As parents of three kids under the age of 4, my husband and I have our hands full, to say the least. When it comes to dining out, I have an entire preparation strategy that I’ve perfected over the years. Extra crayons and coloring books to avoid boredom? Check. Water bottles in case the restaurant doesn’t have cups with lids? Check. Snacks to keep them busy when they’re starving before the food arrives? Check. Extra veggies in case there’s nothing on the kid’s menu that is somewhat healthy? Check. Check. Check.
When the folks at Mimi’s Café contacted SacFoodies and invited us to try their new “interactive” kids menu, I raised my hand (well, actually five hands for my family). On the day of our reservation, I did all of my usual pre-restaurant preparations and loaded up the kids into the car (Tupperware of carrot sticks in tow) to meet my husband at the Arden location.
Knowing we were representing SacFoodies, the staff went above and beyond to make sure we had a good experience from when we stepped foot in the restaurant, but I did also notice a similar level of pleasantry with other diners. (Full disclosure: Mimi’s provided our meals free of charge.) Great service aside, we were very interested in seeing this new kids menu. As usual, my 3 ½ year old was “staaaarving.” I hadn’t done any homework so wasn’t sure what to expect from the menu (I typically do a quick scan of the kid’s menu online before dining out to make sure there’s at least one thing my kids will eat).
We were pleasantly surprised when the hostess placed a glossy storybook-inspired menu in front of each of the kids and explained that the menu shared the Parisian adventures of a cartoon cat and dog duo named Elle and Pierre. So while the kids flipped through the menu offerings, they got to see Elle and Pierre’s story unfold. A cute touch.
The menu itself was divided into three sections – entrée, side and drink. Each had a number of choices and the kids could flip the menu to choose each and then see their full meal selection side-by-side. In the spirit of letting go (“Let it go! Let it go …” You parents know what I’m singing), I let my oldest select her own items and (drum roll, please), she ended up with Mac N Cheese for her entrée, rice for her side and Lemonade for her drink. Ok, not terrible, but not what I would’ve chosen for her. So to make up for her starch-fondness, we selected grilled chicken strips, broccoli and Honest apple juice for my son and let them know that they’d be sharing all the items. And my third isn’t eating solid food yet, so he just got to watch. 🙂
My husband and I loved seeing grilled chicken (not just breaded and fried) on a kids menu, as well as steamed broccoli and rice. My kids absolutely love broccoli and rice, but you rarely see them on a standard kids menu. Plus, I’d already handed out carrot sticks, so now they’d be getting two veggies with dinner. Score. Check out Mimi’s Café Kids Menu online to see the full range of menu options (menu items vary by location).
The kids were also given a giant coloring mat upon arrival, which kept them busy for about five extra minutes, which is always appreciated. The lemonade came with a tightly-sealed lid (thank you, Mimi’s!), the food came out quickly and the kids went to town on it. We also enjoyed a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.
I know I’m not alone here, any of you parents have other restaurant preparation tactics to share? Let us know what tips or tricks work for your family in the comments below.
Mimi’s Café Sacramento-Area Locations
ARDEN WAY
2029 ALTA ARDEN WAY
SACRAMENTO, CA 95825
(916) 614-9278
ELK GROVE
9195 W. STOCKTON BL.
ELK GROVE, CA 95758
(916) 683-4377
FOLSOM
2719 E. BIDWELL ST.
FOLSOM, CA 95630
(916) 984-4940
ROSEVILLE
1104 GALLERIA BL.
ROSEVILLE, CA 95661
(916) 780-2646
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