TONIGHT: Mojito on Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares

Tonight at 9pm, Fox will air the episode of Ramsey's Kitchen nightmares filmed at Mohito Mojito restaurant on Washington Ave.  Sorry for the last-minute notice!

Lunchtime With Tillie: Brooklyn Flea

Hey everyone, it’s Team LWT back with another installment of Lunchtime With Tillie. Sorry we missed you last week: Yours truly was a little slack on getting Baby T out of the house to eat. (Don’t worry; we had food in the house for her!) But since we didn’t get out and about, we decided to make up for that with a trip that brought multiple food places together under one roof, the Brooklyn Flea at 1 Hanson Place. I’ve been trying to arrange a trip there for the family for weeks now, but I usually do some freelance work on Saturdays a million miles away in Westchester County and by the time I have to start my trip by plane, train and automobile to get to the job, Tillie’s just waking up from her nap. But I was off this past Saturday, and my flea market mission was not to be denied!

So as soon as T woke up from her midmorning nap, I loaded her up in her stroller to go there, where Tillie’s mom was waiting for us. Tillie’s mom had been out all morning looking at wedding dresses (she’s getting married to a really awesome dude, I hear) and beat us to the place. We talked on my way there and she volunteered to hop in the line where they were serving pupusas. Since I had been saying for months—since the outdoor Flea days—that I wanted to try a pupusa, this was greatly appreciated.

After finally arriving there, we were all set to head downstairs, but there was a slight snag. As I mentioned a few sentences ago, I threw Tillie in the stroller to take her to the Flea. We have an Ergo carrier, but I had only worn it once at that point and I had NO idea how to put it on by myself in backpack mode: Parents out there, I’m sure you understand. Anyway, back to the snag; there was no elevator to get down to the food. No worries as I just carried her down, but it was a lot of stairs to deal with and sometimes it could be said I might have a wee bit of a lazy side.

We got down there and quickly found Tillie’s mom standing in line. Tillie was kind of lethargic on our way down to the Flea, but perked up some when she saw mommy! I un-strollered her and off she went into TM’s waiting arms, joining her to get the much-awaited pupusas.

But …

There were so many other options around and the pupusas didn’t look like all they were cracked up to be, so I decided to make the rounds. I know, so close, yet so far away. Right next to the Red Hook vendors was The Good Fork stand, which had pork and vegetable dumplings as well as gumbo. I thought dumplings would make a good food choice for Tillie, even though she had pupusas in her immediate future. But I figured why not just let her have a taste of everything; I’ll get some dumplings, too. And since I was on this Brooklyn Flea-food-melange kick …

Why not get a grilled cheese sandwich at Milk Truck? Tillie has a grilled cheese sandwich almost every morning, but not like these, with the aged gruyere and crispy bread. If she likes my little cheddar sandwiches I make for her on my Foreman Grill, she’ll love these! So I went over to place the order for a grilled cheese classic, and since it takes a few minutes for those to be prepared, I sauntered back to Good Fork and got some pork dumplings. As soon as they were done, I made my way back to Milk Truck just in time to pick up that cheesy goodness for the fam. I went out to join T and TM, who were sitting on the floor next to Sigmund’s Pretzel Stand. Tillie’s mom had the pupusas, I had the grilled cheese sandwich and dumplings, and Tillie?

She had other plans.

Remember when I said she was kind of lethargic on the way down? Well, she snapped back to her usual playful personality and really had no interest in eating. She wanted to spend most of her time wandering a few feet away from us then coming back. I think she was entertained by seeing all the people in one place, and she also had fun dancing to the music playing.

In between her dancing and running, she did grab a bite of dumpling and pupusa, but had nothing to do with the grilled cheese. I guess my sandwiches are her favorite after all! But, if I’m to be honest about it, Milk Truck has me beat hands-down.

After Tillie’s mom and I finished eating, we packed up the leftover pupusas for Tillie (which proved to be a good move as she ate them while we were walking around later on). We got her back in the stroller then made our way out of the basement, back to street level and headed out—all of us satisfied with the trip.

If you haven’t been to the Flea yet, which I would be shocked about, then you should go soon, for sure. I think there’s something to eat for everyone at good prices. I would say, though, if you’re bringing the kid, take the carrier because it can get pretty tight there. I know we’ll be back soon, this time with Tillie ready to eat because we still have to try the Connecticut lobster roll and fish tacos and spinach pie and Asia Dogs and …

Lunchtime With Tillie: Bubby's

Hey everyone out there, it’s the whole family once again (me, Tillie and Tillie’s mom) with tales of our latest dining adventure. And since it was the whole family, we decided to go to the family-friendliest restaurant of them all, Bubby’s in DUMBO. None of us had ever been before, but we heard the legends of how this place is supposedly a Mecca for the with-kids set, and I have to say after going, it pretty much was. But I shouldn’t get ahead of myself: Let me add our tale to the story of Bubby’s.

We went on a Sunday, when we had all intentions of getting out of the house and doing something fun for the day, especially as how Tillie started feeling better after suffering from an ear infection for about a week and a half. Tillie’s mom was suffering from a cold over that time, too, but was coming around the bend on her illness as well. So after I added up all the factors – healthier baby and mom, nice but cold day, starving dad who needed to write an LWT for this week on a place he’d never been before – the choice was made to go to Bubby’s.

We decided to take a car service down to the restaurant and bring the stroller along instead of trying to march all the way to DUMBO through the blistering wind. The trip was pretty smooth and we entered the sprawling place ready for a fun time. I looked over to my side while we were at the hostess stand and saw a couple of strollers parked, and thought, “Wow, that’s really cool. You don’t have to bring your stroller over to your table and worry about folding it up.” Then I thought, “Wait, where’s our stroller?” I blurted out “Stroller!” then ran outside because I realized we had left ours in the trunk! I ran to the edge of the block, but the car was nowhere in sight. I called the car service and the driver made a return trip, I got the stroller and headed back in.

When I got to the table, Tillie was already in her high chair, coloring on one of those kid’s paper place/activity mat and nibbling on a piece of a biscuit. Tillie’s mom was preparing more biscuit, this time with jam, for the little one and I thought, “Man, that was fast!” As I was starving, I laid claim on a whole biscuit upon taking my seat.

We took a look at the menus, and I had gotten one that just had lunch and dinner options on it, while Tillie’s mom had the one with brunch and lunch choices. We just shared hers as it had the specials of the day, which included such options as an apple bacon omelet and a jalapeno scramble with gruyere. There were so many intriguing options, but I just went with – yep, you probably guessed it – a burger with bacon and cheddar. But before you say, “Not another bacon cheeseburger!” let me explain.

One of my doctors said I need to stop eating red meat, unless it’s organic and then only once in a while. So since I’m such a diligent doctor-heeder, it had been a while since I had a burger. Plus, these burgers were flagged on the menu as being made of grass-fed beef, so it made the choice easier. Granted, the bacon probably wasn’t grass-fed ...

Tillie’s mom ordered the apple bacon omelet and we figured there’d be plenty for Tillie to have from our plates. TM placed the orders while I was doing what we really came to do – go to the play area!

It’s not every day you go to a restaurant that has its own play space, but I guess that’s what makes Bubby’s Bubby’s. Some kids were already down there and Tillie nestled her way in there, too. There were books and tons of toys for her to play with. The electronic toys didn’t have batteries, but that didn’t matter to the kids, who I’m sure must’ve been like, “Now this place is fun, not those lame-o places mom and dad usually take us.”

Anyway, as TM and I were hovering outside of the play space and letting T do her own thing, our waiter came by and told us our food was ready. We pried Tillie away to go to our table where some good-looking dishes awaited.

Once we got all settled back in, I dove into my eagerly anticipated burger. It was good, but for some reason, organic beef just doesn’t do it for me that much. This might be a sad statement, but sometimes I find it tastes kind of weird as opposed to the other way around! Tillie had some and seemed to like it, that and my french fries. The omelet Tillie’s mom ordered looked absolutely delicious; I never would’ve thought of bacon and apples combined with eggs, but I guess that’s why I’m not a chef! TM hooked me up with a bite with all the ingredients, and I found the apple to have a subtle taste mixed in with the omelet. The bacon really balanced nicely with it.

We finished our food, then took turns watching over Tillie in the play area. She was covering some territory there and beyond the play-space boundaries! The whole restaurant was roomy, so there was no containing her! But alas, we couldn’t stay in Bubby’s forever, so we got the check, paid it and left to walk around DUMBO a little more.

I think it’s safe to say that we’ll be back as it really is THE child-friendly place around. We can’t really rush back there too soon because for all its perks – super-nice staff and accommodations, tasty food – it was a little expensive when you factor in our car trips, too. I would recommend all parents of young children get there at some point. The restaurant’s motto for parents with young kids in tow should be, “You have arrived.”

Haiti Support Fundraiser at Kush- TOMORROW

Kush Cafe is holding a fundraiser for one of their servers, who lost several loved ones in the Haiti quake.  The price is good, and attendees will enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet.  Kush's food is excellent - check it out. Please join Kush Café for an evening of remembrance and hope as we honor the family of our very own server Darnelle Dasne, who lost several loved ones when her childhood home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti was destroyed by the earthquake.

Dasne Family Fundraiser Wednesday, February 3rd 
5pm-11pm $20 Per Person All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Salade de Saint Marc
Mixed greens, tomato, onions, egg, lemon dressing Main Courses Beef Tassot au Riz Djon-Djon
Crisp beef bites with black rice & banana pesée Lambi
Fricassee of conch, mirepoix vegetables, red kidney beans, rice & banana pesée All profits will be donated to the Dasnes. RSVP: kush@kushcafe.com or (718) 230-3471 Kush Café
17 Putnam Ave (@ Fulton btwn Cambridge & Grand)
Brooklyn, NY 11238
 www.kushcafe.com

Lunchtime With Tillie: Kum Kau

Hey everyone, it’s Van and Tillie again, and making her first appearance of the new year, it’s Tillie’s mom, too! This time, we went out for a little family dining at Chinese restaurant Kum Kau on Myrtle Avenue.

Tillie and I were a little hard-pressed to make it out somewhere during the week as I picked up some freelance work out in the city for a few days. (LWT doesn’t pay all the bills!) Waiting for the weekend was good, though, as TM was able to come along. We all went out last Sunday afternoon, and as it was raining, we decided to find a place close to the homestead. That was really a necessity because we couldn’t find Tillie’s stroller cover to go traipsing around the neighborhood, so Kum Kau was duly elected!

Tillie’s mom packed up some blueberries and milk for the little one, whom we had to carry around in her backpack, and we were off. Kum Kau seemed to be a good choice as far as Tillie was concerned because greeting us in the entranceway was a huge tank of fish, just like at neighboring Sapolo. With that there we knew our entertainment options were in good hands – or fins, as the case may be!

Anyway, we were shown to the spacious dining room and were told we could sit anywhere as the waiter grabbed a high chair for Tillie.

The menu had more than enough to offer, but Tillie’s mom and I just ordered a few items that weren’t too out of the ordinary: She got the chicken with broccoli with brown rice and I ordered Singapore chow mai fun – rice noodles with curry, shrimp, chicken and pork – and fried chicken wings.

As we were waiting for the food to come out, we took turns walking Tillie around the place, especially as we couldn’t keep her pinned down in her high chair. I’m sure they weren’t made for standing in them! TM had her captivated by the walls with the water running down into what looked like a coin trough, while I took her back to her finny friends.

Shortly after we sat (or stood) back in our seats, our food arrived. I had a heaping helping of noodles I was almost anxious to dive into as I wanted to taste Kum Kau’s take on what has become my favorite Chinese dish. TM’s chicken and broccoli – which used to be my old fave – looked to be standard issue, as did the chicken wings. I didn’t try the chicken and broccoli, but I was quite pleased with my noodles: There were plenty of shrimp in it, plus it had a nice kick to it. The “kick” prevented me from giving Tillie much of it, but she did sample a noodle or two. Tillie’s mom always says I never share my food with T when we’re all out, but I couldn’t really this time: The noodles were too spicy. I promise I didn’t want it all for myself! (Pizza, on the other hand … )

Mainly, T was eating broccoli and brown rice with tiny pieces of chicken thrown in for good measure. Tillie’s mom was doing most of the feeding, but I did give Tillie some pilfered florets from mom’s plate every now and then.

After we finished eating, we got our leftovers wrapped up and asked for the check. We let Tillie walk around a little bit more and she made friends with some of the customers at other tables. The staff there was really nice to us – especially with chatting up Tillie and even bringing her her own fortune cookie! I recommend going by, especially if you have a hankering to get you and your baby some Chinese food.

Our bill was $27, which wasn’t bad for the two entrees, appetizer and a can of Diet Coke for Tillie’s mom, who didn’t get her morning fix and really needed it by lunchtime! Plenty of space, pretty decent food and good service earned it some good marks with the fam. Having built-in Tillie distractions doesn’t hurt the cause, either!

Is Kif Closed?

A few readers have emailed asking if Kif restaurant on DeKalb is closed.  Apparently, it's been shuttered for two weeks.  I did a walk-by on Monday and saw people having beers at the bar, but when I called later no one answered the phone.  There are no signs on the door that point to a closure.  What gives?

Kif has the most gorgeous back yard area, so I am hoping they're just on vacation.

Lunchtime With Tillie: Thai 101

Now that award season is over, it’s time to get back to business!
Hey everyone and welcome back to your regular Lunchtime With Tillie presentation. This time, yours truly and Lil T went to Thai 101 on Myrtle Avenue.

Now as shown by them receiving the coveted “Best Bang for Your Buck” honor at last week’s LWT Awards, it’s obvious we’re fans of Myrtle Thai at our homestead. As a matter of fact, I had never even tried Thai 101 before. I was always kind of leery about it – with its name and signage, it just reminded me of a place you’d come across in a mall or something. And the eating’s never really that great in a mall.

Anyway, Tillie and I went there last Friday, you know, when there was that wintry mix thing going on throughout the day. That necessitated us finding a place within a two-block radius from home, and as we’ve hit nearly everywhere else around for LWT, Thai 101 was duly elected. I packed her up some shells and cheese, just in case, and we were off.

When we got there, the waiter told us feel free to sit anywhere. The aisle separating the restaurant was kind of narrow and I didn’t want Tillie’s stroller to get in his way. I ended up sitting kind of close to the front door and he suggested that it might be too cold there for the baby with people coming and going. So we ended up getting settled in closer to the back of the place.

The waiter brought Tillie and me glasses of water, and I started going over the menu. I had an idea already of what route I was going to take: red curry with chicken. You see, when I go to a place I hadn’t been before, I like to order a dish that is or is comparable to my favorite at a similar restaurant. I figure if they get your staple dish right, then you can feel free to explore other menu options. What can I say? I’m just a staples-comparing kind of guy!

With my plans mostly set and the lunchtime options so affordable, I decided to delve further into the menu and see if I can sneak something else in for me and T. In addition to the red curry with chicken lunch special, which I got with a bowl of soup, I ordered the chicken curry puffs for an appetizer. Granted, a good amount of food, but as always, Tillie and I were up for the challenge.

As we were waiting for our first courses to come out, Tillie was pretty chill. She was savoring her water, which to you and me might not seem such a great drink option, but to her it was quite refreshing!

The soup and the chicken curry puffs came out at the same time, and I took the obligatory first bite of puff to make sure it wouldn’t be too hot for Tillie to handle. I determined it was OK and gave her a little piece of the pastry filled with ground chicken and potatoes. That seemed to be a good enough combination for her and me too. The puffs were so tasty, in fact, I ordered another round! My soup, while not anything super-special – broth with carrots, cabbage and Thai basil – was also tasty.

Then the red curry came out, and if anything, I thought the presentation of it was very appealing: The curry sauce and chicken lined the bottom of the bowl, with a heaping mound of rice on one side and vegetables on the other. It was almost too pretty to eat – almost. It wouldn’t be LWT if I didn’t eat the food! I took a bite and thought it tasted good, but not great. It was a little spicy, but I went ahead and dished up some for Tillie: She likes food with some kick to it! Really, it ended up just being some rice with an essence of sauce on it, with a lot of carrots and green beans thrown in for good measure for her. She’s a growing girl after all!

After the food was all done we bundled back up and got the check. The tab was pretty decent as the lunch special is only $5.95 for an entrée and soup or salad. We probably would’ve stumbled upon the deal of the decade, but we got some food to go for Tillie’s mom and had the exorbitant amount of chicken curry puffs! I think those little pastries, combined with the good service and friendly vibe of the place, will bring us back again.

Lunchtime With Tillie: The LWT Awards

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you had a good holiday season. It’s Van and Tillie here and before we embark on a new season of lunchtime escapades, we thought we’d send off ’09 properly with the first LWT Awards!

I started my mealtime mission with Tillie back in June and she has gone from eating Cheerios to becoming a mini-foodie in her own right.

We’ve had some great dining experiences over the past few months, and the LWT Awards recognizes the best of those and all that went into them. And, oh, here’s a disclaimer: The awards just represent the places we’ve visited, so if I list a “best burger,” it’s just from LWT-visited places. Got it? Good! So without further ado, we present the LWT Awards!

The envelopes please …

Best bacon cheeseburger: Why not start off with a personal favorite category? I am doing all the writing, after all! Anyway, if you’ve been following LWT, then you know there were a lot of those eaten by yours truly! It was close, but the winner is Maggie Brown. The cheese smothering the bacon is a technique more places need to take up.

Best bang for your buck: I never realized there were so many lunchtime specials in the neighborhood, until I started frequenting the places more. There are plenty of good deals, but the food might not be up to snuff. This award takes into account food quality and price with the leading contenders being Myrtle Thai, Kinara and Mojito. We’re going to have to give the prize to Myrtle Thai, as Tillie enjoyed the green curry and rice there more. We were both able to eat off the one dish there and walk away full.

Best food but not the best experience: This one has to go to the previously mentioned Mojito. The food was amazing, but in all the places we went, this was the only one that radiated that, “Aw man, a baby’s here” vibe.

Best outdoor setup: Remember back in the old days when it used to be warm? When you could sit outside and enjoy a meal? Ahh, memories! Well, this award recognizes the perfect place to take advantage of that, and after some serious consultation with Tillie, we have to say Anima deserves this one. Its backyard space makes you feel like you’re dining out at a café in Italy.

Best innovation by me to get Tillie to eat her veggies: With Tillie being a baby and all, sometimes it gets tricky with her eating habits. Well, this award recognizes a stunt that I had to pull off to get out of a mess I created. The scene was Brooklyn Public House and I gave T some french fries in the middle of her eating her butternut squash soup I brought along. After tasting the fries, there was no way she was going back to the soup. So I came up with dipping a fry in the soup, putting it in her mouth and pulling it out so she got the soup, while simultaneously inventing a french fry spoon! She finished the soup and I was able to land an exclusive deal with Ore-Ida: Look for the french fry spoon at your nearest grocery store in 2012.

Best LWT guest: We did have a great time at Umi Nom with Tillie’s friend Amira and Amira’s pop. But this award has to go with the woman responsible for the LWT team: Tillie’s mom! She made it out with us to Zaytoon’s and 67 Burger, and on the former visit, she even picked up the check. You gotta love that!

Best entertainment for Tillie: Wow, all these categories are so tough. There were the toy trains at Square Root Café, the menus at various restaurants, the straw baskets at Castro’s, the airplane outside Madiba and the fish tank at Sapolo. Trains are always great, T says, but for her money, it has to be those fish. It feels like we spent hours looking at them to me, but she couldn’t get enough.

Best pizza: You’ve heard me rant and rave about how much I love pizza, and how I plan on shaping Tillie to be the same way. We’ve had plenty of it over her little lifetime, and we agree the best pizza we’ve come across doing Lunchtime With Tillie has to be the mini tomato pizza at the 3 Luigi’s. I’m telling you now: Go there and get one! And give your kid a slice or two – they’ll thank you for it!

Best shock to my system, food-wise: Never in a million years did I think I would go there, but after getting knocked around for my bacon cheeseburger habit (see above), I decided to go the complete opposite route and hit vegan restaurant Red Bamboo. I never thought soy chops and collard greens with vegan ham could taste so good!

Best shock to my wallet, but it was worth it: T and I were walking around one fine afternoon when we stumbled upon Luz. I always thought it was closed on the weekdays. We went in and I got the arepas for Tillie, while I had the salmon. It wasn’t the cheapest of lunches, by any means, but it was definitely worth splurging on.

Best after-lunch treat: There are no other competitors here: Ice cream from the cart outside The General Greene made many a sunny afternoon for me. My favorite combo? A scoop of honey vanilla and one of salted caramel – delicious! Tillie didn’t get to have any, but maybe next year!

And with that, Tillie and I say thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed the LWT Awards. We’ll pick up with your regular Lunchtime With Tillie presentation next week!

Lunchtime With Tillie: Sapolo

Hello neighborhood, hope you’re enjoying your holiday season! Welcome back to Lunchtime With Tillie: We missed being around these parts! As Lesterhead mentioned last week, the family was felled by a stomach bug.  (Don’t worry, no local restaurants contributed to that!) Tillie and I are back now in fine eating form and would like to thank those who sent along get-well-soon thoughts. For our return, we decided to try and play it simple by going to the recently reopened Chinese and Spanish eatery Sapolo, located on Myrtle Avenue. I say “play it simple” because of the fact that it’s directly across the street from our house! And this was a good thing because the day we went was that brutally cold and windy one we experienced last week, so a trip with little travel time was definitely appealing.

After all this time in the area, I had never gone to Sapolo, primarily because of the whole “two separate cuisines” thing that I’m always leery about, which I mentioned when Tillie and I went to Mexican and Italian restaurant La Stalla. Why, oh why, can’t these places just do one or the other? Or maybe they could just go all out and do some kind of fusion thing, I don’t know: The separate menus always present a frightening prospect to me.

I put aside my concerns and rationalized Sapolo was our best bet, with the weather and all. We got in and the place had the feel of one of those big, modern-type diners, which I found comforting in a way. Tillie and I were shown to a booth and instead of strapping her into the high chair right away, I walked around with her some. I’m sure it’s just in my head, but whenever she’s all bundled up in her winter gear I think she must feel a little claustrophobic. But what do I know about little kids, winter clothes and what they think? I’m from Alabama!

Anyway, as we were walking around, I showed Tillie the aquarium at the front of the restaurant and the exotic fish inside, and she loved that! She was squealing with delight, tapping on the glass, you name it: If she could’ve gotten in there with the fish it would’ve made her day!

When we got back to the table, there were glasses of water waiting for us. I gave her a sip or two, but Tillie still had fish on the brain. She kept pointing toward the aquarium, but I had to tell her, “Tillie, this isn’t Sapolo Aquarium, it’s Sapolo Restaurant so let’s get ready to eat.” (Yeah, right, that really did the trick! I just had to ride out the “look-at-the-fish” wave.)

While Tillie was wishing she was anywhere but in that high chair, I took a look at the lunchtime menu. There was a number of options, all grouped by price. I decided to get the General Tso’s chicken with chicken-fried rice and wonton soup to start: decent options for Tillie to try, I thought. The soup arrived almost instantaneously and it was fine, nothing too special about it. I tried to get T to have a taste, but she was uninterested. I did manage to give her a couple of sips in between her yelling at me to bring her back to the fish tank.

Then the main course arrived: a heaping mound of rice with what appeared to be about a whole chicken. I mean, it was a lot of food – plenty enough for me and Tillie. The waiter brought out a small plate so I could dish her up some of it. I took a bite of the food first and it wasn’t worth writing home about. The rice was bland, and I don’t know if you’ve encountered this with General Tso’s chicken, where underneath all that sauce, the crust is pretty hard and the chicken is bone-dry. Well, that was the case here, totally overcooked.

I put some of the rice on the little plate for Tillie and she was barely going for it when I was using the plastic spoon to feed her. I switched from that to using my fork, which I guess makes her feel like she’s eating as the grown-ups do (a little trick I picked up from Tillie’s mom). I took my broccoli and cut it up into tiny pieces for her, which she enjoyed.

I was kind of “ehhh” about the meal myself. I kept trying to find a moist, tender piece of chicken – just one! – but couldn’t do it. I ate enough of it, though, to say I at least put something in my stomach!

When we were finally done eating, a waitress brought Tillie and me some fortune cookies. We had a bite, then I brought her back up to see her little finny friends, which she got a kick out of. I got the check, paid the bill, bundled Tillie back up (which isn’t really the most fun of tasks, for either of us!) and we were out.

Now about Sapolo: Would I go there again? Believe it or not, especially how I said I wasn’t enamored with the food, that’s a tough one. The service was excellent – I don’t even know if I give Tillie that much attention! And the prices were pretty good, except for the $1.75 for the canned Coke. Plus, there are those fish in that big tank up front. I guess I’ll have to find something on the menu that I like – or I could just take Tillie to the aquarium!

Lunchtime With Tillie: Black Iris

Hello out there, neighborhood. It’s Van, and I just want to say this about Tillie: She sure is a saucy kind of gal!

I mean, really – ketchup, marinara, spicy mayo, you name it. Now, I can add tahini sauce to the list as I discovered when we went to Middle Eastern restaurant Black Iris on Dekalb and Clermont for our latest lunch date. And it’s a good thing the tahini sauce was there or I don’t know what she would’ve eaten!

Our day had gone like any other dad-and-daughter day: a little playground action, some block stacking, we even made it out to the library for story time.

When we got home, I put her down for a nap and around when I expected her to wake up, I started packing up a bib, towel, little spoon and some food for her to take with us. A couple of times recently, I’ve gone out without any backup food, but having never been to Black Iris, I didn’t know what to expect for myself, much less her. Tillie’s mom and I make dishes for her that we pack up and freeze into little containers, and on the menu this time was some mashed potatoes with a little ground-up hamburger patty and carrots all mixed together. She didn’t eat it the day before, but I thought I’d give it another shot.

So after her nap, we got down to Black Iris and it was a pretty tight fit going in, as they had the tiniest outer door entrances I’ve ever seen. Then when we got in, we were hit by this blast of hot air – like really, really hot. Two tough things to handle and we just walked in the place!

The restaurant had a crowd for a late afternoon, but we were able to get a seat at a table by the window. I set Tillie up in her high chair and the waiter came with a glass of water for me and a cup with a straw for her. Water is still an old Tillie fave, so I took the straw and gave her some sips. Also, she seemed to be in a cheerful mood, which was indicated by her dancing to the music pumping out of the speakers!

As I was looking at the menu, I had the notion of getting a couple of falafels for her to try. To me, it seemed like it would be right up her alley. Who doesn’t like fried ground-up chickpeas? I was torn between the chicken kebab and merguez platters, but decided to go with the merguez.

While we were waiting, I decided to try to feed Tillie the little meal I packed up. Upon opening it, I was a little taken aback by the smell of it, which, just so we’re under no illusions, was not particularly appetizing. I took a bite of it and it tasted fine to me, despite the scent, and tried to sell Tillie on it with a big smile on my face and a “Yum!” thrown in for added measure. I gave her a tiny bite and just like the day before, it came right back out. I guess we can call that dish of mine a failure!

The falafels came out soon and I took a little pinch just to make sure there wasn’t any crazy spicy seasoning going on. It was good to me, so I gave her a little piece dipped in the tahini sauce as I know she’s big on the condiments. She licked the sauce off, but didn’t try the falafel at all. And when I tried to give her the falafel again, it was no dice. Uh-oh, what do I do now? That’s two of my meal options for her already rejected, and my food hadn’t even arrived yet!

Good thing I’ve learned to be a little quick on my feet over the course of our LWT excursions. The falafels came with a little lettuce and tomato, and as she’s usually a fan of tomatoes, I gave her a piece. She ate it, but then I decided to jazz it up for her with the next piece dipped in tahini sauce. And ladies and gentlemen, we had a winner! That woke up her taste buds and she was clamoring for more.

My food arrived in the midst of the feeding frenzy: a huge plate of rice topped with the merguez and a big salad on the side. I took a bite of the sausage and it was very flavorful, with a nice spiciness to it. I was going to keep it away from Tillie, but I gave her some of the rice that was underneath it. She had a bite, but wasn’t that into it. However, when I took some rice and put it on a little plate, then mixed up some tahini sauce in it … ding, ding, ding! Another winner! Man, I was racking up the “awesome dad” points!

As she was in an eating groove, I wanted to see if I could keep the good times rolling. This time, I gave her some of my pita – dipped in tahini sauce, of course. It wasn’t as successful as the tomatoes and rice, but she still ate some of it. I was so focused on feeding her that I barely paid attention to my own meal. I finished most of it, and it was tasty, but as far as savoring every bite goes, I didn’t get to do that. No biggie at all, though: I’ve had plenty of meals in my lifetime compared to Tillie!

So after all the eating was said and done, I got the check, which was really reasonable at $13, considering I had a huge platter of food and the extra falafels at the start. I would go back there again, for sure, especially with the staff being so nice and the place so accommodating – once you made it in the tight squeeze at the door and walked past the hot kitchen area, that is! As a matter of fact, we went there to pick up a couple of falafel sandwiches the next day – and Tillie ate the falafels this time. I had to douse them in tahini sauce, but hey! Whatever works!

Sapolo Closed... Ad Now Reopening?

Sapolo (Spanish and Chinese food) on Myrtle closed down recently, but rumor has it that they're reopening.  What gives?

Lunchtime With Tillie: 67 Burger

There’s only so much turkey one family can eat …

Good thing there’s Lunchtime With Tillie to break us away from it!

Hey again, everyone, it’s Van and Tillie, wishing you a belated Happy Thanksgiving. And we have a special return guest with us: She lives in Clinton Hill, thinks I need to eat more vegetables and loves Tillie more than anything. Give up? All right, I’ll tell: It’s Tillie’s mom! This time, the three of us went to 67 Burger on Lafayette and Fulton.

You’re all probably thinking, “Geez, Van eats more hamburgers than Wimpy.” (A little Popeye reference for you!) And it’s true, I do eat my fair share. But I want it to be on the record that I was not the guiding force behind us going there — it was all Tillie’s mom!

She wasn’t possessed by the spirit of the Hamburglar or anything: It was a practical decision. We had a big trip to the Prospect Park Zoo planned and we wanted to get something quick to eat on our way to the Q train. Plus, I had mentioned to Tillie’s mom before how a parenting blog in the neighborhood, Mommy for the Win, had made notice of a kids’ menu there, so we were in.

I was actually in only half-heartedly. This may sound blasphemous to some, but I’m not the biggest 67 Burger fan. I don’t know if my expectations are too high — like I want a place that specializes in burgers to make the best possible one imaginable — or what, but the food’s never really worked out for me. And I’ve tried it a few times, too.

Anyway, we got in and took a look at the menu. We were set with Tillie’s order, as recommended by Mommy FTW: a grilled cheese sandwich with sweet potato fries. And if you’ve read any LWT where I’m eating a burger, you know I went the bacon cheeseburger route. Tillie’s mom ordered a Cajun burger, with its mix of spices, and we got an order of seasoned curly fries to split.

The place was plenty spacious enough, but it’s good we got there when we did because it quickly filled up. We took our seats and a high chair was brought out for us. The first thing to arrive to the table was the seasoned curly fries, and we gave some to our fries-and-ketchup-loving baby, who was quite pleased with that. TM and I munched on the fries with Tillie, and here’s one of my first complaints about the food: When I hear “seasoned,” I’m thinking there’s going to be some kind of spicy dusting on the fries, like cayenne pepper or something. The only thing “seasoned” about them was that they were extra-salty. I guess salt’s a seasoning, but still, there’s other ones out there that can go on fries!

Tillie’s food came out right after that, and it was kind of cute to see her little sandwich and side combo on her own plate! Tillie’s mom cut it up and gave her a piece, but she didn’t seem that into it. It was really only when mom added the magic ingredient, ketchup, to the mix that she got into it. Personally, it wasn’t something I’d eat, but I guess with babies, you’ll see some weird combos coming along — as long as they eat it, it’s all good!

My burger and Tillie’s mom’s arrived simultaneously, and like Tillie’s grilled cheese sandwich, there was a LOT of cheese on mine, some of which I had to cut off. I didn’t mind, but when I bit into the burger, I was a little disappointed. It was the same thing that I’ve always encountered: kind of dry, a little salty (particularly the bacon), some weird aftertaste. I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t eat it, because I did. It just wasn’t that pleasurable burger-eating experience that I can find at so many other places around the neighborhood.

Tillie’s mom liked hers, though. She ordered it medium rare and said that usually when you order it elsewhere like that, it comes out medium. In between bites of her burger, she kept the Tillie food train running by continually adorning her fries and grilled cheese with ketchup. Tillie didn’t down all of the sandwich and fries, but enough to stuff her belly for some good old-fashioned animal viewing at the zoo! We packed her leftovers in a to-go box (I know: a leftover grilled cheese sandwich? That’s on Tillie’s mom, too!) and headed on our way.

So, as I stated earlier, I’m not the biggest fan of the food there. But would I go back? Yes, believe it or not, I would. The kids menu comes with plenty of options on it, and the staff there was super-friendly and helpful. I don’t think our bill for the three of us was that bad at $32, which also included sodas (with free refills!) for Tillie’s mom and me.

Maybe next time I’ll get the turkey burger. As long as it’s not around Thanksgiving again!

Lunchtime With Tillie: Madiba

Greetings neighborhood, this is your captain Van writing, and on behalf of my co-pilot Tillie, we’d like to welcome you to LWT Airlines! Next stop, South African restaurant Madiba, on Dekalb between Carlton and Adelphi.

As you can probably tell, I’ve had Tillie in that plane on my mind for quite some time! On a nice day last week, we finally made it happen. And it worked well for me because I was on a personal redemption mission with Madiba.

In all my years in the ‘hood, I’d only eaten there once and it wasn’t the greatest of experiences –  and that’s no one’s fault but my own. When I went before, I was a complete African restaurant neophyte, and instead of asking my dining companions or the waiter for recommendations, I decided to try to figure things out myself and thus, not be penalized any “cool points.”  I ordered some type of beans and “slap chips,” or twice-fried french fries, thinking it would be a tasty combination. It wasn’t, and I hadn’t eaten there since. Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, it was a nice day out, a perfect one , actually, for sitting outside. And by the time we made it out there, we had our choice of where to set up camp, which it becomes in a way when you’re unloading snacks and toys.

While I was doing this, the waiter came back with T’s high chair and menus for the both of us. And Tillie’s menu – besides the simple fact of it being a menu, which is usually exciting for her – also doubled as a coloring sheet. Tillie’s really gotten into coloring: as much as a 13-month-old can, I guess. I was torn between ordering her the chicken “madibits” and fries or the veggie plate. I know, it shouldn’t be that tough a decision, but don’t worry: The veggies won out! For me, though …

I felt myself flashing back to Madiba ’05. I wanted to try something outside the norm, and finally decided on the meat pie with mashed potatoes. I felt good about my choice, but the waiter came back and told me they were out of the pies. I went to my backup option, the Yebo burger and chips. That’s exotic, right? (I know, not really!)

As we were waiting for the food, Tillie was enjoying her coloring and her cheddar bunny crackers. Actually, she was enjoying the crackers at an exceptionally fast pace. So I asked the waiter if we could get her vegetables as soon as possible before we were left with just the essence of cheddar bunnies in her little container. We were down to her last four or five, and then the veggies came out: a plate of carrots, broccoli, green beans and mushrooms, all served nice and hot and tender. I took a little bite to see what we were working with and speaking for her (since she can’t really hop on my computer and type it out herself), they were really good. She enjoyed all of them, especially the broccoli and carrots.

Then my food came out and the burger was about as big as Tillie! It was topped with mushrooms, caramelized onions and baby greens. There was also a little bit of sauce on it, which I wasn’t too thrilled about after asking the waiter if there was going to be any on it and he said no. But I gave it a try and it was fine. I cut the burger in half, took a bite and was instantly satisfied. There were pieces of onions in it, which only enhanced the flavor. There was also an order of slap chips that came with the burger, and they were perfect. I guess it’s the twice-frying process, but they maintain a crispiness, while being soft in the center, if that makes sense!

These slap chips were so good, I figured I’d give some to my fry-loving lil’ buddy. She liked them, but when I dipped them in the ketchup for her, that took the fries to a whole new level! A level so high, in fact, that the veggies she was eating so well were quickly forgotten. When will I learn: Don’t give her fries until she’s filled up on vegetables!

I tried to pass her a carrot, but you could see the slap chips and ketchup dancing in her eyes. So, I thought, “Hey, this baby carrot is kind of fry-shaped: I’ll dip it in ketchup and see how that goes.” I was able to get her to finish off her carrots, at least, by doing that. Tillie didn’t fall for it when I tried that with the broccoli, though! I helped her finish off MY fries and that was that.

I got the check, which wasn’t bad at 17 bucks, I felt, because we both ate pretty heartily. The accommodations were perfect for us and the waiter was very nice. Plus, I got to exorcise any Madiba demons I might have had!

And then, there’s the airplane outside of the restaurant! Before we left, I plopped Tillie in, but unfortunately, I didn’t have any change on me. I shook her around a little in it and she seemed to have fun doing that. That’s another reason to return, for a really good ride.

So, on behalf of my co-pilot Tillie, we’d like to thank you for choosing LWT Airlines! See you next week!

CHB Previews: Roman's

It's pretty obvious that Roman's is just doing a soft opening, but that didn't stop the husband and I from hustling right over last weekend to check it out.  I'm calling this post a "preview" as opposed to a "review," since it's really just first impressions.

First of all, it was awfully strange to get a table immediately on a Saturday night in this small and formerly bustling space.  Obviously there's no signage up yet, but I'm used to sitting on the window ledge drinking margaritas for awhile.

A few small interior changes have been made - the wall behind the bar has been been completely redesigned and restocked, new light fixtures have been added and a decorative wall was erected between the dining room and kitchen.

The menu, for now, is pretty bare bones.  It's small plates, and it needs explanation / guidance from the wait staff.

It's a small-plates setup, which often ends up in a trial-and-error ordering experiment. (How many plates do we need?  Are we going to be stuffed or left hungry?).  We started with the "heirloom radish," which consisted of a chopped radish and a few other radish-like roots, salted and served with creme fraiche.  It was light and fresh, though a few bites were oversalted and others were not salted enough.

For second courses, we split the sauerkraut soup and the panette.  Both were delicious.  The soup was well-favored without being sour, and included a delicious bite of some sort of meat (pork?) and an egg.  The panette, small penne pasta, was served with a delicious sauce and toasted pine nuts.

Our third course was a stuffed meatball.  Delicious, but small.

For dessert we went with the dark chocolate, assuming it would be some sort of torte.  But in actuality, it was a pile of dark chocolate with some almonds.  For $6.  I looked at Will and said, "This is good chocolate, but it's... a pile of chocolate."

I'm really interested to see how Roman's develops.  I was unable to get a good grasp of the vibe they were going for.  Partly, it seemed to be trying to mimic the trendy 1920s thing that's been pervading popular culture these past few years.  But the cuisine suggests otherwise.  The bill was fairly pricey for the quantity, but I'm game to go back once they have a regular, full menu (and they are already taking credit cards).

If you're wondering about the name, it's clearly a reference to Rome, Italy.  Not only is the food described by the waitstaff as being Italian-influenced, but the outside of the menus feature an illustration of two infants being suckled by a wolf.  My renaissance-literature-professor husband informed me that it was a depiction of Romulus and Remus.  (Romulus was, according to Roman mythology, the first King of Rome).

Lunch With Tillie: Il Porto

By my estimates, I’ve eaten about 736,984 slices of pizza in my lifetime. My little pizza-loving companion Tillie has a long way to go, but I’ll get her there!

Hey everyone, it’s Van and Baby T, and as we both had pizza on the minds, we decided to swing down to Italian restaurant Il Porto between Flushing and Park avenues on Washington for our latest lunchtime jaunt. (I don’t know for sure if Tillie really had pizza on her mind, but if she’s anything like her pop, she did!)

A funny thing about Il Porto: I’ve only had it once and that was way back around when it first opened, pre-Tillie even. I say “a funny thing” because being such a big pizza fan, it seems like I would’ve made it there again. I’ve talked to people around the ‘hood who rave about it, but I guess that first time around wasn’t enough to make me a convert.

And while I was in the mood of trying something relatively new, I took it a step further and went all-out on this one: I didn’t pack any back-up food for Tillie. None of her pasta, none of her pureed carrots, none of her grapes – just a few bunny graham crackers. If lunch at the restaurant didn’t work out for her, we were close enough to home to just pack up and head there.

Anyway, we started off down Washington to the place and made it to Park Avenue. Looming before us, though, was the BQE in its state of constant repair. At least the tarps weren’t blocking the Washington entrance, but scarily enough, there were signs warning pedestrians to keep out from the part under the bridge where cars usually park due to poisonous materials in the area. We weren’t going in that section, but still had to walk way closer to it than I would’ve liked. Needless to say, we ran through!

When we got to Il Porto, I went in through the side that appeared to be more casual, where pies were under the glass and you just order at the counter. That part was packed, which must be a good sign for the pizza, I thought. However, it wasn’t going to work for us with the stroller and all, so we went to the beautifully arranged dining room. This side was empty, save for a couple of customers, so we were able to have our pick of the place to sit. I found a nice table on the side where I could put Tillie in the high chair without obstructing anyone’s path and also where I wouldn’t have to collapse her stroller.

I looked over the menu, which you might be asking yourself, “Why, Van? Didn’t you just want a pizza? What’s so hard about that?” Well, friends, Il Porto offers a number of specialty pizzas, all with names paying tribute to the neighborhood, such as the Navy Yard and the Wallabout. I was intrigued by some of the offerings, but remember, I was sharing with Tillie, so I went as basic as I could and just ordered the Margherita pie. Then, since I remembered babies can’t live on pizza alone, I ordered a bowl of minestrone soup and asked for some bread, too.

The bread basket arrived with a variety of pieces to choose from. I gave Tillie one of the twisted pieces to chew on, then the soup came. I was a little shocked when it arrived to the table because the bowl was huge! It was like they brought the pot to our table and left the little cup I was expecting in the back. Tillie had a few bites of the soup, which was loaded down with fresh vegetables, and though I’m not much of minestrone fan myself, I have to admit it had a pretty decent flavor. There was no way we were going to be able to finish it all, but we gave it a shot. Plus, we had pizza to deal with!

And speak of the devil, our pizza arrived, and it was a welcome sight to see: The crust had that nice brick-oven char to it, the cheese was plentiful (which can be a rarity sometimes on Margherita pies, I feel) and the sauce looked rich. Since I’ve eaten so much pizza in my time, I decided the first bite should go to my little dining companion, so I cut her off a little piece, blew on it to cool it down and let her have at it. After she had her bite and I had a taste, we proceeded to scarf it down: pizza sauce was flying everywhere! About 10 minutes later, we were all done, with not so much as a gob of cheese left on the serving tray.

So we were satisfied with the pie, even though in hindsight I was thinking I should have gotten some pepperoni added to it or something, which could’ve really set it off. Plus, we were able to make it through the meal without any of her backup dishes. I’m still not a complete Il Porto convert, but I would go back. First, though, there a couple of things I’ll have to consider.

One was the check: My bill was over 20 bucks, which was partially my fault with ordering the unneeded soup, most of which we didn’t eat. But $3 for a 20-ounce soda seemed a little unnecessary.

Then there was the sake of even getting to the place, which isn’t in the restaurant’s hands. Avoiding the areas where work is being done or marked off as being toxic is tough when traveling with a baby. I live on Hall Street between Myrtle and Willoughby, and unfortunately, it’s not a straight shot down: I have to go down Washington like I did before or, I assume, walk all the way down to Myrtle and Carlton, then head toward Park and backtrack to Washington. I don’t want to burden you with all my logistical hang-ups, but it’s still something to think about if making a lunchtime choice.

If it gets to be too much for me to head down there, there’s always delivery, as I’m sure Tillie and I have more Il Porto pizza eating to do!

Roman's?

The old Bonita space on DeKalb (nr Vanderbilt) has a hand-made sign on the door that says "Roman's" and "OPEN."  The door also boasts a stop work order.

Inside, the place hasn't changed much.  The bar area has been fully stocked, and a decorative wall has been added in the back.

So, are they operational?  Are they in fact open from 5-11?  Or did that pesky stop work order stall things?

Lunchtime With Tillie: Umi Nom

Hello everyone and welcome to a special super-sized edition of Lunchtime With Tillie! It’s me, Van, with her, Tillie, and as a special treat, we’ve brought along one of T’s best friends, 14-month-old Amira, and her dad, Marquis, aka “Amira’s pop.” It’s twice the kids, twice the grown-ups and twice the excitement!

And this lunchtime caravan of ours ended up at one of the neighborhood’s hottest new spots, Thai-Filipino restaurant Umi Nom on Dekalb and Classon. What can I say? We’re all just fancy like that!

Just kidding, because Umi Nom is as unpretentious as they come. I went there for dinner with Tillie’s mom, Amira’s parents and another couple a few months ago, and we had a wonderful time. It was just like having friends over for dinner and a bottle of wine or two (or six or seven, if you’re counting)!

Anyway, I had been hearing rumors about the restaurant being open for lunch, but I wasn’t planning on investigating any time soon. Part of that was due to me thinking they would just offer the small plates they serve at dinner. The dishes are all excellent, but if you end up getting a few to fill you up, it could make a little dent in the wallet.

It’s funny how we ended up there this time. We were all at the playground as part of our twice-weekly dads’ group meeting, but after a while of chasing the kids, Amira’s pop and I both worked up an appetite. I told him Tillie and I were about to go on one of our LWT adventures and that he and Amira were welcome to join us. As we started to gather up the kids, another dad in the group showed up, having just gotten back from Umi Nom. I told him my concerns, but he let me know there was a whole lunch menu and how great his food was. We already had a decision on where we were going, but I looked over at AP and I saw he was thinking what I was: Let’s go to Umi Nom!

When we entered, we were greeted warmly by the waiter. We were offered to take a seat anywhere we liked, but coming in with kids and strollers, it’s not exactly the easiest of tasks. Our strollers were able to be stored in the back of the restaurant near the open kitchen without folding them up, which is always a bonus to me. (I just hate taking out the stuff in the pouch underneath the seat, like the diaper pad, toys, stroller cover, etc., all the tools a parent on the go needs!)

After getting the kids situated in their high chairs, we took a look at the menu. The options all sounded so good, plus another bonus: They were all reasonably priced –  I don’t think anything exceeded 10 bucks. Even though I was tempted to go with Umi Nom’s spin on the burger, I decided on the bahay kubo – stir-fried rice with chicken, sausage, shrimp, egg and soy – and Amira’s pop got the chicken pad-seow and a side of garlic rice for Amira.

While we were waiting for the food, the waiter brought out some toasted bread for the kids, which was greatly appreciated. He even came back later to see if we wanted some more. (Probably because AP and I were munching on it!) I broke out with some of the pasta I made a literal vat of for Tillie a few weeks ago and gave her some. I also set some aside for Amira, which she really seemed to like. It made me feel proud of my baby-food-cooking abilities, even though Tillie’s mom called me out for the lack of vegetables in said vat.

The kids were having a great time interacting with each other, which they always seem to do. Tillie gets real excited around Amira, kind of like that looking up to the older kid situation. Between feeding the two and picking up crumbs, the two dads were able to catch up.

My food and the garlic rice came out first, and it was a most welcome sight! I took a bite first to determine if the seasoning would be OK for Tillie to handle, which it was. (Well, that’s part of it: Remember, I was starving!) Amira’s pop dished up some garlic rice for the kids while waiting for his food to come out, and I offered him some from the heaping mound on my plate. We both agreed that mine was delicious: The rice had a slightly sweet taste to it, while the shredded vegetables had a nice contrasting tanginess to them. And there was enough meat for a piece in every bite. Tillie’s been a big rice eater, so the dish worked for her, too.

Also, you can take this as an indication as to how good it was: You know how I usually have pictures of the food included? My food was so tasty that it totally wiped out any intention of taking shots of it – eating it was the main priority!

The noodles came out shortly and Amira got a little bit of the dish set aside for her. She tried to feed Tillie a couple of pieces of chicken, but the two couldn’t pull off the transaction without the food hitting the floor!

After the eating was done and the bellies were full, we packed the kids up to go – all the while raving about how good our food was. They were both getting kind of tired after being out and about for a while. We got the bill, which was about $27 for the two of us – a good value for all the food and the wonderful experience we had.

So just in case more of a recommendation is needed: Run, don’t walk (or stroll) there. The staff couldn’t be nicer and the food couldn’t be better. Plus, it’s great to go there with a chum – child and grown-up alike!

Lunchtime With Tillie: Red Bamboo

Hey everyone! It’s Van and Tillie, and for our latest culinary adventure, we boldly went where no Van had gone before: vegan/vegetarian restaurant Red Bamboo on Dekalb Avevue. Now, I know my record of past lunch choices (any place with a big, juicy hamburger) might not support this claim, but I promise Red Bamboo had always been on my radar. The bold aromas as I’ve walked by with Tillie on the way to the playgrounds in the area piqued my curiosity: “Man, what’s going on in there?” I’ve often asked myself. “Maybe I’ll give it a shot one day,” I’ve answered, then moved on.

But after getting called out by Tillie’s mom, Tillie’s mom’s mom and just for good measure, my mom, about my recent bacon and cheese run, I figured I need to do something maybe a teensy-bit different the next time out. A suggestion from among the comments in the last LWT made me see that this was my time for the Red Bamboo foray.

We went on another one of those late-sleeping-Tillie days, but I was a little more prepared to stave off starvation. I ate a small plate of some leftovers at the start of her nap, and that held me over. The leftovers had a dual purpose, too: They were kind of a pre-backup plan for Red Bamboo, because I had no idea what I’d be getting into there – you know, what if I just didn’t like it? I had never been to a vegetarian restaurant; this could be tough.

Anyway, when she finally woke up, I was prepared for us to roll out immediately with her lunch packed and some snacks. When we got there, I was hoping to sit outside, but the tables weren’t set up. It was nice out, but it had been raining for the past two-and-a-half days, so that made sense.  I rolled her in, and we had our pick of where to sit, so I chose a nice, plush booth and Tillie got the high-chair treatment.

While I’m looking over the menu, the waitress arrived with a glass of water for both Tillie and me. Tillie didn’t have the using-the-straw-on-her-own thing down yet, but it was good to have backup for us! And about the menu: I looked through the whole thing before going to the lunch section, and I have to say it all looked really appetizing! The lunch menu, which ran from noon to 4, continued that and it took me a while to decide on what I wanted. It’s split into three price sections – $5.95, $6.95 and $7.95 – all of which seemed reasonable to me. And whatever you pick comes with your choice of soup, salad or collard green roll. I decided to go with the soy butterfly chops and collard greens with the calalloo soup.

Also, this go-around, even though I brought along lunch for Tillie, I wanted to order her something off the menu (her very first dish specifically for her!), so I got a side of the sweet corn mashed potatoes.

As we’re waiting for the food, Tillie seemed restless. Looking back, I probably shouldn’t have put her in a stroller mere minutes after waking up. Plus the fact that she managed to actually stand up in her high chair despite being buckled down at one point would indicate she wanted to be running around!

After strapping her back her down, my soup arrived. I never had this type of soup before – a spicy broth with spinach, okra and onions. Tillie was reaching for some, but I couldn’t give her any as it was just too hot for her, but it was very nice for me! Her mashed potatoes came out shortly thereafter. I had a bite of them first, and I was like, yum! These will be perfect for her! She had a few bites, but wasn’t devouring them like I thought she would, so I got out her little container of pasta I packed. My main course came out while I was feeding her: the breaded soy pork chops with an apple-raisin sauce on top and side of collard greens with vegetarian ham.

Here it was for me: the moment of truth. The soup and mashed potatoes were just precursors into the vegan world for me, this was the real deal. SOY chops? VEGETARIAN ham? Those things didn’t even sound like something I should be eating! But after the first bite, as with the soup and potatoes, I was hooked. The seasonings were perfect, and please take my word on this: As someone with the deepest of Southern roots by way of Louisiana and Alabama, I like to think I know what good collards taste like. And these were by far the best that I’ve had in the neighborhood, hands down, vegetarian ham and all!

Tillie had a bite of the greens, but she was really interested in the apples and raisins on top of my chops, along with her pasta. Despite wanting to eat all of the food in one sitting, I managed to get out of there with a chop left and a scoop of mashed potatoes. We got the bill, which was $13, and proceeded to pack up.

Now, our bill was in the double digits because of the extra potatoes, but as I mentioned earlier, the price selection they have is great. Our experience there was perfect with excellent service and wonderful food. I learned that I can’t take Tillie from crib to stroller to high chair in one fell swoop. And I also learned that I can thoroughly enjoy a vegan meal. I can’t wait to go back!

Lunchtime With Tillie: Maggie Brown

“Must … get … food. Somehow, someway … must eat.” Those, my friends, are the words of a hungry man whose daughter is transitioning to a later naptime.

Hey everyone, It’s Van and Little Miss New Nap Schedule Tillie, with more “Lunchtime” adventures. I was almost afraid we’d have to change the name to “Dinner With Tillie” since she’s sleeping now from late morning to early afternoon. But we made it out before Happy Hour and went to Maggie Brown on Myrtle Avenue for our latest excursion.

So our day, like most LWT days, started off pretty regularly: There was nothing major on the agenda, except for a little playground action, which we knocked out in the morning. We came home and I tried to put her to sleep, thinking she’d be up at a reasonable hour for lunch. Well, turns out that plan of mine wasn’t what she was looking to do, which she made pretty clear to me by jumping up and down in her crib. I took her out of it and brought her to her little play area with the idea of that winding her down. But by the time she started showing some signs of exhaustion, it was 12:30! That’s around the time we go out! I guess she’s good, but what was I going to do? The only thing I had for breakfast was a snack pack of Lorna Doone cookies!

I could’ve fixed something or ordered delivery, but that would’ve been pretty lame: “Lunchtime With Tillie’s at Van’s House.” And this was the only day this week we were going to be able to go out, working around our busy story-time and play-group schedule. So I buckled down and got ready for the test of my endurance. After two hours and some change, just when I started hallucinating and seeing visions of pizzas dancing around my head, she woke up! Sure, it was 2:45, but I figured we could make it out quick enough. Good thing I packed up her stroller with her food while she was out.

We’re walking down the street to our original destination, and all I can think of is “food, here I come!” Then Tillie starts coughing and the next thing I know, she spits up all over herself! So we took a U-turn back to the house, threw on some fresh gear and were out once again.

As it was now about 3:15 and I was about to start eating Tillie’s Goldfish crackers, I figured we should go somewhere a little closer to the house. Maggie Brown, which is almost across the street (and makes one of the best burgers around), was the way to go.

We got there and the dining room area was completely empty. It was a nice day, so everyone must be outside, I thought, so we might as well join them. There was only one other table seated, to my advantage, as there would be fewer obstacles to getting a quick meal.

I took a look at the menu to make sure there was nothing new to veer me away from my usual: a Maggie Brown burger with bacon and cheese. (I know I write about them a lot, but I promise there’s more to my diet than bacon and cheese!) I placed my order, then took out Tillie’s food: some elbow macaroni with spaghetti sauce, zucchini and spinach I made the day before for her. Tillie’s mom and I thought this would be a good way to get the baby some green veggies in her system. I got called out the day before by TM for the lack of vegetables in the pasta and I was all defensive, telling her I just cut them small; that’s why it doesn’t look like a lot.

As I fed Tillie this serving, though, I realized her food was pretty skimpy on the spinach and zucchini. So after calling Tillie’s mom and apologizing for being indignant, I went back to feeding Tillie.

Before T got halfway through her food, mine came out (I guess there’s something to be said for late dining) and it was one of the most beautiful sights my eyes had come across all day (after T and TM, of course)! I ate a couple of those golden-brown fries to appease my appetite as I still had Tillie-feeding to do. I gave Tillie a couple of more bites of her light-on-the-veggies pasta before taking a bite of my big, juicy burger, which was just perfect. Maggie Brown does the bacon cheeseburger right: Melt the cheese over the bacon, then you don’t have rogue pieces slipping out and you get the winning combination in every bite. Amazing!

After that first bite, I knew I needed more right away. I didn’t bring any finger food for Tillie to eat, but luckily, I could slip her a fry or two or eight to manage while I worked on the burger. Then I could work in more macaroni for her, too. It was a delicate operation, but we pulled it off! She had half a banana for dessert and then we started to pack up.

I would say the whole experience was worth the wait. We got to sit outside on a lovely afternoon, I had a great lunch with excellent service and Tillie was in a pleasant, well-rested mood. My meal wasn’t the cheapest on the block at $12.50 (adding bacon and cheese will get you every time), but was well worth it. If you have the inclination and time to spare, I recommend going. It’s a perfect spot for the post-nap crowd!

Lunchtime With Tillie: Brooklyn Public House

We’ve done Thai, Mexican, Indian and Italian. But how about something simple, like a good ol’ hot dog and fries?

Hey everyone, it’s V and T here with the latest in Lunchtime With Tillie-ness. This time, I decided to take it down on new tastes for the little one sample and took her to the neighborhood’s new gastro-pub, Brooklyn Public House on Dekalb Avenue

It’s not that I don’t want her to try new things, it’s just this time around, the idea of eating a Public Dog just took over! It’s a hot dog wrapped in Applewood smoked bacon and slathered with cheese. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds. I did give Tillie something to try, though, and it almost backfired on me, but more on that later!

After a trip to the playground in Fort Greene Park, we headed on over to the Public House. Upon entering, the waitress/bartender directed us to the roomy dining area since I had the stroller with me. I asked for a high chair and they didn’t have any, so it looked like Tillie would be going retro and eating in the stroller like she did as a younger youngster.

I got a menu, but since I knew what I was going to eat, it didn’t really do me much good. However, the lunchtime drinks special did pique my curiosity, especially after seeing that the Checker Cab ale was among the discounted options.

Here’s the Van Sias guide to Public House happiness (and this is for the grown-ups): Order the Public Dog and a Checker Cab or two, and you, my friend, will be thanking me at the end!

Anyway, so after a mini-debate within myself, I decided to top off my frank and fries with a beer. But the Checker Cab was out of the rotation of the beers on tap, replaced by something else not available among the discounted options! Arrgh! But I guess that’s a good thing because I don’t want to go down a slippery path and see “Lunchtime With Tillie” become “Lunchtime With Tillie at the Public House and Dad Eating His Daily Hot Dog and Drinking Beer”! So I just went with water instead.

While I was waiting for my food, I took Tillie’s out: some butternut squash soup Tillie’s mom made up. I managed to get her a few bites in, then mine appeared just like that. (There wasn’t much of a lunch crowd, which I guess contributed to the speed of service.) There it was in front of me: the bacon-wrapped hot dog with cheese melted over it and a basket of overflowing fries! I thought to myself, “You know, I can’t just indulge my selfish lunch cravings: I have to let Tillie try something. I know, I’ll let her try a French fry.” And that is where the backfire comes in!

I gave her a fry and she really enjoyed it, which was fine. But when I tried to give her another bite of the squash, she pushed my hand away! Was she just going to want fries? That’s not a good lunch for her to have! I tried again, and she replied with the hand push. Yikes! What was I to do? I couldn’t call Tillie’s mom for help. Do I call my mom? No, Van, you’ve been a dad for nearly a year now, you can handle this!

Then I came up with this plan: I’d dip the fry in the squash soup, which was thick enough to stick to it, and let her eat the next fry like that. After some success, I took it a step further: I’d put the soup on the fry, then pull it out of her mouth before she could chomp down, basically using the fry as a spoon. And it worked! I even got her back to eating the soup from the regular spoon again.

My meal was a little hectic, but my delicious hot dog and fries promptly got eaten. I’m glad I held off on getting the hot dog topped with turkey chili because that might’ve been a little too much (but probably would have tasted excellent)!

After all the soup and big kids food was devoured, I fed Tillie some grapes for dessert. I got the bill, which was only $9.25, not including the tip (or that Checker Cab), paid it and we were off.

We’ll be back, and I’d recommend others to go, too. The no-high-chair thing wasn’t a big obstacle to overcome, the lunch menu was reasonably priced and the waitress was really friendly. She was even cheering me on in my squash soup-fries battle, which I won in the end: a big victory for dads everywhere!