Mia's Defines Family-Friendly Restaurant in Houston

Lots of restaurants say they're family-friendly. Some really deliver. One of our faves is Mia's (a Mandola restaurant) near West Alabama and Kirby. This is not a fast food joint but rather a casual place to gather and get a good meal.

Order your food upon entering and your food will be brought to your table. My kids loved the options and so did my husband: grilled cheese & a bowl of fruit, chicken fried steak, fish tacos, pulled pork sandwiches and plenty of salads, too. The biggest hit is the FREE, soft serve ice cream.

As a mom of a one-year-old, I appreciate that Mia's has plenty of high chairs. You don't have to worry about your child being too loud either. There are plenty of folks in and outside on the patio chatting away.

This is great for a Sunday lunch or even a weekday dinner. You won't leave hungry or stressed with the kids.

Until the next nap time...

Restaurant Review for Families

We recently tried the new Ranchero King Buffet on 5900 North Freeway (south of Gallery Furniture) and were pleasantly surprised. The interior was decorated much nicer than competing buffets. The lack of platic seating was impressive. The hunters lodge theme was a good change. I couldn't believe how many buffet stations they had either. You can only see three in this photo, but they also have a taqueria station and salad bar. Fresh food is brought out every 30 minutes so you avoid the food dried out by heat lamps that's common at other buffets.

I was hesitant to try fish from a buffet but the manager highly recommended it. I tried the cilantro salmon and was pleased. The corn bread was also delicious. The assortment of vegetable options and meat options was super. I think this would be a great place to take families so everyone gets their favorite. The pricing is competitive with other buffets in town, or so I'm told by my husband

Kids will especially like the dessert bar (see photo at left), that has everything from soft-serve ice cream and cookies to cinnamon-sugar churros. With no extra charge, try a few to pick a new after-meal favorite.

Until the next nap time...

Review of Lola's Restaurant in the Houston Heights

Several times, I drove by Lola's on 11th Street and Yale, and was intrigued by the big sign that hangs above its door. Today, we ventured in. First, Little K and her father remarked at the front door, that is fashioned from an old telephone booth.

"Can you get the phone please?" Trent asked his four-year-old daughter, who has never seen a phone booth. The door handle was an old-fashioned phone. Cute.

I had read on another blog that you need to first order your food at the diner's register. No problem. We approached the counter with really cool wood finish below, read the menus and placed our orders. We then picked a booth beside a window and waited a short time for our food to be delivered to our table. The eclectic place was clean, light and bright. Interestingly, it supposedly was once an old car dealership so I enjoyed taking a few minutes to entertain my imagination.

Little K was delighted with her plate full of 2 big pancakes and 2 pieces of bacon. The taste test passed, too. I really enjoyed my vege omelette, although the accompanying breakfast potatoes, sausage and wheat toast were way to bland. I've had better at my house. My husband ordered a ham and cheddar cheese omelette, specifically asking for the cook to leave off the parmesan cheese. When delivered, the parmesan cheese was included. Trent said it was an interesting kick to the omelette but not what he wanted. Still, I noticed he cleaned his plate, which also included bacon, hash and toast.

Overall, for $36, we felt like the food should have been better. It was average for kid-friendliness ad the food is served quickly and they have a small kids menu, but no kids activities. We agreed we'd be willing to try it again, especially since rumor has it that Lola's has the best chicken fried steak in the Houston Heights. Hmm...

Until the next nap time...

Ice Cream, Restaurant and Jump Opportunities

WHO CAN PASS UP an opportunity for free ice cream? Not me! Head to your local Wal-Mart for free ice cream this Saturday, May 30, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free goodies include Dibs Snack Bag, Blue Bunny Aspen Frozen Yogurt Granola Bar, and Ben & Jerry’s Flipped Out Cup. Customers will receive one free sample per customer while supplies last.

The chance that I REALLY love is Baskin-Robbins, which is offering a free soft-serve ice cream cone with its “I Serve, You Serve” promotion. If you become a member of DoSomething.org, they’ll e-mail you a coupon for the free Baskin-Robbins cone. DoSomething.org is a great resource for finding worthy causes that you care about and then getting involved. Especially cool is the fact that the site shares easy to understand facts about the cause of choice and little things you can do to contribute with local action. Fill out an online form at DoSomething.org to get in on the deal. The coupon will be delivered to your inbox as part of their July 13 e-blast.

Looking for cheap things to do in Houston with or without kids? Check out http://www.houstononthecheap.com/, another blog focused on the inexpensive. I will guest blog there soon.

Also, Sonia wrote in with this tip that I'll have to check out. It's been years since I've gone to this restaurant but the addition of the kid area sounds great:
"Great restaurant: La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant. This restaurant sits across from Telge park. It has a lot of character (vintage cars parked out front, lots of pottery, heavy metal chairs, etc. It has the largest covered patio you have ever seen with a tunnel system for the children to play in while you enjoy your margarita. Just avoid it in mid-summer because the tunnels get hot and your children will look like they came out of a sauna. Every mom in northwest Houston loves this place after a morning playdate at Telge park."

Shannon wrote in: "I saw your post on Monkey Joe’s and wondered if you have visited: http://www.stompinggroundsplayland.com/ . I went for a playdate for Little F a few months ago and it was not bad. You can eat there, which is nice and it wasn’t crowded (of course it probably will be now that it is summer). Too bad it is in Sugarland." Agreed, Shannon. We live in central Houston so we're constantly looking for places that are close. I'd rather spend the money on a fun activity than gas.

Until the next nap time...

Two Family-Friendly Restaurants near the Houston Heights

Last weekend, we checked out two really good restaurants that I'm excited to blog about. First, we visited Cedar Creek Cafe on w. 20th St. in the Heights. It's a brother restaurant to Dry Creek and Onion Creek but we felt really t home at Cedar Creek and so did my daughter. My burger was delicious and I loved the laid back, comfortable feeling at 11:30 am on a Saturday. A few families had their kiddos in this cafe that turns into a bar at night. I was not worried. Little K gobbled up the fruit dish and then played inside. The crowd didn't seem to mind her giggles as her father tickled her.

We sat inside since it was cool outside. Despite the comfy, at-home chairs, we look forward to returning when spring is in the warm air. My husband said the place reminded him of a grown-up version of our favorite college bar. It's as if we got older and opened this place. Well, someone else did.

There are loads of seats outside and a couple of guys were putting together a deck. Several flat screen TVs deck the environment so it's great for catching a game. How about a lil' Astros? Plus, the water fountain outside drew my daughter's attention. And the service was impeccable and friendly. A big thumbs up for Cedar Creek. So glad this is less than 5 minutes from my house. I'm likely to become a regular.

Sunday night, we were starving after running errands at Target off I-10 and Taylor. We stopped by Panda Express and fell in love. Good call on eating there. Little K's noodles were everywhere, but she ate most of them. Plus, the convenient kids meal was a welcome treat with a choice of one entree, one side, a cookie (ah! it had peanuts so we donated it back!) and a drink.

Trent & I loved the quick Chinese food with fresh vegetables and of course the fortune cookies that tapped off the night. Want to know my fortune? "You will spend many eyars in comfort and material wealth." My husand's response: "I'm sticking with you." Ha! Fortune or no fortune, we'll be sure to return to this tasty, fast-food eatery.

Until the next nap time...

Jenni's Noodle House Rocks

I had forgotten how much I like Jenni's Noodle House. Although the "new" location on Shepherd has been open almost a year, we just visited it this Saturday. This location is much safer than the old downtown location. We highly recommended Jenni's for Asian flair with a twist. It's super casual and easy with kids. (You'll notice Little K wearing her Disney Princess costume.)

When we arrive, the manager welcomes us warmly and asks if my daughter wants noodles or rice, showing her photos of the kids plates. Why don't other restaurants show the kids what the food looks like? It's so much easier for kids to pick that way. Little K's lunch is prepared and delivered quickly. Ahhh. The adults peruse the menu while tunes of Johnny Cash float through the air. Funny, huh?

The food is fast and delicious. Our little one loves the “Slippery Noodles” and even tries the chop sticks. But the staff is her real favorite. The manager engaged our daughter warmly and rewarded her for eating all her lunch with a Jenni’s Noodle House temporary tattoo. He even helped her apply the tattoo in the restaurant. Upon our departure, he was rewarded with a big hug and a high five from my daughter. This is truly one of the most kid-friendly restaurants in town.

Physical location: 3111 South Shepherd Dr. at West Alabama; 713-523-7600
http://www.noodlesrule.com/
Hours: M-Sat 11 am-10pm
Kid Friendliness: A
Food Quality A
Price: $$

Until the next nap time...

Cool Down with Jamba Juice Coupon

Thanks to Kara Hagen for pointing this family-friendly coupon out. Jamba Juice has a buy one smoothie, get one free coupon valid through July 4. Yum! It'll be perfect for cooling off in this Houston heat.

Here's the link for the printable coupon: http://www.jambasummer.com/freesmoothie/thankyou1.htm

Until the next nap time...