15 February 22 - 28, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Children’s Menu Who says being beaten down at meals must be a part of parenting (besides parents)? At these spots, kids can play and parents won’t hate it. BY CARLY MAY GRAVLEY T aking kids out to eat can be challenging. It’s in their nature to want to run around, play and explore, but sit-down restau- rants often go against that na- ture. (It’s in their name, after all.) You could shell out money for a babysitter, provided you have one you can trust. You could choose the path of least resistance and hand your kid an iPad to shut them up during din- ner, but research suggests this quick fix has consequences on kids’ long-term mental health. That impatience and lack of social awareness won’t get any better. Luckily, there are plenty of restaurants that accommodate kids and give them things to do other than squirm in their seats. And, as a bonus, adults can still have a high-qual- ity meal and enjoy a relaxing sit-down din- ing experience. Here are some North Texas restaurants that are suitable for the whole family. Birdie’s Eastside 6221 E. Mockingbird Lane Anywhere with a spacious patio is an auto- matic win for kids. At Birdie’s Eastside, par- ents are free to sit and enjoy the desert-themed ambiance with a clear view to watch over their playing children. The kids’ menu offers picky eater staples like chicken tenders and cheese quesadillas and, in case the kids get tired of running around, a simple maze and coloring page to keep them occupied. B-Side Coffee 2105 S. Edgefield Ave. Coffee shops serve many purposes, whether as a spot to meet up with friends or a quiet environment to get some work done, all things that parents need to do as much as anyone else. The newly opened B-Side Cof- fee in Oak Cliff gets this and has an adorable corner with a tent and toys for kids to play with while their parents hang out. The shop has been open for just a couple of weeks and is already a vibrant social spot for families. Cane Rosso Multiple Locations Pizza, patios and pop culture-packed art to peruse? Cane Rosso is a triple threat when it comes to keeping its child patrons enter- tained. The beloved chain also has a history of standing by its family-friendly atmosphere, going so far as to renovate one of its patios to make it safer for kids to play on. In other words, you won’t hear them saying anything to the effect of “eff them kids.” Well. Maybe. Dallas Grilled Cheese Co. 5319 E. Mockingbird Lane Dallas Grilled Cheese Co. may not have a des- ignated kids’ menu (though select menu items offer child-sized portions), but does it really need one? The menu is loaded with all things cheesy, messy and fried. Even the pick- iest eaters could find something that suits their fancy. If the numerous variations of grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers and fried sides can’t satiate your family, the desserts, which include milkshakes, blueberry pound cakes and root beer floats, will do the trick. Hat Creek Burger Co. Multiple Locations Since the pandemic, many restaurants have shied away from having play places. The main reason given is that these playgrounds proved to be non-conducive to social dis- tancing during the pandemic. This makes sense, though we suspect it also has to do with the sleek, modern redesigns fast food restaurants are currently favoring. (They have to justify raising those prices some- how.) Regardless, this is not an issue at Hat Creek Burger Company. In addition to serv- ing beer and wine, all locations have an out- door playground so that kids wear themselves out playing, have a hearty, filling meal and then fall asleep in the car on the way home. Just as God intended. Lakewood Brewing Co. 2302 Executive Drive, Garland You have to verify that you’re over the age of 21 to enter Lakewood Brewing’s website, but the physical location lacks that barrier of en- try. In addition to kid-friendly menu items like flatbread pizzas, there’s a large yard where kids can play. And play they do as their parents partake in craft beer. The world sure did get whacky after hipsters started having kids. Serious Pizza Multiple Locations Anyone who has frequented Deep Ellum the past decade or so has warm, greasy memo- ries associated with Serious Pizza, most likely involving drunkenly stumbling in for some grub after a show. Though the original in Deep Ellum will continue to cater to these late-night crowds (who can cope with the recent remodel, that is), newer locations in Fort Worth and Grand Prairie are more fam- ily-oriented, even posting photos from kids’ birthday parties on their social media. Who needs an iPad when you can marvel at a slice of pizza that’s bigger than your head? Par- ents can join in on the fun by sharing stories about how back in their day, they stood in line for almost an hour after midnight to or- der a giant pizza just to carry all the way back to their car because there was no room to sit. (And liked it!) Shady’s Burgers and Brewhaha Multiple Locations Co-created by Larry Levine of Chili’s fame, this bar and grill gives families in Richard- son and Lake Highlands a neighborhood spot to grab dinner. Both Shady’s locations are always packed with families, so there’s no need to worry about it if the noise your kid is making is bothering other customers. Everyone is too bothered by their own kids to notice. Both spots also boast kid-friendly patios, and the Richardson location offers games and chalk for kids to use. Vector Brewing 9850 Walnut Hill Lane, No. 405 Like Lakewood Brewing, Vector Brewing is another unlikely kid-friendly spot but it cer- tainly takes it in stride. There’s a yard where kids can play, toys for them to play with and a kids’ menu with pizza and spaghetti. Here’s the kicker, though: There’s a curfew. “Parents deserve a break and adults should be able to be themselves without young eyes and ears around,” the Vector website reads. “After 8 pm, we ask that young children go home.” You read that right. Instead of creating a vague free-for-all in an undefined space where both parents and the childfree are somehow always unsatisfied, all in the name of not alienating anyone, Vector Brewing has set clear boundaries for when the best time is for either camp to be there. Everyone wins. ▼ FIRST LOOK FRENCH KISSED TRADES DELICATESSEN FULFILLS FRANCOPHILE SANDWICH FANTASIES. BY LAUREN DREWES DANIELS T he owners of Oddfellows in Oak Cliff’s’ Bishop Arts District have ex- panded their gastronomical reach. Jason Roberts and Amy Wallace Cowan invested in real estate directly behind their popular restaurant and transformed the space into one part brewery, called Jaquval, and one part European-style deli- catessen, called Trades. Together, they’re the Jaquval Trades, both the restaurants and the owners. Trades opened in early February and in- stantly attracted long lines. For good reason. The space feels rustic and romantic. Simple and coifed. Fresh flowers dot marble-topped bistro tables that are surrounded by wooden chairs. Classic French tunes play overhead. Big windows frame couples enjoying al fresco dining while sipping coffee and en- joying fresh bagels or sandwiches. Trades is a morning-through-lunchtime affair. There’s a full, open kitchen toward the back, and a coffee bar and bagel wall up- front. We went for lunch and started with an Italian sandwich ($14), which we can’t stop thinking about a week later. A crunchy and airy French baguette is full-term with mort- adella, soppressata, pepperoni, provolone, finely shredded lettuce, thin slivers of onions, tomato, pepperoni, olive oil, red wine vinegar and mayo. A crisp crust leads easily to a soft inner bread and then a mouthful of meat and cheese. It’s romance in sandwich form. The service is relaxed and efficient, with no fancy schemes or scenarios: a server brings out the paper-wrapped sandwich and finds the owner. No beepers or pagers. Very simple and French. We also tried the turkey melt, which was equally memorable. The seemingly humble little sandwich was oozing with Swiss cheese and stacked with warm turkey. Grilled onions add a warm layer of umami to the mix along with bright tomatoes and honey mustard. Deli sides are plentiful: potato salad, pasta salad, broccoli salad, tuna, chicken, egg and caprese. While Trades is adorable at lunch, it’s likely more so in the early hours of the day. It opens for breakfast daily at 7 a.m. Stop by for freshly brewed espresso or coffee, house- made bagels: plain, everything, blueberry, onion and poppy each for $2.50. Schmears are $3 more. Or go for traditional bagels and lox (smoked, traditional or pastrami lox). There are also several breakfast sandwiches. Last week people lined up for sand- wiches at lunch like they’ve been coming to this spot for 15 years. Some places just fit a neighborhood like a worn-in pair of jeans. Trades Delicatessen, 312 W. Seventh St. Daily, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Chris Wolfgang Birdie’s has room for all. | CITY OF ATE | ▼ Dish >> p16