This was featured in ParenThots which was later moved to TheStar Online
http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Family/Features/2012/11/19/Looking-for-babyfriendly-dining-spots.aspx
The writer and her daughter outside PappaRich. The restaurant
offers indoor and outdoor seating.
Getting ready to eat out takes on a whole different meaning once you have a
kid. Preparation time doubles and making sure you look good for eating out is a
thing of the past.
It is no longer about going for the food you crave
for. It is about determining which is the best place to fully accommodate the
unpredictability of your child’s behaviour during his or her mealtime. Your
dining experience is now solely based on the mood swings of your child.
I
am not a child expert, but I am getting better at sizing up a dining place as a
parent juggling a kid.
Here are a few eateries I’ve been to which have
passed the test for me:
PappaRich
(Pork-free and
halal)
Modern kopitiam-style restaurants have been mushrooming
nationwide. These local chains are now becoming fast favourites of Malaysians
for local food and coffee.
PappaRich has a selection of local rice and
noodle dishes. Its menu also offers bread; toasted or steamed, and served with a
spread of your choice.
PappaRich has high chairs for
babies and offers a selection of meals that kids can
enjoy.
For children, apart from the bread selection which is available all day,
PappaRich has porridge for babies who are just starting on solids. Be warned
that the porridge is cooked with oysters, so be careful if your baby is not
ready for seafood yet.
If you are looking to treat your child/children on
a hot day, you can choose from its wide selection of ais kacang
varieties. The portion is pretty generous, so be prepared to
share.
PappaRich’s seating layout is quite decent. Its indoor dining area
holds round or rectangle tables that come with sofa seats against the walls.
PappaRich provides baby chairs for kids. You can even dine “al fresco” but still
be safely covered with a roof over your head. However, be aware of smokers
should you choose to sit outdoors.
One of the best features of this
restaurant is that each table comes with its own supply of tissues. You never
know when you will need tissue when it comes to a kid. This beats hailing a
waiter down to request for more serviettes.
Undeniably, you do pay a
premium for the usual nasi lemak and assam laksa, but it is the
next best place to an actual coffeeshop; especially if you are bringing a small
child along.
Pros: Continuous supply of tissues.
Cons:
Be prepared to pay a bit extra for local food.
Chili’s Grill & Bar
Restaurant
(Pork-free; serves alcohol)
Chili’s is a good ol’
American joint which made its way to Malaysia 18 years ago. Currently, you can
find Chili’s in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang.
As with all things
American, the servings are humongous. Both its starters and mains come in
enormous portions. Its fajitas are impressive and don’t get me started on the
bottomless beverages which are offered at a flat price!
The kids menu at Chili's will put
a smile on your face and your toddler's, too.
This place is heaven-sent for parents with young children. It has a kids menu
which is sure to put a smile on any parent’s face.
Chili’s has a
kids-eat-free concept. As long as the adult orders a main course, the
accompanying child gets a free meal from the kids menu. It even throws in the
free bottomless beverage! This is an absolutely amazing deal for parents with
children under 12 years.
Even though it is free, kids are still spoilt
for choice when it comes to meal selection. The brightly coloured cartoon menu
has pictures of a pizza, hot dog, sandwich, burger and pasta. It even has cheese
quesadilla and Chili’s trademark chicken crispers. Be warned that the portions
are just as sizeable.
Chili's has an activity 'booklet'
to keep your child busy.
The wonders of Chili’s do not end there. As soon as you are ushered to your
table with your son or daughter, the waiter will hand you an activity “booklet”
(which is actually a folded A4 size paper) and some crayons. This booklet
consists of a drawing for colouring-in and some puzzles. The activities in the
pages are entertaining enough to keep your little one glued to it for a while,
at least.
Chili’s is like a social hangout place where children make
friends. Have a meal at Chili’s over the weekend and you will surely see it
swamped with kids of different ages. If you have a friendly daughter like mine,
you would be busy following her, waving, exchanging hellos and flying kisses
with other kids her age.
As its namesake, Chili’s is also a pub. It
serves alcohol but the bar is normally hidden inside the restaurant for patrons
to unwind with a drink.
Chili’s normally resides within a mall. As a
parent, it is quite a relief to be able to pop into Chili’s for a quick break
and a sumptuous meal while your kid is entertained.
Pros: Kids
menu; activity booklet.
Cons: You may need to wait for your table over
the weekends.
Mamak stall
(Pork-free and halal)
Being a
Malaysian in Malaysia means having a cup of teh tarik, tearing a piece of
roti canai or devouring a plate of mamak mee goreng at least once
a month in a mamak stall.
For that, this is my tribute to our very
Malaysian eating joint.
Bringing a child to a mamak place can be
challenging. All mamak stalls are different but with a distinct
similarity.
The menu (which does not come in a physical form) is usually
the same. It offers all forms of roti. This is sure to be a hit with
children. It’s like eating buttery flat bread with curry or sugar. You can also
order your childhood favourite - hot Milo - for your kids.
The mamak stall is a great place
to get your roti canai fix as you get your child accustomed to local food and
culture.
Pretty standard is the big hot plate, either inside or outside the kitchen.
This is where the cook does his magic by tossing, twirling and flipping the
roti. This is always an interesting spectacle for kids.
Another
“event” not to be missed is the whole process of teh tarik making. What’s
not to like when you see tea flying across from one cup to the
other?
With all their similarities, mamak stalls differ in the stall
itself. Not all mamak stalls provide baby chairs. As a result, your child may
possibly end up on your lap. Most mamak stalls do not come with
air-conditioning, so be sure to bring portable fans for your young
ones.
Heat aside, a mamak stall is a great place to be for teaching our
next generation a bit of Malaysian culture.
Pros: Experience local
food favourites at affordable prices.
Cons: Tends to be a warm
environment; some don't have baby chairs.
Conclusion
All
the dining places I’ve been to are very accommodating to children. Where they
lack in facilities to cater to the needs of children, they make up for with
helpfulness and efficiency in finding solutions.
A note to all parents:
Most dining places do not cater to kids when it comes to their washrooms. Apart
from that, it is not as big a hassle as I thought it would be when I eat out
with my baby daughter.
Most establishments seem to understand the
challenges that come with eating out with a young child. Employees in the
restaurants are normally very supportive in helping you gain the best dining
experience from their restaurants. So once in a while, have fun and eat out.
It’s not as difficult as you may think!
The writer and her daughter outside PappaRich. The restaurant
offers indoor and outdoor seating.
It is no longer about going for the food you crave for. It is about determining which is the best place to fully accommodate the unpredictability of your child’s behaviour during his or her mealtime. Your dining experience is now solely based on the mood swings of your child.
I am not a child expert, but I am getting better at sizing up a dining place as a parent juggling a kid.
Here are a few eateries I’ve been to which have passed the test for me:
PappaRich
(Pork-free and halal)
Modern kopitiam-style restaurants have been mushrooming nationwide. These local chains are now becoming fast favourites of Malaysians for local food and coffee.
PappaRich has a selection of local rice and noodle dishes. Its menu also offers bread; toasted or steamed, and served with a spread of your choice.
|
| PappaRich has high chairs for babies and offers a selection of meals that kids can enjoy. |
For children, apart from the bread selection which is available all day, PappaRich has porridge for babies who are just starting on solids. Be warned that the porridge is cooked with oysters, so be careful if your baby is not ready for seafood yet.
If you are looking to treat your child/children on a hot day, you can choose from its wide selection of ais kacang varieties. The portion is pretty generous, so be prepared to share.
PappaRich’s seating layout is quite decent. Its indoor dining area holds round or rectangle tables that come with sofa seats against the walls. PappaRich provides baby chairs for kids. You can even dine “al fresco” but still be safely covered with a roof over your head. However, be aware of smokers should you choose to sit outdoors.
One of the best features of this restaurant is that each table comes with its own supply of tissues. You never know when you will need tissue when it comes to a kid. This beats hailing a waiter down to request for more serviettes.
Undeniably, you do pay a premium for the usual nasi lemak and assam laksa, but it is the next best place to an actual coffeeshop; especially if you are bringing a small child along.
Pros: Continuous supply of tissues.
Cons: Be prepared to pay a bit extra for local food.
Chili’s Grill & Bar Restaurant
(Pork-free; serves alcohol)
Chili’s is a good ol’ American joint which made its way to Malaysia 18 years ago. Currently, you can find Chili’s in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang.
As with all things American, the servings are humongous. Both its starters and mains come in enormous portions. Its fajitas are impressive and don’t get me started on the bottomless beverages which are offered at a flat price!
|
| The kids menu at Chili's will put
a smile on your face and your toddler's, too. |
Chili’s has a kids-eat-free concept. As long as the adult orders a main course, the accompanying child gets a free meal from the kids menu. It even throws in the free bottomless beverage! This is an absolutely amazing deal for parents with children under 12 years.
Even though it is free, kids are still spoilt for choice when it comes to meal selection. The brightly coloured cartoon menu has pictures of a pizza, hot dog, sandwich, burger and pasta. It even has cheese quesadilla and Chili’s trademark chicken crispers. Be warned that the portions are just as sizeable.
|
| Chili's has an activity 'booklet' to keep your child busy. |
The wonders of Chili’s do not end there. As soon as you are ushered to your table with your son or daughter, the waiter will hand you an activity “booklet” (which is actually a folded A4 size paper) and some crayons. This booklet consists of a drawing for colouring-in and some puzzles. The activities in the pages are entertaining enough to keep your little one glued to it for a while, at least.
Chili’s is like a social hangout place where children make friends. Have a meal at Chili’s over the weekend and you will surely see it swamped with kids of different ages. If you have a friendly daughter like mine, you would be busy following her, waving, exchanging hellos and flying kisses with other kids her age.
As its namesake, Chili’s is also a pub. It serves alcohol but the bar is normally hidden inside the restaurant for patrons to unwind with a drink.
Chili’s normally resides within a mall. As a parent, it is quite a relief to be able to pop into Chili’s for a quick break and a sumptuous meal while your kid is entertained.
Pros: Kids menu; activity booklet.
Cons: You may need to wait for your table over the weekends.
Mamak stall
(Pork-free and halal)
Being a Malaysian in Malaysia means having a cup of teh tarik, tearing a piece of roti canai or devouring a plate of mamak mee goreng at least once a month in a mamak stall.
For that, this is my tribute to our very Malaysian eating joint.
Bringing a child to a mamak place can be challenging. All mamak stalls are different but with a distinct similarity.
The menu (which does not come in a physical form) is usually the same. It offers all forms of roti. This is sure to be a hit with children. It’s like eating buttery flat bread with curry or sugar. You can also order your childhood favourite - hot Milo - for your kids.
|
| The mamak stall is a great place to get your roti canai fix as you get your child accustomed to local food and culture. |
Pretty standard is the big hot plate, either inside or outside the kitchen. This is where the cook does his magic by tossing, twirling and flipping the roti. This is always an interesting spectacle for kids.
Another “event” not to be missed is the whole process of teh tarik making. What’s not to like when you see tea flying across from one cup to the other?
With all their similarities, mamak stalls differ in the stall itself. Not all mamak stalls provide baby chairs. As a result, your child may possibly end up on your lap. Most mamak stalls do not come with air-conditioning, so be sure to bring portable fans for your young ones.
Heat aside, a mamak stall is a great place to be for teaching our next generation a bit of Malaysian culture.
Pros: Experience local food favourites at affordable prices.
Cons: Tends to be a warm environment; some don't have baby chairs.
Conclusion
All the dining places I’ve been to are very accommodating to children. Where they lack in facilities to cater to the needs of children, they make up for with helpfulness and efficiency in finding solutions.
A note to all parents: Most dining places do not cater to kids when it comes to their washrooms. Apart from that, it is not as big a hassle as I thought it would be when I eat out with my baby daughter.
Most establishments seem to understand the challenges that come with eating out with a young child. Employees in the restaurants are normally very supportive in helping you gain the best dining experience from their restaurants. So once in a while, have fun and eat out. It’s not as difficult as you may think!
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