ML Interest Tag: gravy

7 Local Restaurants Offering Takeout & Delivery Right Now

by Annette Benedetti

Covid-19 may have families housebound, but you and your hungry youngsters can still eat out–while staying in. That’s right, the Portland restaurant community doesn’t give up easily, and you might be surprised to find out that many of your favorite family-friendly eateries deliver delicious meals right to your doorstep. Read on to find out where you can order up your dinner-in tonight.

photo: Mike F. via Yelp

Either/Or

Pick up breakfast lunch or dinner at this awesome spot where you can order breakfast sandwiches, pastries, rice bows, and wonton and meatball soup! If you are feeling thirsty you’ll want to get one of their awesome coffee drinks or a bottle of wine for mom and dad.

Order: menu items are available for takeout as well as deliver via GrubHub and Caviar.
4003 N Williams Ave
Online: eitherorpdx.com

Miss Delta

Enjoy a little southern comfort food from this cool joint. Brunch and dinner include beloved dishes like biscuits and gravy, a southern stack featuring a buttermilk biscuit with fried chicken, chicken fried chicken and chicken fried steak, catfish, meatloaf…and don’t forget a side of fried pickles. There’s even a kid’s menu for young ones who like to keep it simple. They’ll appreciate the grilled cheese and cheese burger.

Order: pick up your order curbside or have it delivered via Caviar.
3950 N Mississippi Ave
Online: missdeltapdx.net

photo: Andy H. via yelp

Ecliptic Brewing

Pretend you are sipping a brew on the patio of your favorite local brewery when your order food, beer and wine from Ecliptic. This favorite brewpub launched a delivery website for takeout and delivery. You can order burgers, sandwiches, and they even offer a family package that includes fried chicken, slaw, potato salad, cookies and beer! The perfect family meal for celebrating spring.

Order: orders available for both pickup and delivery
825 N Cook St,
Online: toasttab.com/ecliptic-brewing

Von Ebert Brewing

This brewery is all about serving the family. From favorites like smoked wings, pizzas and steak bites, to dad and mom’s favorite beer, you can still get it all. But Von Ebert also offers an excellent family meal options which includes an entired smoked adobo chicken, cowoby beans, a house salad, tortillas and salsa.

Order: pickup and delivery are available
131 Northwest 13th Ave.
Online: vonbertbrewing.com

The Waiting Room

This local restaurant earns a special place in our hearts for its “Family Meals” option. Feed your family a meal of brich chicken, mashed potatoes, blackeye pea falafel and brownies. But, if you prefer to pick and choose menu items check their site for dishes that include fried chicken, hushpuppies, biscuits and yummy deserts like banana cream pie. Don’t forget to ask about the booze-to-go.

Order: Grab your meal curbside or order for delivery through Caviar and Grubhub
2327 NW Kearney
Online: thewaitingroompdx.com

photo: starleigh via flickr

Mi Mero Mole

For some excellent Mexican food look to this spot for tacos, burritos and more. But you don’t have to limit yourself to one meal, they also offer delivery for the freezer. Order frozen burritos, rice boles, tamales and enchiladas and pretend like you are on vacation in Mexico all week long!

Order: You can pick up or enjoyed meals delivered right to your doorstep
5026 SE Division S
Online: mmmtacospdx.com

Mother’s

Mother’s Bistro & Bar has long been a family favorite, and Covid-19 can close them down. Enjoy mom’s meatloaf & gravy and chicken and dumplings, or slow-cooked pulled pork. Want to make the kids (and mom) smile? Then you’ll want to order mothers signature macaroni & cheese. You can keep it simple with plain mac 7 cheese or have it with bacon and cheddar added or roasted garlic and prosciutto ham.

Order: Food items avialable for takeout, curbside pick-up, and delivery within a ten-mile radius of downtown Portland.
121 Southwest 3rd Ave
Online: mothersbistro.com

–Annette Benedetti

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My Secret Sanity-Saver When Traveling with an Anxious Child

By Jacqueline Miller

We lived in Europe for three years and traveled to more than 20 countries with our boys. But one kid used to drive us crazy on every trip.

“Where are we sleeping tonight? Where are we sleeping tomorrow? How long is the drive? What are we going to do there? How long is the drive after that?  And then what are we doing?”

You get the picture. Maybe it sounds familiar!

I came up with a solution—his own little travel book—that greatly eased his concerns and made for much more pleasant travels for the rest of the family.

In a pocket-sized notebook, I’d make him a checklist to bring on every trip. In different colors, I would list:

  • Our travel time for the day

  • Where we would sleep each night

  • One activity for each day

When estimating travel time, it’s important to overestimate. If the monsters in the backseat expect a three-hour drive and it’s only two and a half—you’re golden! But if you write down that it’s only going to take two hours and traffic turns it into two-and-a-half—well, it ain’t gonna be quiet back there, because you LIED!

You also need to be careful about listing activities. Only put to paper what you’re certain about.

For example, you may be planning on going to the beach and swimming. But if the weather doesn’t cooperate, you’ll regret writing that down. However, if you’re certain that even if it’s cold and rainy you will still go for a walk on the beach and hunt for shells then list “Walk on the Beach” or “See the Sea.” Then if you get to swim, too, it’s all gravy.

Sometimes I would only list “Swim at the Hotel” as our activity for the day or “Eat Lunch at a Restaurant,” if I wasn’t 100 percent sure about the rest of our plans. I always lean in favor of good surprises rather than disappointing cancellations.

Sometimes before we leave on a trip, I’d call the anxious one over to my computer and we scroll through the hotels and attractions on our list—especially if we’re taking a cruise—so he can have a picture in his head about what to expect.

When I first tried this, my son still fired questions at me, notebook in hand.

“How much longer until we get there?! Where are we sleeping tonight?”

But after responding, “Look at your book. What does it say?” enough times, he finally stopped asking. He figured out that had all the information he needed, and he’d consult his book instead of shouting to the front seat.

With his mind was finally at ease, his whole demeanor relaxed. In fact, he found it quite satisfying to check off our progress day by day.

And very quickly, family vacations became more enjoyable for all of us.

Featured Photo Courtesy: tcoskac via Pixabay

I'm a freelance writer with a background in journalism and corporate communications. My musings focus on living abroad, special needs, my puppy dog and everyday mom stuff. I live in the Midwestern USA with my husband, two sons and rescue mutt. For privacy, 

 

 

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These Trader Joe’s St. Patrick Day Foods Are Your Lucky Grocery Finds

by Erica Loop

Ah, the luck o’ the Irish. It kind of looks like your rainbow just ended at a tasty pot of gold. In other words, St. Patrick's Day-themed foods at Trader Joe's are and they’re waaaaay better than a four-leaf clover. Even though corned beef and cabbage may be a traditional staple, and that minty green Shamrock Shake is a pop culture food icon, Trader Joe’s has their own brand of St. Paddy’s Day yum! So what does Trader Joe’s have in store for your St. Patrick’s Day feast?

Blarney Scone

Um, yum. Let’s start with the fact that this scone-shaped Irish Soda Bread has an adorable name. And then there’s the taste. This not-so-low-carb treat is made with real buttermilk and butter, along with raisins and caraway seeds.

Irish Bangers

So what are bangers anyway? Well, they’re sausages — Irish style. Trader Joe’s Irish Bangers are made from all-natural pork that’s raised with no hormones or antibiotics. But that’s not all. These savory treats are 5% rusk. What’s rusk? It’s a twice-baked biscuit that’s added in for texture and, of course, flavor.

Irish Breakfast Tea

This bold tea is an early morning alternative to your usual cup of coffee. But then again, you can have it any time of the day. If you’re going for a night-time mug, consider opting for this tea’s decaffeinated cousin.

Steak & Stout Pies

Mmm. The buttery pastry shell is everything you’d imagine it is. Oh, but that’s not all this frozen option has to offer. The inside is filled with beef in a stout-based gravy, plenty of potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms and onions.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

It’s a St. Patrick’s Day staple. Right? Trader Joe’s has the traditional corned beef to cook alongside with a heaping serving of cabbage. Why stop there? Add in your favorite type of potatoes too!

What’s your top St. Patrick’s Day dining pick? Share your choice with us in the comments below.

—Erica Loop

 

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Grab a Date! It’s Sitter Time!

by Maria Chambers

Uninterrupted conversation? Who knew that existed? Family time is swell, but sometimes it’s nice to line up a sitter to spend time in a kid-free zone. Whether you swap stories over a meal or bond while touring some of the city’s most architecturally significant buildings, we’ve rounded up low-key, sitter-worthy ideas for adult fun. Enjoy the sound of silence!

Dine with a view at River Roast

There's so much to love about River Roast . . . where to start? The concept, if you can't guess by the name, is roasts. Not the type smothered in gravy . . . not that we'd turn our shoulder to that. Think more like a roasted chicken. There are six different meat, fish and veggie roasts that live on the menu everyday and one rotating roast a month. For the month of October, that's a Pork Shoulder served with sauerkraut and root veggies. The coolest part? They carve your dinner right at the table.

Some non-roast notables on the menu: Fried Olives stuffed with chorizo (sounds weird, but trust us on this one), charred Curried Cauliflower and the Golden Gobbets, which are seasoned fried chicken strips served with an adorable Smurf-sized jar of honey that would make Pooh weep tears of joy. The incredibly friendly staff managed by Jay Schuster, brunches on Saturday and Sunday with a live jazz backdrop and the sweet view with outdoor seating overlooking the hustle and bustle of the Chicago River round out the reasons why we heart River Roast.

Side notes: For brunch, go with Chilaquiles. But, bring a bus load of people with you as they are uber generous with their portions on this one. And, River Roast just sweetened the deal by adding a S'mores Ice Cream Sandwich that tastes just like the bonfire classic and an Adult Sundae Fundae with Guinness ice cream, whisky cherries, rum pineapple, bourbon butterscotch and potato chips.

Have we convinced you to go yet?

River Roast, 315 N. LaSalle St., River North. Online: riverroastchicago.com

photo: River Roast courtesy of Maria Chambers

Give us some other date night ideas in the Comments below!

— Maria Chambers

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13 Hilarious Thanksgiving Fails We Hope Don’t Happen In Your Home

by Red Tricycle

The Internet’s the perfect place to share about everyday life, especially on Thanksgiving. Family comes over, everyone enjoys delicious food, and…sometimes #lifehappens and things may not go according to plan. Enjoy these Tweets and photos tagged #Thanksgivingfail from the past few years to prep for what not to do this year.

https://twitter.com/daniliebowitz/status/403594392067252224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/GreekGirlPro/status/405138168552640512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Do you have a Thanksgiving story to share? Tell us in the comments below!

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Gobble It Up: Thanksgiving Recipes From Local Chefs

by Lambeth Hochwald

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and, with it, time to get in the kitchen with your kids and cook up some mouth-watering treats. To help provide inspiration, we reached out to six chefs, restaurateurs and food experts and asked them to share their favorite seasonal dishes. Click through for some tasty inspiration for Turkey day — and beyond!

For a Turkey a Cut Above

Svitlana Flom
Food blogger, Art de Fete
ArtdeFete.com

Mom of Vivi, two, and a mom-to-be

Thanksgiving thoughts: “My daughter is always by my side in the kitchen, helping stirring, measuring or making some mess in the kitchen. This upcoming Thanksgiving will not be an exception. I am hosting a real feast for our family. When I cook a dish, it’s important to me that I talk through the recipe step-by-step with Vivian, and she loves it. She always wants to be picked up and help me out with her tiny little hands. So next on the agenda: we’ll pick the prettiest 15-pound turkey together and my husband will massage the bird to make her really tender. We call it ‘a real shiatsu massage experience Flom-style.'”

Recipe

Herb-Roasted Turkey with Mushroom Gravy and Cranberry Sauce with Pear & Cointreau

Serves 8-10

For the turkey:

12-14 pound organic or kosher turkey

1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons thyme, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

6 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Dry Brine William and Sonoma (A classic medley of fragrant herbs, spices with a hint of citrus)

For the stuffing

2-3 lemons, quartered

2 purple onions, quartered

1 carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 celery rib, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 garlic cloves unpeeled, crushed

For the gravy

2 lb. button mushrooms, thinly sliced

3 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup white wine

2 shallots, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 thyme sprig

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Unwrap the turkey and remove neck and giblets. Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry. Following instructions, rub dry brine all over turkey and inside the cavity, refrigerate covered in a plastic wrap for 1 or 2 days. (I like to use dry brine from William and Sonoma but a blend of your favorite spices will work just as fine.) Rinse off dry brine and pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking. Season cavity with salt and pepper liberally and stuff it with lemons, onions, carrot, celery and garlic cloves.

Preheat the oven to 450 F with the rack in the lowest part of the oven. Set a V-shaped rack in the roasting pan. Place turkey breast side-up onto the rack. Tie the legs loosely with the kitchen twine, the bird will retains its shape and moisture during cooking and tuck the wings under the breast (you might have to break them to do it). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Add 2 cups of water to the pan.

Combine butter, herbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper and massage the herb butter all over turkey. Using your fingers, carefully loosen skin of breast and around thighs and rub herb mixture under the skin of both. Season generously with salt and pepper on all sides to ensure great flavors.

Roast for 30-40 minutes, rotating half way through. Reduce heat to 375 F and continue cooking for 1½-2 hours, basting with pan drippings occasionally (about every 20 minutes), until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 165 F and 175 F in the inner thigh. Cover the turkey loosely will foil and let rest for 1 hour before cutting. (If breast gets too browned, cover it with the foil and continue cooking.)

To make the gravy: Strain the pan juices into a heatproof bowl and skim off the fat. Pour the pan juices into a large glass measuring cup; let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim with a large spoon. Or use a gravy separator, this heatproof tool quickly separates juices from fat and filters solids.

Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium heat. Add butter, shallots and cook them for 2 minutes, then add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil; deglaze pan by scraping up any browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Add stock; stir well, and return to a boil. Add thyme sprigs. Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook 5 minutes more. In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of gravy liquid, mix well until it becomes a thick paste; slowly add a little more liquid until it gets thicker, resembling a heavy cream consistency. Whisk it into the pan drippings slowly; simmer the gravy for 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat, and season with the salt and pepper. Pour it into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

Share your favorite holiday recipe below!

— Lambeth Hochwald

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This Dad’s Rant About Being ‘Mom’ for the Day is Either Freakin’ Hilarious or a Major Eye Roll

by Red Tricycle

Yep, this dad got more than he was askin’ for. When Brad Kearns wife, Sarah, fell ill, he had to step up his dad duties. He posted on Facebook his struggles watching over their two sons, two-year-old Knox and six-month-old Finn. And. It’s. Pretty. Epic.

 

Brad wrote:

“Today I had to be the mum…

You know when your wife always says “I wish I could be the dad” and you’re like … It’s the same thing…

Well sit back, relax, grab a drink, some popcorn, clear your schedule and hold onto your bootlaces because I’m about to take you on a ride that could only be likened to a backwards 100mph roller coaster that takes you through waterfalls of vomit, s**t and lots of tears. And once you’re finished with yours you will move onto the children’s.

It all started yesterday when I had to rush out of work. Because I’m a dad… And dads get respite for 40+ hours per week under the socially acceptable provisor ‘supporting the family’ while mum continues doing what women seem to so effortlessly do. “My liver has failed” read the text message from Sarah. And that’s when I became the mum. It’s now been 24 hours…

I feel like the Law & Order scene change beat would be appropriate about now.

5:00pm arrival at home – The Eagles Land
5:01pm… Initial scans of the house:
1. Living quarters trashed
2. Rations reduced to tiny teddies, gravy stock, tea bags and a clear lack of defrosted meat
3. Knox (2yo) limited speech ability wants to watch a DVD and communicated this by roaring at me. Finn (6wks) communicates only by way of the hot and cold guessing game, crying for hot and emphatic crying for cold

I put on the dvd which buys me time with Knox. Finn still making his same original request, I don’t seem to be getting any warmer. A bottle reduces him to a mere wimper. I’ll take it.

Who remembers Aristos The Surprise Chef? The bloke that can look at a bare ass pantry consisting of canned food and half rotten vegetables and create a 3 course meal fit for a King…
Well Knox had 2 minute noodles so (bleep) YOU ARISTOS!

As the night rolls on and my patience wears thin; I reduce myself to keeping Knox quiet by allowing him to place stickers on my (very hairy) legs. He was being quiet… “It’s okay, I can shave them off in the morning” was the thought. “Just don’t wake Finn”

It’s amazing how babies sleep the way they do. You know what I mean hey… When you change and finish feeding them, and you gently pick him up to burp him, and he burps, and you rub his back to make him comfortable. And his eyelids become heavy, and he breathes heavily through his nose as the comforting warmth becomes too much for him to be able to keep his eyes open. It’s really beautiful… And then you wrap him ever so gently, bring him up to your face and kiss him on his forehead, and sway as you walk into the room, as if you’re doing the slowest no partnered waltz you can do, and you’re wiggling your hips that bit extra because you’re the (bleep) man because the kid’s asleep, and you gently lay him in his bed, and cover him, and tuck him in, and tap the dummy for whatever the (bleep) reason we seem to do that for. It’s beautiful. It’s such a nice and serene moment you get to share with them…
Right up until the part where he (bleep) SCREAMS FROM THE HIGH HEAVENS… As if I’ve thrown him at a wall by his legs!

At least it’s only once a night right??? I mean, why wouldn’t I want to do it all again at 10:30….12:00….1:45….3:30….
I was so excited to know the trend would continue at 5:00 except it was actually the beginning of the new day. Did you know sleep deprivation is a form of torture???

So there I was… At 5:30am sitting on the lounge with Finn alert as an 18yr old Mt Druitt chick at Stereosonic… Just sittin… When Knox enters the room and says “Hi”. That’s the moment I realised I would rather be the dad.

So I got the kids ready for the day and planned my attack on the domestic duties. And by that I mean I spent the next 2 hours in the lounge room holding Finn, in a spiral of insomnia induced hallucinations allowing Knox to help himself to an assortment of fruit sticks, K-Time Twists and Sa-Ka-Ta’s until he eventually retreated to his train set. Texting Sarah “really good night babe”…

Then there was a Knock at the door… Have you ever been in a situation where someone walked in on you doing something you shouldn’t be? That’s the feeling I got when I opened the door to my mother in law. So there I was;
Unshaven, hair a mess, wearing the pants and socks from the day before and a hoodie covering up the fact I had no shirt on. Hadn’t showered, not yet brushed my teeth, Knox comes running out in his sleeping bag asking for a new Yoghurt muesli bar to be opened. I open the door to her to reveal the fact that knox’s noodles were still in a bowl on the table, stickers stuck to the goddamn lounge, the house an absolute mess.

It was in that moment I knew I was defeated. It was also in that moment I knew she knew I knew I was defeated. A vulnerability we try our best to keep from our in laws. That was only 16 hours of being a mum. And I failed.

I have not even mastered the ability to keep my own personal hygiene as a mum let alone the ability to keep a house, educate children, prepare meals and even venture outside for activities.

Sarah’s still in hospital… Get well soon babe :) and stay tuned for day 2″

Have any advice for Brad on being a new ‘mom?’ Share it in the comments below!

Featured Photo: DaDMum via Facebook

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Got Aloha? Where to Get a Taste of Hawaii in Seattle

by Jenifer Castillo

While Seattle has its fair share of sunshine, it also has (more than) its fair share of what seems to be endless cloudy days. When it seems like the clouds and rain won’t ever go away or when the sunshine is so bright it leaves you longing for a tropical vacation, cozy up to one (or all) of these Hawaiian restaurants and let your mind and your taste buds relax in the comforts of island-inspired cuisine.

Kona Kitchen

Nestled in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of North Seattle is a little slice of island paradise. The magic of Kona Kitchen rests partially in the fact that breakfast is served all day long. This is a dream for anyone who has ever raced to their local fast food joint at 10:26 a.m. hoping to make it in time for a breakfast sandwich.  Fear not, you can enjoy a plate of their heavenly Hawaiian French Toast made with Hawaiian sweet bread for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you haven’t ever had the pleasure of eating rice for breakfast, this is the perfect place to start. A plate of the Hawaiian Style Fried Rice, packed with BBQ pork, spam, green onions and topped with eggs (cooked to your preference) is the perfect addition to your breakfast rolodex (that’s right…rolodex). Although this plate is quite large enough to share, you just might find yourself guarding this dish from incoming forks once you have that first bite. If you are in the mood for a hearty island staple, try the Loco Moco which boasts rice and eggs topped with a gravy drenched hamburger patty (also available with Katsu).

While breakfast is undoubtedly chockfull of palatable dishes, the reason to drive out of your way to Kona Kitchen is for the Korean Chicken. This family recipe fought long and hard to reserve a regular place on the menu. Previously only (as Cher Horowitz would proudly say) “sporadically” offered, loyal customers would call to find out what days it would sneak onto the specials board. Now the savory, juicy filled bites of chicken can be enjoyed every day. Served with perfectly rounded scoops of rice and mac salad, this meal won’t leave you hanging. If you have a hard time narrowing down your choices, order Da Kanak Attack. This lunch style plate is designed so you can explore the many different menu items in one perfect dish. Teriyaki beef, mochiko chicken, Spam (embrace the Spam), and Portugese sausage sit among the traditional rice and mac salad for a dish that will leave you dreaming of your next visit.

Insider Tip: Kona Kitchen is owned by film actor Yuji Okumoto, who you may recognize as the villain, Chozen, from Karate Kid 2. More recently he has been spotted in episodes of Grimm and NCIS: Los Angeles. You just might catch him and his family enjoying a meal among an assortment of signed photos of his famous friends (including Pat Morita, aka Mr. Miyagi).

8501 5th Ave. N.E.
Seattle, Wa 98115
206-517-5662
Online: konakitchen.com

photo: Cynthia L. via Yelp

Where do you find your favorite Hawaiian grindz? Let us know in the Comments below.

— Jenifer Castillo

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Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy

by Erin Lem

chickengravy large

Craving Thanksgiving in April? Try out this recipe that comes to us courtesy of Sarah Olson’s new cook book, The Magical Slow Cooker: Recipes for Busy Moms. Simply pack all of the ingredients into your slow cooker and 8 to 10 hours later your meal is ready. Make it an open-faced sandwich serving the chicken and gravy on mashed potatoes over a piece of sourdough bread.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 packets dry chicken gravy mix (0.87 ounce packets)
1 10¾ ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 and ¾ cups of water
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Method:
1. Put the gravy packets, cream of chicken soup, water and pepper in your slow cooker.

2. Whisk until the gravy is as smooth as you can get it.

3. Add the chicken breasts (no need to pre-cook or brown)

4. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours

Will you make this recipe this week?

This recipe comes to us from The Magical Slow Cooker: Recipes for Busy Moms by Sarah Olson. From breakfast to dessert, these recipes are perfect for busy moms who want something that’s quick and wholesome-not to mention delicious! With prepare-ahead tips and time-saving tricks from this little book-and the swish and flick of a wand-you can experience the magic of your slow cooker every night of the week! Available on Amazon.com.

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Night and Day: 7 Restaurants Serving Breakfast for Dinner

by Chelsea Lin

Sometimes it’s the little things that make a kid’s day: an afterschool trip to the park, a weekend matinee, or going out for pancakes for dinner. When only breakfast foods will do, head to one of these places in or around Seattle serving breakfast from dawn to dark. Move over brunch… it’s time for brinner!

photo: Chelsea Lin

Geo’s Cuban and Creole
This may not be the most obvious choice, but it makes our list for that exact reason: rather than a full breakfast, Geo’s offers all-day breakfast sandwiches for as little as $5 that are big enough to satisfy toddler and teenage appetites alike. The tiny, casual Cuban joint lies just north of Ray’s and Anthony’s in Ballard, meaning you can take your dinner order to-go and enjoy the Olympic Mountain view just steps away.

What to order: Sure, there’s a kids’ menu featuring the requisite chicken strips or grilled cheese (each $6 with black beans and rice), but the Five Bucks breakfast sandwich—fluffy, buttery scrambled eggs, melted cheddar, hickory smoked ham, and mayo on a toasted bun—is simply perfect for any meal.

6301 Seaview Ave. N.W.
Seattle, Wa 98107
206-706-3117
Online: geoscuban.com or on Facebook
Hours: Mon.-Thu., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Fri.,10 a.m.- 8 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 8 a.m.- 8 p.m.

photo: Beth’s Cafe Facebook page

Beth’s Cafe
We’ve seen burritos the size of newborns, but a 7-pound omelet? Only at Beth’s Cafe near Green Lake, where the 12-egg omelets and all-you-can-eat hash browns have become a symbolic rite of passage for Seattle foodies. A dozen eggs may be more than you normally cook in a week’s worth of pre-school breakfasts, but hear us out, because the experience is worth the gluttony: it’s open 24 hours for those painfully early mornings (and late nights), your toddler can leave behind his art to add to the wall collages, and it’s frequently so loud that no one will notice a fussy baby.

What to order: Breakfast is what you do here, whatever time of day. Smaller bellies have the option of ordering from the mini breakfast menu: a single egg with hash browns and toast or a pancake and bacon. Extra plates for the pizza-pan omelets are $1.50 each—you could probably feed a full family of four with one of those beasts.

7311 Aurora Ave. N.
Seattle, Wa 98103
206-782-5588
Online: bethscafe.com or on Facebook
Hours: Daily, 24/7

photo: Skillet Street Food Facebook page

Skillet Diner
This slightly upscale greasy spoon has come a long way since it started as an Airstream trailer. And while the bright, spacious Ballard location (busier at brunch than dinner, thank goodness) serves the legendary burger that put Skillet on the map, you’ll also find breakfast served at all hours—plus cocktails for Mom and Dad and milkshakes for the smaller set.

What to order: Skillet’s menu for kids ages 7 and under has perhaps the best grilled cheese you or your little foodie will ever eat, but when pancakes for dinner are in order, try the griddle cakes with homemade brown sugar syrup and seasonal fruit. If you’re really living it up, order the made-to-order doughnut holes to share as well—they’re excellent.

2034 N.W. 56th St.
Seattle, Wa 98107
206-922-7981
Online: skilletstreetfood.com or on Facebook
Hours: Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

photo: Bruce M. via Yelp

Woodinville Cafe
Attention all you parents of little train fanatics: this restaurant tucked in a Woodinville strip mall is modeled to look like an old railcar, complete with rolling hills painted on the walls as if you’re rolling through the countryside. The retro booths are the perfect place to enjoy piles of buttery hash browns, biscuits and gravy, cereal-crusted French toast, and more, whether it’s 7 a.m. or 7 p.m.

What to order: There’s plenty to choose from on the kids’ menu, but if your kid is old enough to read, there’s no way she’ll make it past the whipped-cream-topped M&M pancakes—a popular order you’ll see in front of wide-eyed lucky kids all over the restaurant.

14170 N.E. Woodinville Duvall Rd.
Woodinville, Wa 98072
425.489.1403
Online: woodinville.cafesinc.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat., 6 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun., 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

photo: Lisa A. via Yelp

Geraldine’s Counter
Bacon and biscuits—not to mention the strawberry jam on the table—are where it’s at for any meal at this colorful corner Columbia City hangout. Everything can be ordered as sides, so you can mix-and-match your own meal of eggs, pancake, avocado, sausage gravy, etc. Just don’t forget the fluffy cream biscuit or Bavarian Meats bacon.

What to order: There are two breakfast options on the all-day kids’ menu, and they’re each just $4.50: a plate with eggs, hash browns, and toast, or a short stack of pancakes with pure maple syrup. You’ll find steel-cut oatmeal and granola with yogurt, but this isn’t about a healthy dinner decision anyway, is it?

4872 Rainier Ave. S.
Seattle, Wa 98118
206-723-2080
Online: geraldinescounter.com or on Facebook
Hours: Tue.-Fri., 7 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; closed Mon.

 photo: Ken L. via Yelp

Din Tai Fung
Dumplings are perhaps the best brunch food—a fact that adults and kids can both agree on. And though this Bellevue outpost of a popular Taiwanese chain doesn’t serve the kind of lukewarm dim sum from a cart that your local Chinese joint might, what it serves is better: delicate little dumplings called xiao long bao filled with soup and meatball. This place loves kids, too, and kids love watching the expert dumpling folders hard at work through the window in front.

What to order: Obviously, at least one order of XLB should make it to your table, as should an assortment of the other delicious steamed dumplings: shrimp and pork, vegetable, chicken, and even pot stickers. The pork buns, too, are a dim sum staple that are perfect for tiny hands.

700 Bellevue Way N.E.
Bellevue, Wa 98004
425-698-1095
Online: dintaifungusa.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

photo: Allison Holm

Original Pancake House
This national franchise has locations all over the Pacific Northwest (and the country, for that matter), but the Maple Valley, Puyallup, and Tacoma spots are among the only ones open for dinner. The lines can be long—though mostly for brunch—and the interiors aren’t anything to write home about, but the plates are large, the service is friendly enough, and it’s a good place for families large and small.

What to order: The signature dish is a platter-sized baked soufflé-like pancake called a Dutch Baby served with lemon and powdered sugar. It takes extra time, but you can order strawberries with whipped cream for hangry little ones as a side to snack as you wait.

16116 Meridian E.
Puyallup, Wa 98375
253-604-0791

26830 Maple Valley Black Diamond Rd. S.E.
Maple Valley, Wa 98038
425-433-8144

601 Pine St.
Tacoma, Wa
253-212-0580

Online: ophnw.com
Hours: Daily, 6 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Do you prefer your breakfast in the a.m. or p.m.? Tell us in the Comments, and share your favorite place to find it!

—Chelsea Lin

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