDDIE FARE

We eat out quite a bit. Even now that we have Bib, we still go out at least once a week and often three or more times a week; usually all on the weekend.Eating with Bib is a challenge because she's still too young to sit up on her own and ram little bits of finger food into her face at the dining table. Oh no, that doesn't deter us from going out. We take turns holding her or give her some "Mum Mums" while she sits in her car seat. If we're lucky, she's napping during the meal in her car seat.Here's where we've had success:

• Chinese food: dim sum, congee noodle places, shanghai food, hong kong cafes, take out (more on these later!)

FOOD REVIEW: Chinese take out!

RESTAURANT: Kwong Chow Congee & Noodle House

ADDRESS: 3163 Main Street, Vancouver

PHONE: (604) 876-8520

PARKING: street/meter parking

COUPONS: No

FOOD: 9/12

AMBIENCE: 2/6 (that’s why I take out!)

SERVICE: 3/6

TOTAL POINTS: 14/24

PRICE: $$

NOTES: Chinese take out is generally a good bet on a Friday night when I’m too pooped to cook.Our old standby is the Kwong Chow restaurant on Main Street...yes that's the place where someone got murdered...I suppose this is because it tends to serve patrons into the wee hours in the morning (open until 2a.m.) It's a "hole-'n-the-wall" in my books, but the food's good and it's cheap so we order out and Stomach picks up the order on the way home from work and we enjoy the food more so because Bib's in her Exersaucer and Bebe can take her old sweet time with her food. This can take up to an hour or more if she's particularly chatty.

• Japanese food

FOOD REVIEW

RESTAURANT: Kamakura (Kamei Royale)

ADDRESS: 601 W. Broadway #12, Vancouver

PHONE: (604) 876-3388

PARKING: street/meter parking; parkade underground

COUPONS: No, but various discount gift certificates are given if you spend a lot

FOOD: 10/12

AMBIENCE: 4.5/6

SERVICE: 6/6

TOTAL POINTS: 20.5/24

PRICE: $$$

NOTES: Kamakura on W. Broadway is a Japanese restaurant that has little private rooms. Sometimes they can get too cramped what with the car seat and toys and crap I bring along. As well, it tends to get really hot inside those little cabanas. Their menu is extensive and interesting and the food is very good to excellent and very consistent in quality. What I like about Kamakura is the friendly service; our favourite server is Suki, who chats up a storm with Bebe and always remembers her (with a mini ice-cream cone)! The kitchen even does substitution requests for Bebe (even if it's really weird!) like "Yaki-Udon with fish cake instead of chicken". The special maki rolls are very good and the cooked food is particularly well-prepared. I like their Oyster Motoyaki, the tempura yam sticks and their chopped scallop sushi. Stomach finds the sushi to be above average but not necessarily the most flavourful in his opinion.

• Casual restaurants

FOOD REVIEW

RESTAURANT: Moxie's Classic Grill (West Broadway)

ADDRESS: 1759 West Broadway, Vancouver

PHONE: (604) 678-9973

http://www.moxies.ca/index2.htm

PARKING: street/meter parking; underground parkade

COUPONS: no

FOOD: 9/12

AMBIENCE: 5/6

SERVICE: 5/6

TOTAL POINTS: 19/24

PRICE: $$$

NOTES: I really like going to Moxie's because I like that they have a kids’ menu. I also like their adult menu and Bebe likes the Penne in red sauce. The last time we went the tomato sauce wasn't that good and the penne a bit on the hard side. The Moxie's in Richmond is way more consistent with their penne and other dishes. Moxie's also gives out crayons to keep Bebe busy so I have time to read the menu in peace.

*MOXIE’S CLASSIC GRILL (Richmond)
3233 St Edwards Dr, Richmond
Tel: (604) 303-1111