Just because you’ve got babies or kids in tow doesn’t mean that you have to end up unwrapping your dinner and eating with a plastic spork.
There are plenty of strategies for upscale eating with the fam.
Choose Carefully
Start out slow: Pick places that have long lunch hours, early dinner times and/or outdoor space. Choose a couple for the test drive. These places should be those that are further down on your “must try” list.
Why, you ask?
Well, because, frankly, there is the distinct possibility that if your child decides to throw the butternut squash ravioli at the sommelier you may be politely (or not so politely) asked to never return.
This also means that the restaurants you select for the trial run should NOT be ones that the celebs frequent.
I mean, you wouldn’t want to ruin your chances with Paul Rudd or Angelina should your princess decide to stand on the table declaring her intention to blow chunks if you don’t stop asking her to “just try” the duck two ways with red currant jus.
Time it Wisely
Obviously, the first move is to go during off-peak times.
If you want to try lunch, give it a go as soon as they open or right before they are ready to close up to prepare for dinner.
If you are striving for dinner hours, make a reservation — even if you are going at the stroke of 5:00PM when the doors swing open. If you have infants or toddlers, when making the reservation ask if they have high chairs or boosters.
