I’ve talked about what you need to take when you out with kids before on my Tips for Eating Out with Kids page, I highlight the need to take:
- Colouring
- Books
- E-Tablets
- Small toys
But what happens if you do like we did this weekend and forget to take the activity bag?
On Saturday we are invited to join my sister-in-law as she celebrates her 60th birthday.
Our Saturday morning starts off quite busy with Lewis’s Tee Ball game at 8:30, stopping at the shops on the way home to buy new thongs as Lewis has swimming lessons on Monday. Dashing back home to dress before we are back in the car to collect my elderly mother-in-law who lives 20 minutes in the wrong direction of the restaurant. With all this dashing about I clean forget the activity bag.
On time at 12noon we pull into the car park in front of the family owned and run Italian restaurant Three Coins located in Mount Lawley, Perth. It is flurry of greetings and birthday wishes around the table. I mention to my niece (who has a 3-year-old girl) that I forgot the colouring, she reply’s “so did I.” I immediately think I will pop down the street to buy something, but on speaking to the Italian chef he offers crayons for the children and says they can draw on the white paper table clothes that are laid over the traditional red and white check clothes.
Lewis happily draws a house (what else would a budding builder draw?) as the antipasto platters arrive.
As many of you know I am hopeless at taking photos of food and of course the dishes are all eaten before I think of picture-taking, so I will just have to describe it. We have the most delicious prosciutto trimmed of all fat, roll mops, salmon mousse on melba toast, pecorino cheese, fresh Italian bread, frittata, large bowls of back and green olives, bruschetta brimming with tomatoes and the most flavoursome arancini balls that are filled with tomato flavoured rice, oozing creamy cheese inside a crispy coating. Even fussy eater Lewis enjoys the selection.
Whilst we wait for our main courses the chef invites the kids up to help with making fettuccine. First they watch Luca the chef roll the pasta doh through the pasta machine over and over until the doh is paper-thin.
Then Lewis is taken into the kitchen to wash his hands. Luca shows Lewis how to pick up each sheet of pasta sprinkle it with semolina flour and layer it several times before rolling the pasta ready to be cut later. Lewis who loves to help cook is having a ball – I think maybe he is not going to be a builder but now a chef 🙂
He finishes up in time to wash his hands and sit back at the table for main course. Lewis and my great-niece have ordered off the children’s menu (margherita pizza and fettuccine with butter and parmesan sauce). We adults have a choice of baked gnocchi, lamb ragu on fettuccine, fish of the day or crusted lamb cutlets which is what I choose. My lamb is beautiful, deliciously soft and juicy pink in the middle.
As soon as the kids have finished eating they were back at the pasta making table. I arrive in time to see the ravioli being pressed out and cut into squares.
Then the kids help seal the edges of each piece of pasta. I speak to the owner Sabrina to find out if the pasta making is on in the evenings, she advises “no, the restaurant gets too busy, the pasta making is only on Saturday’s at lunch.” What a shame, though I can understand their reasoning.
To finish off our meal we all have coffees to go with the birthday cake.
All too soon three hours have flown by without one complaint of being bored and asking to go home.
So what is the secret to a successful dining experience with kids?
Ok it would have helped if I’d packed the activities, but really it comes down to choosing a restaurant that caters for children.
Apart from the wonderful pasta making activity at the Three Coins, the kids were also given crayons to use and offered a children’s menu consisting of not only food that children eat but it was also authentic food for that restaurant.
Have you found a great restaurant to take the kids?
Please tell me about it in the comments.
Linking Up With:
- Essentially Jess #IBOT
- Wander Mum #CityTripping
- Agent Mystery Case #WorthCasingWednesday
I have to confess that we are horrible at remembering to photograph our meals when they come out. Hence we end up with a whole lot of close-up shots that hide the bites we’ve already enjoyed.
That would be me, asking to make ravioli. I can be such a kid sometimes.
I’ll have to remember that close up tip Linda, thank you.
Wow they sound amazingly accommodating and what a good idea to get the kids involved in the pasta making, I wish we had more places like that hear in AD, I think the kids would have far more interest in where the food comes from (and colouring is always, always a winner!!) #citytripping
It’s the first time I’ve seen a restaurant get the kids involved in the cooking, hopefully some more will take it on.
Most of the restaurants we went to in Perth had crayons and puzzles for the kids, or a playground. The pasta making thing is a great idea. Some breakfast places have a 1-2 facepainters/kids activity people to entertain the kids in corner while the parents raid the breakie buffet.
You did well finding all those restaurants Lisa, I can only think of a couple near us that have playgrounds. Though I suppose as we live here we tend to go restaurants were we know we love the food.
what a brilliant restaurant! So wonderful that the children were allowed in to make pasta. So much more fun than looking at a tablet! We often take books and colouring into restaurants. I’m not keen on electronic devices though as it’s fun for everyone to interact as a family. We’ll often have discussions around the restaurant table too, take it in turns to find a country in each letter of the alphabet or start a discussion about who’d make the better villain, Voldemort or Darth Vadar. No one ever agrees! #citytripping
What great ideas to get all the family interacting Clare.
Fantastic restaurant to have the option for the kids to get so involved and hands-on with their food. I want a go too! If only more places offered this I’m sure kids would be a lot more engaged with their dinner!
So true Kate.
I love the fact they could get involved with the pasta making – what a great idea. And as you say, it’s the whole attitude and atmosphere which makes such a difference. #citytripping
The attitude of staff for a restaurant or accommodation can really make or break a place can’t it Cathy?
What an amazing restaurant! I think it’s so important to show kids how meals are made and let them help cook (my daughter loves it). I think it helps give them an appreciation of what they have and encourages them to eat it too. It is waaaay better than staring at a tablet. My daughter would love this place! The food sounds brill too! Thanks for linking to #citytripping
Totally agree Elizabeth. My son is more likely to try food that he has prepared himself.
How cool it is for the kids to be able to go up to experience pasta making! I’m super lazy to bring activity bags out for meals, so I try to hunt down restaurants that have play areas for the kids. I have found plenty of them in Singapore! If you do come to Singapore, check out my list if you forget your activity bag. 😉
http://bumblebeemum.net/eateries-with-play-area/
I love restaurants with play area especially as I have an only child it means that he can find easily some other kids to play with during our meal.
Looks like a whole lot of fun.
It really had the most beautiful food Raychael, you should pop over there one day for one of your restaurant reviews.
It is great that your children were able to get involved. Once they are older it becomes much easier!
Totally agree Anne, I’m enjoying this stage: more independent and able to fend for them selves but they still love mummy and daddy.
What a wonderful place! My kids would love that!
Yes perfect for that early primary age group Jess.
Wow! This has to be one of the coolest restaurants around town. Smart restaurants which want to get a family’s business need to have offerings and good service for kids (if they want the family’s money). Recently, I went to a prix fixe restaurant with two couple. One of the couples have 3 kids (ages 9 to 2). I was a bit nervous about how thinks were going to work. Everybody in the restaurant was super nice for the kids and they even prepared something simple for them. It was a win win situation.
Sounds like you found a winner of restaurant for you all to enjoy. Restaurants like the Three Coins have discovered you don’t have to offer cheesy gimmicks and deep fried food to keep kids happy – just give them an experience kids can relate to.