chestnut hill and "family friendly"

[mrbigjas]

i feel like chestnut hill/mt. airy/germantown is an untapped dining market for me. i can't remember the last time i ate up there.

but i'm interested in checking it out, because of the day care situation we currently find ourselves in -- it's a nice halfway point between our house downtown and my parents in the northern suburbs, and we can meet for an early dinner and a handoff of the boy. he's not bad, but he's 1.3 years old, and most of you know what that entails. not a screaming infant, but not really old enough to be forced to sit down and be quiet -- although a recent enjoyable dinner at a nice-ish afghan place in bethesda gave me great hope for his dining future.

so anyway, any of you have thoughts on my options up there? somewhere that's chaotic enough that it won't be a problem having him there, but that isn't the melting pot or quizno's or something? BTW this would be early -- probably 6 p.m. or so.

[Rich Pawlak]

McMenamins Tavern in Mt Airy is kid-friendly, and I speak from experience. With lots of options ((well, that isnt really an issue for your YET). Also the new Iranian restaurant in the former location of Roller's (Leban just reviewed it), is also pretty damn family friendly, and a better Persian restaurant than the Persian Grill in Lafayette Hill.

[mrbigjas]

thanks rich, good thoughts! I was leaning towards a tavern type of place myself, but i know for a fact the boy won't touch a schmitter so mcnally's was out... and i was trying to remember what the new place where rollers was.

[chowfun]

I wouldnt write off McNally's, they have things toddlers might enjoy such as soup, turkey sandwiches, grilled cheese, hot dogs. The food is very good and they are welcoming to young children.

Bitars in Mt Airy next door to Mcmenamin's has very good pita sandwiches. They make a chicken sandwich with fries and hot peppers, onions and tomato that they put in the fryer that I am addicted to.

McMenamins is great and they have an excellent beer selection. It is much better there with the smoking ban in place. I couldnt go there when people smoked inside.

You could likely get away with going to Cafette early. They have a few rooms to dine in, so you might be able to get a room to your own early in the evening. In the warm weather they serve outside, perfect for toddlers.

Sometimes going somewhere kid friendly trumps fine dining, particularly if your kid is cranky and hungry. At that type of time I would go to Cosimo's pizza, they have a tv at kid level that plays kid videos. The food is passable.

From the Boot in Lafayette Hill is pretty good.

If you want to get take out, the Rib Crib in Germantown is very good.

I have heard really good things about Geechee Girl Rice Cafe, but I have also heard that they are slow to get the food out, which is not a good situation with a toddler.

What Northern suburb do your inlaws live in? I know some more places out my way in Conshy, Plymouth Meeting, Norristown, East Norriton.

[mrbigjas]

thanks chowfun! i admit i was just kidding about mcnally's, that's definitely an option if i'm feeling tavern-y.

i've never even heard of several of the places you've mentioned!

the family lives in dresher. we had a great time at yalda grill in horsham, but that's out their way -- my goal is to meet somewhere in between our houses.

this does, of course, leave open several areas, some of which we've tried: for instance, tierra colombiana, the korean places in cheltenham are on the list, etc. but i figured chestnut hill/mt. airy would be fun too.

[chowfun]

I am a little bit directionally challenged when it comes to where Dresher is, but there is an Iron Hill Brewery in North Wales, and in Spring House there is a Mediterranean place that has come highly recommended to us that we havent been able to get to yet called Arpreggio. We tried to go there once and it looked casual and low key enough to take a kid. It is packed on weekends, and we havent attempted to get there on a week night.

In Fort Washington there is Palace of Asia.

[mrbigjas]

it's basically directly north of the city -- the places you're talking about are even further out. i live downtown, hence the mt. airy/chestnut hill focus.

[cwdonald]

Cresham Cottage has received mixed reviews. Further out in Lafayette Hill are two pubby place... General lafayette in has good food, and both a relaxed bar area and formal dining room to eat in. Very casual is next door's Irish Pub, Brittinghams, which is definitely family friendly. Finally Persian Grill is there in Lafayette Hill, though all my Iranian friends swear by Shundeez in Chestnut Hill.

[chowfun]

General Lafayette has pretty good food and pretty good beer. Their food is not up to the gastropubs in Center City, Old city... They brew their beer and and it is pretty good. Some better than others. I like their rasberry mead, and they make a good chocolate lager. A big negative is the amount of smoke in the bar area. Good new is that they now offer the same menu in the bar and dining room, so if you want to escape the smoke you are not committed to a fancy expensive dinner. The dining room might be too quiet for a toddler, but not at an early hour, particularly if adults dont mind taking turns wandering around the building with said toddler. There is a lot of roaming room in there. They do a very nice Sunday Brunch.

I just dont get Persian Grill. It is so popular. I live in Lafayette Hill very close to this restaurant and I can use this place as a landmark because everyone knows where it is. We have tried it a couple of times and had so-so food. Overpriced, slow service, not too much food for the money and overcooked dry meat.

My Iranian friends also go to Shundeez regularly.

[chowfun]

Sorry about the double post, but here is one more family friendly Chestnut Hill place. Top of the Hill farmers market opened a cafe in the space that was vacated by Cake on Evergreen off Germantown Ave. They have nice homemade soups sandwiches and entrees and they are open until 7pm.

Cake, now in the previous greenhouse of Roberston's flowers, serves breakfast and lunch but alas, no dinner. And of course, delicious dessert.