Next up is a review for Sam's Deli & Bistro at 805 Government st.
Access: Not good. The accessible entrance is partially obscured by patio furniture, and some serious fenangling was needed to actually access the restaurant. (Luckily, the patio patrons were most kind and patient during the process.) Once inside, moving around was fairly easy, but indoor seating with a stroller was limited.
Food: My shrimp and avocado sandwich was ultra-fresh, if a bit bland. The chili was delicious, as was the peanut butter dessert square. Overall, a strong showing, and I will very likely return.
Service: Very good -- Fast, friendly.
Cost: A half-sandwich, a cup of chili, an Orangiata and a dessert square came to $15, which is somewhere between ok and somewhat pricey.
Baby Friendliness: Neither here nor there. Neutral clientele, and a bit quiet. Didn't investigate washrooms.
Overall Grade: B-
The good food and service elevate this tricky-to-access restaurant from a C-grade to a B-minus.
Next up is a temporary departure in subject matter -- stay tuned to find out what it will be!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
La Fiesta Cafe
Next up is La Fiesta Cafe! This gem can be found at 1001 Douglas st, though the entrance is off Broughton. When I went there, there were already two other strollermums happily seated and eating... this bodes well. :-)
Access: Very good! Two entrances means greater flexibility for manoeuvring around crowds, etc. The only improvement I could offer would be a wheelchair-access door-opening button. Moving around the restaurant was also pretty easy, and there were several tables where one could park a stroller without it being in the way.
Food: My chimichanga was delicious, and MASSIVE. It was possibly the biggest I've ever seen. Also, they serve Tater Tots by the bagful. If you are able to resist the urge to eat Tater Tots until the point of sickness, you are a better human being than I am.
Service: Friendly and prompt.
Cost: Pricey. My chimichanga, a small bag of Tater Tots, and a drink came to $17.50. However, this quantity of food could have been a filling lunch for TWO people; instead of leaving some to have for lunch the next day, though, I opted to eat Tater Tots until I nearly went blind. Word to the wise: given the immense portions, perhaps consider asking for half of your meal to be put into a takeout container.
Baby-Friendliness: Very baby-friendly, as was evidenced by the several other happy babies and toddlers I noticed during my visit. The noise level was lively without being loud. Otherwise, it was a bright, clean, pleasant place to lunch with my baby. I did not check out the bathrooms, so I cannot say whether there's a change table there or not.
Overall Grade: A!
Congratulations, La Fiesta Cafe, for nabbing StrollerFriendly's third ever A rating! You're in good company.
Stay tuned for more ratings... now that spring is finally here, it'll be more often that I'll be out, about, and needing a stroller-friendly lunch. Thanks for reading!
Access: Very good! Two entrances means greater flexibility for manoeuvring around crowds, etc. The only improvement I could offer would be a wheelchair-access door-opening button. Moving around the restaurant was also pretty easy, and there were several tables where one could park a stroller without it being in the way.
Food: My chimichanga was delicious, and MASSIVE. It was possibly the biggest I've ever seen. Also, they serve Tater Tots by the bagful. If you are able to resist the urge to eat Tater Tots until the point of sickness, you are a better human being than I am.
Service: Friendly and prompt.
Cost: Pricey. My chimichanga, a small bag of Tater Tots, and a drink came to $17.50. However, this quantity of food could have been a filling lunch for TWO people; instead of leaving some to have for lunch the next day, though, I opted to eat Tater Tots until I nearly went blind. Word to the wise: given the immense portions, perhaps consider asking for half of your meal to be put into a takeout container.
Baby-Friendliness: Very baby-friendly, as was evidenced by the several other happy babies and toddlers I noticed during my visit. The noise level was lively without being loud. Otherwise, it was a bright, clean, pleasant place to lunch with my baby. I did not check out the bathrooms, so I cannot say whether there's a change table there or not.
Overall Grade: A!
Congratulations, La Fiesta Cafe, for nabbing StrollerFriendly's third ever A rating! You're in good company.
Stay tuned for more ratings... now that spring is finally here, it'll be more often that I'll be out, about, and needing a stroller-friendly lunch. Thanks for reading!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Stroller
A year ago, my younger, more dogmatic, and very pregnant self was eagerly anticipating being an avidly marsupial mum.
Never mind the substantial hampering of personal mobility for tasks such as bending over to tie a shoe, or pick something up. Never mind the difficulty of dressing baby and self appropriately, given how hot the carrier can get for both of us. Never mind the inability to dine comfortably, or even drink a hot coffee, with a squirming, grabbing baby strapped to oneself. Never mind the permanent paranoia that your baby, whose feet are outside of your peripheral vision, has irretrievably lost a shoe.
All of this did not matter, for I was going to be a marsupial mum! My baby and I would be perpetually snuggled together, deftly manoeuvring the unpredictable terrain of life, just as anthropology intended. Better still, marsupial-me was going to lose all my baby weight in no time. No awkward, lumbering stroller for me! Ha ha!
And then my baby was born.
At first, we did indeed go everywhere marsupially. Sure, it was not so easy to lug around a newborn baby AND a purse AND a diaper bag (you forgot about the diaper bag, didn't you?) ;-) ... but it was lovely, if somewhat awkward.
Then, one day, I needed to go grocery shopping. And not the "a few vegetables here and there" type of grocery shop, rather it was the BIG shop that was needed. Cheeses, apples, potatoes, eggs, 4L of milk, some jars of salsa, some juice, some canned goods... this was going to be HEAVY.
I knew that even if I risked leaving the diaper bag at home, I would still have to carry the baby PLUS my purse, PLUS at least 10-20 lbs of groceries, for the entire 20 minute walk home.
Then I thought, if only there was some kind of wheeled device, one in which I could put my baby and/or my groceries... like a shopping cart, but one that I could take home. I needed some kind of device to assist... strolling. Hmm.
And thus began my unexpected love affair with our stroller.
You see, folks, the real deal-breaker of marsupial-ness (for me) is all the additional gear a babyminder needs to tote around. The diaper bag is critical for trips over half an hour, as it has all a baby needs to be clean and happy; the purse is an essential (and useful) relic from the pre-baby days, containing all I need to function in society, plus a lipstick or two.
And then, God forbid if you need to drop off some dry cleaning, pick up library books, get groceries, or run errands... carrying bags and bags and bags AND baby... suddenly, marsupial-me was magically transformed from a stylish-ish mum to a pack mule! :-P Well, that's how I felt, anyways.
So, to my great surprise, I've grown to love the stroller. Thank you, stroller, for your allowance for personal space, for your wonderful stowage capacity, and for letting me fearlessly drink hot coffee. Better still, you've reminded me of how intentions for parenting don't always jive with the realities, and that there's value and joy in being open to the surprises (and humility) that parenting brings.
Now, I wonder what beliefs I have about raising my 1 year old that I will reflect on similarly next year... ^_^
(Note, my "Yay-strollers!" stance offers no ill judgment for those mums who do succeed in babywearing regularly; Actually, I would love to know how you manage all the "stuff" to carry around.) :-)
Never mind the substantial hampering of personal mobility for tasks such as bending over to tie a shoe, or pick something up. Never mind the difficulty of dressing baby and self appropriately, given how hot the carrier can get for both of us. Never mind the inability to dine comfortably, or even drink a hot coffee, with a squirming, grabbing baby strapped to oneself. Never mind the permanent paranoia that your baby, whose feet are outside of your peripheral vision, has irretrievably lost a shoe.
All of this did not matter, for I was going to be a marsupial mum! My baby and I would be perpetually snuggled together, deftly manoeuvring the unpredictable terrain of life, just as anthropology intended. Better still, marsupial-me was going to lose all my baby weight in no time. No awkward, lumbering stroller for me! Ha ha!
And then my baby was born.
At first, we did indeed go everywhere marsupially. Sure, it was not so easy to lug around a newborn baby AND a purse AND a diaper bag (you forgot about the diaper bag, didn't you?) ;-) ... but it was lovely, if somewhat awkward.
Then, one day, I needed to go grocery shopping. And not the "a few vegetables here and there" type of grocery shop, rather it was the BIG shop that was needed. Cheeses, apples, potatoes, eggs, 4L of milk, some jars of salsa, some juice, some canned goods... this was going to be HEAVY.
I knew that even if I risked leaving the diaper bag at home, I would still have to carry the baby PLUS my purse, PLUS at least 10-20 lbs of groceries, for the entire 20 minute walk home.
Then I thought, if only there was some kind of wheeled device, one in which I could put my baby and/or my groceries... like a shopping cart, but one that I could take home. I needed some kind of device to assist... strolling. Hmm.
And thus began my unexpected love affair with our stroller.
You see, folks, the real deal-breaker of marsupial-ness (for me) is all the additional gear a babyminder needs to tote around. The diaper bag is critical for trips over half an hour, as it has all a baby needs to be clean and happy; the purse is an essential (and useful) relic from the pre-baby days, containing all I need to function in society, plus a lipstick or two.
And then, God forbid if you need to drop off some dry cleaning, pick up library books, get groceries, or run errands... carrying bags and bags and bags AND baby... suddenly, marsupial-me was magically transformed from a stylish-ish mum to a pack mule! :-P Well, that's how I felt, anyways.
So, to my great surprise, I've grown to love the stroller. Thank you, stroller, for your allowance for personal space, for your wonderful stowage capacity, and for letting me fearlessly drink hot coffee. Better still, you've reminded me of how intentions for parenting don't always jive with the realities, and that there's value and joy in being open to the surprises (and humility) that parenting brings.
Now, I wonder what beliefs I have about raising my 1 year old that I will reflect on similarly next year... ^_^
(Note, my "Yay-strollers!" stance offers no ill judgment for those mums who do succeed in babywearing regularly; Actually, I would love to know how you manage all the "stuff" to carry around.) :-)
Friday, January 28, 2011
Eeeek! Creepy!
Now that the Christmas hubbub has ebbed, it is time to get back to more Stroller Friendly reviews! This time, my random selection was a strange one...
Stain Internet Cafe, at 609 Yates st, is oddly listed as a restaurant/cafe on Google. Weird.
No, that is not a fake name. In case you were wondering. To add to the ick-factor, all the windows are blacked out from the outside... what exactly is going on in there?
But hey, my random selection selected it, so I was gonna try it out! Who knows, maybe it might be a new favourite haunt...?
Access: Entering the door was not super-easy due to a slight incline and a narrow doorway. Still, though, entering was not more difficult than a hundred other doors I've already dealt with; I was able to enter without making a spectacle of myself. Which is why I was surprised by...
...EVERYONE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT turning away from their computers to simultaneously stare at me. It was like stumbling into a horror movie. Picture a dark, dark room with stale, smelly air containing an all-male clientele, their faces lit only by their computer monitors, silently and intently peering at newcomers to their domain.
EEEEEEEEEEK!!! I couldn't get outta there fast enough.
So yeah, the moral of the story is that Stain Internet Cafe is decidedly NOT baby friendly!
Stroller Friendly FAIL!
Stain Internet Cafe, at 609 Yates st, is oddly listed as a restaurant/cafe on Google. Weird.
No, that is not a fake name. In case you were wondering. To add to the ick-factor, all the windows are blacked out from the outside... what exactly is going on in there?
But hey, my random selection selected it, so I was gonna try it out! Who knows, maybe it might be a new favourite haunt...?
Access: Entering the door was not super-easy due to a slight incline and a narrow doorway. Still, though, entering was not more difficult than a hundred other doors I've already dealt with; I was able to enter without making a spectacle of myself. Which is why I was surprised by...
...EVERYONE IN THE ESTABLISHMENT turning away from their computers to simultaneously stare at me. It was like stumbling into a horror movie. Picture a dark, dark room with stale, smelly air containing an all-male clientele, their faces lit only by their computer monitors, silently and intently peering at newcomers to their domain.
EEEEEEEEEEK!!! I couldn't get outta there fast enough.
So yeah, the moral of the story is that Stain Internet Cafe is decidedly NOT baby friendly!
Stroller Friendly FAIL!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Wall of Shame has Two More Entries!
Today, we have two more restaurants to add to the WALL OF SHAME -- Devour and Chef Suzi.
I take little joy in this designation, as they both look like good restaurants. However, due to stairs, narrow entryways, sharp turns and tight spaces, these places are simply impossible to access by stroller. Sorry guys!
I take little joy in this designation, as they both look like good restaurants. However, due to stairs, narrow entryways, sharp turns and tight spaces, these places are simply impossible to access by stroller. Sorry guys!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Sumeria Caffe Bar To Go
Next up is Sumeria Caffe Bar To Go, at 1329 Cook st (at Johnson). This is a tiny take-out coffee bar, and so will be judged according to retail standards (not restaurant).
Access: Fantastic -- Walk-up window style service means NO doors to wrestle with!
Food: My egg nog latte was delicious, though a bit sweeter than Starbuck's version.
Service: Excellent. I was having a rotten day, and the clerk was kind, sympathetic, and even gave me a chocolate. I don't know if the chocolate is, in fact, distributed with every coffee, but at that moment, a tasty token of kindness was exactly what my waning sanity needed. Thank you, Sumeria Caffe!
Cost: Not cheap, but egg nog lattes rarely are. It was a good size, and I paid about $4.50.
Baby-Friendliness: Good. Lovely staff, easy access, and plenty of little tables I could have easily pulled a stroller up to, if I'd wanted to stop for a moment.
Overall Grade: A
Delicious coffee (with great service) that does *not* require wrestling with doors? Sign me up!
Next up, more names to be added to the WALL OF SHAME. Who will it be? Stay tuned to find out!
Access: Fantastic -- Walk-up window style service means NO doors to wrestle with!
Food: My egg nog latte was delicious, though a bit sweeter than Starbuck's version.
Service: Excellent. I was having a rotten day, and the clerk was kind, sympathetic, and even gave me a chocolate. I don't know if the chocolate is, in fact, distributed with every coffee, but at that moment, a tasty token of kindness was exactly what my waning sanity needed. Thank you, Sumeria Caffe!
Cost: Not cheap, but egg nog lattes rarely are. It was a good size, and I paid about $4.50.
Baby-Friendliness: Good. Lovely staff, easy access, and plenty of little tables I could have easily pulled a stroller up to, if I'd wanted to stop for a moment.
Overall Grade: A
Delicious coffee (with great service) that does *not* require wrestling with doors? Sign me up!
Next up, more names to be added to the WALL OF SHAME. Who will it be? Stay tuned to find out!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Italian Food Import
Next up for #StrollerFriendly review is Italian Food Import at 1114 Blanshard!
(*Note that this is a retail-type establishment, and therefore I am applying the retail standards, rather than restaurant standards.)
Access: Not bad. There is a slight incline next to their door, which makes getting in and out a bit tricky. However, once in, there is just enough space to move around. When I went, the place was fairly crowded, and I had no space trouble.
Food: Stellar! I had the Rocky Balboa toasted sandwich, and it was just the right combination of spicy, fresh, salty, savoury, and a little bit greasy (in the good way). LOVE that sandwich.
Service: Great. Fast, hard-working counter staff processed the long line in no time. Very friendly, even when the baby started getting really fussy.
Cost: Great -- my sandwich (not huge, but filling and tasty) plus an Orangiata came to under $8.
Baby-Friendliness: Very good. Bustling atmosphere, friendly clientele who were eager to help with doors and chairs, and who were very kind when baby started freaking out while I was midway through my sandwich.
Overall Grade: A
An easier door would catapult this retail-food jewel into A+ territory.
Next up -- a cafe that saved my sanity! Stay tuned for the whole story...
(*Note that this is a retail-type establishment, and therefore I am applying the retail standards, rather than restaurant standards.)
Access: Not bad. There is a slight incline next to their door, which makes getting in and out a bit tricky. However, once in, there is just enough space to move around. When I went, the place was fairly crowded, and I had no space trouble.
Food: Stellar! I had the Rocky Balboa toasted sandwich, and it was just the right combination of spicy, fresh, salty, savoury, and a little bit greasy (in the good way). LOVE that sandwich.
Service: Great. Fast, hard-working counter staff processed the long line in no time. Very friendly, even when the baby started getting really fussy.
Cost: Great -- my sandwich (not huge, but filling and tasty) plus an Orangiata came to under $8.
Baby-Friendliness: Very good. Bustling atmosphere, friendly clientele who were eager to help with doors and chairs, and who were very kind when baby started freaking out while I was midway through my sandwich.
Overall Grade: A
An easier door would catapult this retail-food jewel into A+ territory.
Next up -- a cafe that saved my sanity! Stay tuned for the whole story...
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