Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Restaurant Success!

I'm reluctant to try anyplace new for a meal, afraid that this time will be the time that the boy goes to 11 and won't quit with the noise. I don't want to be the diners that everyone else is glaring at and secretly stabbing in their minds. He doesn't go to 11, not yet, but I don't yet have the confidence that he won't.
So we stick with the old takeaway standbys - Cupini's for gnocchi and sandwiches, Red Dragon for moo shu chicken, Oklahoma Joe's for the Z-Man and the smoked chicken breast sandwich, and one of us (I won't say who) finally succumbed to the Wendy's "Baconator" commercials. It's amazing how suggestible to commercials you become when watching the TV in the middle of the night. I think it's rest that leads to common sense and common sense that leads to healthy advertising skepticism.
Today, however, Gus's Nana was up for trying lunch at a real restaurant with us and so the boy and I agreed. Swagat up in Zona Rosa is comfortable and lunch buffet meant we wouldn't be waiting and could drop cash and dash if need be. The pakoras were as delicious as I remembered, the lentils in the Dal Makhni were firm and flavorful, and I smothered too many pieces of their delicious naan in mint chutney. Their servers were charming - they squirreled us away in a quiet corner with lots of room for the stroller, whistled and clicked at the baby, and made us feel welcome as always. It was a confidence boost. We'll be heading out for a meal again really soon.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm late to the party, Sara, but congratulations! You have your work cut out for you. Best wishes as you find your new normal. Will you be canning pickled peppers this year?

Anonymous said...

Chill, babies cry. Go out to eat and leave him in the infant carrier.

Andrew said...

Is the Baconator commercial the one that ends with the sandwich dripping yellow goo (mustard? melted cheese?)??... eww.

mamagotcha said...

Tiny infants are FAR easier to eat out with than crawling/running babies. Enjoy his immobility while you can! (if you're nursing, this goes for movies too)

And at the risk of making generalizations, I've found Indian and Asian and Mexican and other ethnic restaurants quite amenable to babies. Malay Cafe LOVES little guys... the waitresses at Thai House will coo over them... and we also had great luck with Swagat.

Anonymous said...

Point of order regarding the following line:

"It's amazing how suggestible to commercials you become when watching the TV in the middle of the night."

Let's not blame this one on parenthood. The good folks at KFC, Sonic and perhaps Wendy's believe that, someone in your household MIGHT have been susceptible to this sort of advertising when young Gus was just a gleam in your eyes. I'm justy sayin....

Anonymous said...

i have to say, when i moved to kc, i was so disappointed that the closest indian restaurant (good, that is), was in overland park. this was 6 years ago. the first time we ate at swagats, i cried a little. congrats on a good meal!