vegetarian Archives - Page 6 of 7

Ample Hills Creamery: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NY

August 8, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food, Prospect Heights / 1 Comment

Summer to me means one thing—the unrelenting search for the city’s best ice cream. My current fave is Ample Hills, which I discovered when they opened up a concession stand at Pier 5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

The concession stand in the park usually has about eight flavors, but I was curious as to what frozen delights I would find at the actual Ample Hills Creamery cafe in Prospect Heights. We made the pilgrimage to Ample Hills Creamery one hot summer’s day to check out the full shebang. The name for the creamery came from a Walt Whitman poem, who liked to wax lyrical about what an awesome place Brooklyn was back in the 1800s (he was an early adopter). The poem goes: “I too lived. Brooklyn of ample hills was mine…” And thus, Ample Hills Creamery was born, using only the freshest local and hormone-free ingredients. The dairy and eggs come from farms in upstate New York.

The first Ample Hills ice cream was sold out of a cart to concert-goers in Prospect Park. It didn’t take long for an ice cream cult to form and grow to the point where a shop was needed to keep up with the demand.

The creamery itself has a lot of space inside—tables, chairs and a little play area for kids in the rear. It’s geared towards people buying a sundae and sitting down to chat, rather than ordering a cone and taking it to go (although you can do both, I’d recommend enjoying your ice cream while taking in the quirky ambiance inside).

The Ample Hills flavours border on the wacky and wild sides, such as their Cotton Candy (which is slate blue), Salted Crack Caramel and Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, which has giant chunks of butter cake mixed into the ice cream.

Their speciality is the “Build a Sundae” ($7.60) — a warm, homemade brownie, topped with your choice of 24 kinds of ice cream, whipped cream, and sprinkles. Buy it to share between at least two people, it’s pretty big.

My Ample Hills staples are Sweet Cookies ‘n Cream, Sweet as Honey and Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. A single serve is $2.75, a double $4.35. I usually get one cone to share with Cheese but lately she’s been eating the lion’s share so pretty soon she will likely need her own.

Ample Hills Creamery, kid-friendly places to eat, Prospect Heights, New York, via brunchwithmybaby.com — Ooey Gooey Butter Cake on top, Sweet as Honey underneath.

After eating our ice cream, we take Cheese to the back section of the creamery, to play in the kids area. It’s thoughtfully planned out with a play kitchen and shop front — selling ice cream, of course — and a bookshelf filled with kids books on ice cream. Cheese is in heaven. We’re stuffed with ice cream. Mission accomplished.

Ample Hills Creamery, kid-friendly places to eat, Prospect Heights, New York — Some fake ice cream after the real stuff.

Last bite: This ice cream shop serves seriously delicious, naturally and locally-made frozen treats. It’s the perfect respite from a steamy summer’s day — plan to sit in for a while, eat up, and let the kids play.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes. Kid-sized scoops of ice cream.

Ample Hills Creamery
623 Vanderbilt Ave,
Brooklyn, NY
Phone: (347) 240 3926
Prices: $
Hours: Sun-Thurs 12pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am

Get directions.

Coney Island Day Trip: Totonno’s Pizza + NY Aquarium

August 6, 2013 / Animal Experiences, Brooklyn Bites, Cheese, Coney Island, Eat & Explore / 0 comment

Totonno’s - kid-friendly restaurants, Coney Island - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Huge pizza. No problem.

A day trip to Coney Island for most people is about sun, fun and hotdogs. For us however, it is all about pizza at Totonno’s, which is quite possibly the best pizza in New York. Big call, I know. But Totonno’s has plenty of press to back them up over the nine decades they’ve been open, as one of the best pies you’ll get in NYC.

Let’s back up a bit: After hearing about the Totonno’s reputation soon after we moved here from Sydney, we were determined to put their pizza to the test. So we decided to make a day trip of it, beginning with pizza and ending with a visit to the nearby NY Aquarium.

We were a bit wary after walking through a few Coney Island back streets, past auto-mechanics, to a nondescript storefront that opened to an old-school diner. Was this really home to one of New York’s best pizzas? We were dubious, but decided to stay and try it out anyway. Note to readers — our visit and these pics were taken before the hurricane, and before Totonno’s remodeling following the disaster. The pizza however, is exactly the same.

Totonno’s - kid-friendly restaurants, Coney Island — Waiting for food in the low-key dining area.

Totonno’s is not a fancy place. It’s more like your grandma’s 1970’s-style kitchen—no frills tables and chairs, old pictures on the walls, and the menu spelled out in tiles above the ordering window. The service was also similar to what you’d get at your grandparents’ house — friendly and casual, with a strong likelihood that one of the owners themselves would be serving you. (Totonno’s is owned by three siblings; Antoinette Balzano, Frank Balzano and Louise Ciminieri; whose grandparents opened the restaurant.) Totonno’s was closed for five months after Hurricane Sandy ripped through Coney Island, opening again on March 24 to the rapture of locals and tourists alike.

The pizza itself is MASSIVE. Absolutely huge. We ordered a large, plain cheese pizza ($19.50). Of course we ate every single last bite. With a pizza that good, it’s a crime to leave a sad little crust behind. And yes, it is as good as it’s reputed to be. The crispy dough, the perfect layering of delicious tomato sauce, and the dollops of fresh mozzarella cheese: Heaven. Go to Coney Island, just for this pizza. If you want something not-pizza, go somewhere else, as this is the only thing they serve on the menu. Add extra toppings for $2.50 each.

When we visited, Cheese was too young to do anything except gnaw on a pizza crust, which she highly enjoyed anyway. They did have a highchair, but we opted to hold her in our laps.

Coney Island via brunchwithmybaby.com — Coney Island beach.

After stuffing yourself with amazing pizza, walk on down to the Coney Island boardwalk to check out the beach and do some people watching.

New York Aquarium via brunchwithmybaby.com — New York Aquarium, Coney Island

Then wander on down like we did, to the also recently re-opened NY Aquarium (at Surf Avenue & West 8th Street) and get up close and personal with some seriously cute sea life. The aquarium also suffered a beating during the hurricane and is still being rebuilt. Several of the animal exhibits have reopened, like the penguins, sea lions, otters and walruses.

Last bite: A family-owned pizzeria that loves families. Scarf down some of the best pizza in NYC, then check out the also recently re-opened New York Aquarium for the perfect day trip.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Totonno’s
1524 Neptune Ave
(between 15th St & 16th St)
Brooklyn, NY 11224
Phone: (718) 372 8606
Price: $$
Hours: Wed-Sun 12pm-8pm

Get directions.

The Meatball Shop, 84 Stanton: Kid-friendly Restaurants, LES, NY

August 1, 2013 / Lower East Side, Manhattan Munchies / 0 comment

As a vegetarian, a good (non-meat) meatball is hard to find. Obviously. When I read that The Meatball Shop served vege meatballs as well as a wide range of vegetarian sides and options, I was there the next day. Or a few weeks later, when I got the chance – doesn’t sound as good though, does it?

Meatball Shop LES - Lower East Side — Only signage is on the top of the building.

The Lower East Side Meatball Shop is right near Alec’s office, so Cheese and I dropped by one Friday to take him to lunch. I walked right past it twice before realising it had no signage at ground level. Look up people, so you don’t look like the fool I did.

I adore any menu where I can pick and choose exactly what I want. I especially love when I can tick boxes so the server doesn’t get confused by my accent.

We chose the naked balls (snigger) and two sides – mashed potato and steamed spinach.

It’s worth noting here that we had an outdoor table as it was the best option with Cheese. The interior looked a bit small to squish in with a toddler and all of her gear. The helpful staff did store our stroller somewhere though – perhaps through some door that opened up into a magical portal of extra storage space.

The food arrived really quickly . It didn’t look like a huge amount, but afterwards I was so full I thought my stomach would explode.

We gave Cheese some of the vegetarian meatballs and spinach, but all she was interested in was the mashed potato. What can I say, the girl loves carbs.

Last bite: The Meatball Shop is for carnivores and herbivores alike. Come hungry, pack light and be prepared to squeeze in and eat big.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Minimal.
Easy access: It’s a bit tight, but no stairs.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

The Meatball Shop, 84 Stanton
84 Stanton St
New York, NY
Phone: {212} 982 8895
Prices: $$
Hours: Sun-Thur 12pm-2am, Fri-Sat 12pm-4am

St Jude: Baby-Friendly Cafes, Redfern, Sydney

July 31, 2013 / Eastern Suburbs, Redfern, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

If you’re cruising down the Redfern side of Bourke St, do not pass the non-descript building that houses St Jude without tasting at least one of their delicious dishes. Whilst it’s a super busy tiny slip of a café, the outdoor tables make for a baby-friendly place to brunch.

St Jude: baby-friendly cafes, Redfern, Sydney, via brunchwithmybaby.com — St Jude exterior. *Photo by Emily Staresina*

St Jude’s brunch offerings are enough to please—and quite possibly impress—even the most seasoned Eastern Suburb gourmand. Neither Lorin nor I, nor Baby Lukas come to think of it, are vegetarian, but today we sampled two of St Jude’s vegetarian offerings. (St Jude isn’t a vegetarian-only café, but breakfast for us usually includes the delicious and revered pork in one format or another, so for us both to try a veggie-only breakfast, and to be fully satisfied, is a testament to St Jude!)

The interior is a little small, with the cozy booths lining the far wall making for comfortable baby seating. The handful of outdoor tables are ideal if you can get one—especially given the ridiculously nice winter weather we’ve been having!

This Saturday morning, we descended upon St Jude’s in a bit of hurry (with Baby Lukas possible ready to implode due to it being nap time). We were initially seated at the world’s smallest table but another waiter took pity on us and moved us to a larger table the second he was able to.

Choosing from the menu was hard, but we both struck gold. The Sweet Corn and Pumpkin Fritters with Avocado Cream, Poached Egg, Hollandaise and Baby Spinach ($14.50), sampled by Lorin, was a dynamite choice, and one worth getting, even if you don’t think you’re a fritters kind of bruncher. I went for the Avocado Smash with Salsa, Fresh Spinach and Feta ($14.50), which Baby Lukas and I pretty much fought each other for. Luckily for us, the servings were more than generous.

Last bite: If you’re looking for a baby-friendly café where you can sit outside and enjoy these ridiculously sunny Sydney winter days while sampling some of the tastiest brunch this side of Bourke St, St Jude is the place for you.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Not unless you sit outside.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No, but kids won’t starve.

St. Jude
728 Bourke St, Redfern 2016
Phone: (02) 9310 3523
Prices: $
Hours: Mon-Sun 7am-4pm
Get Directions

Baked: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Red Hook, New York

July 30, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, New York Food, Red Hook / 0 comment

Baked is a Red Hook bakery created by entrepreneurs, Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, with their dream to “Open a great American bakery that is not a cupcake shop”. Baked was born in January 2005 in the neighborly neighborhood of Red Hook, Brooklyn. It is now so well-known that people from all over Brooklyn and even Manhattan trek out to Red Hook (hey, there’s not much transport, it’s totally a trek!) just to try their treats.

The cafe is cute and cosy—with a long line snaking around the register of fellow cake-lovers. The booth cross-benches are filled with people on laptops and friends catching up over snacks.

With such a huge selection of treats, it’s difficult to know what to try. They’re well-known for their giant marshmallows, and, even though they didn’t want to be a cupcakery, their cupcakes are known to be pretty good too.

Baked: kid-friendly cafes, Red Hook, New York - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Where the magic happens!

We sat in a booth at the back where we could park the stroller behind us. The kitchen is next to the tables, with an open glass window to check out the baking in progress. Older kids will enjoy seeing their favourite treats being made before their eyes. Cheese just wanted to smash the glass jars.

I chose the intriguingly named “Coca-Cola Bunt Cake“. Disappointingly, it only had the slightest hint of Coca-Cola flavour in the icing—otherwise it was just another delicious chocolate cake.

Alec tried the Focaccia with Spinach, Tomato and Cheese as he’s not a big cake-lover (I know, right? How are we even married?!). He said it was delicious and would order it again.

We ordered Cheese a Scone of the Day in chocolate and banana. It was a good scone, but sadly Cheese just wanted the cake, of course.

Last bite: Join the rest of New York and take a day trip to Red Hook for delicious baked goods from Baked. Allow time for wandering around the quaint houses and parks in the area—and perhaps get the ferry home!

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Minimal.
Easy access: No. There are a few steps to get in.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Baked
359 Van Brunt St
Brooklyn, NY
Phone: (718) 222 0345
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-7pm Sat-Sun 8am-7pm

Get directions.

Wahwah Lounge: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Waterloo, Sydney

July 23, 2013 / Eastern Suburbs, Sydney, Sydney Food, Waterloo / 0 comment

Wahwah Lounge is one heck of a baby-friendly cafe. From the super cozy booths to the staff who treat your baby like a rock star, not to mention the yummy food, Wahwah Lounge in Waterloo is an easy, breezy place to brunch.

At Wahwah Lounge, the best place for containing a baby is in one of their cosy corner booths, which is where the friendly staff suggested we sit upon arrival. With Baby Lukas leaning over our booth and making friends with the people in the next one over (even the other patrons seem to love babies!), we ordered our food.

Wahwah Lounge - kid-friendly restaurants, Waterloo, NSW- via brunchwithmybaby.com — Baby Lukas making friends in one of the booths. *Photo by Emily Staresina.*

Wahwah Lounge has an awesome all-day brunch menu, and does staples like poached eggs, really well. This time around, I ordered their Free Range Eggs (poached) with Soy Linseed Toast ($10.50), and a cheeky side of bacon. Lorin ordered the French Toast with Maple Syrup, Strawberries and Crème Fraiche ($12.50), which I have to say, was also a very smart choice.

Wahwah Lounge - kid-friendly restaurants, Sydney, NSW- via brunchwithmybaby.com — Wahwah Lounge – Poached eggs on soy linseed toast ($10.50). Photo by Emily Staresina.

Stuck into our food, it wasn’t until several mouthfuls later that we realised Baby Lukas was “drinking” (also know as “seriously leaking”) milk from his sippy cup, and it was going all over the clean upholstered booth. Now, not only did the staff not fuss when they saw (after I frantically and apologetically asked for napkins), but they told us not to give it a second thought as these things happen, and that’s why they have regular cleanings scheduled. Far more forgiving than they should have been, WalWah truly is a baby-friendly place.

Despite nearly destroying the joint, Baby Lukas got several high-fives from the staff on the way out.

Last bite: If you’re looking for a no-fuss, no-stress outing with solid food and where Baby will be treated like royalty (even if they’re a bit naughty), Wahwah Lounge in Waterloo should be your next brunch destination.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Not really. Small strollers are ok.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No. But lots for kiddies to choose from.

Wahwah Lounge
1 Danks Street
Waterloo, NSW 2017
Phone: (02) 9699 3456
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5pm, Sat 8am-4pm, Sun 8am-3pm
Get Directions

Nom Wah Tea Parlor: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Chinatown, New York

July 16, 2013 / Chinatown, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food / 4 Comments

Nom-wah dumplings — Be prepared for dumplings!

It’s a rare day that I’m out without my kid. Usually she’s my trusty (although not at all trust-worthy) sidekick, for better or for worse. On this particular day, however, I found myself heading out to try Nom Wah Tea Parlor with some friends, with the promise that I would be able to eat my dim sum heart out with Nom Wah’s extensive list of vegetarian options.

Nom Wah is a famous dim sum eatery in Chinatown, that has been operating in some shape or form on Doyers Street since 1920 (it originally opened as a bakery and tea parlor). People queue outside for a long time (how long, I don’t exactly know, as we got there when it opened to avoid that exact problem!) for a chance to squeeze into this retro tea parlor/dim sum emporium and eat, eat, eat the cheap and delicious dim sum.

Which leads me to why I was childless on this day. Toddlers (particularly mine) have a set napping schedule that cannot be messed with, or bad things happen. Plagues of locusts and such. Since Cheese is a morning napper, it means we can’t ever have brunch somewhere at opening hour (10:30 am). With Nom Wah, getting there at opening hour is the best choice unless you want to join the giant queue, so that’s how I turned up to review a restaurant for kid-friendliness, minus the actual kid.

Also in our party was a friend who is gluten-intolerant. Nom Wah is great for people with all kinds of dietary requirements because so much of the menu is made with rice instead of wheat flour, so my friend was in absolute food heaven with so many gluten-free food choices. Plus, the menu even indicates those items that are gluten-free.

While I ate at Nom Wah minus my toddler, the restaurant was packed with small kids, ranging from small babies and up. Children are very welcome no matter their age, so long as they’re happy to be squished into a small booth or sitting on an adult’s lap at the table. No room for strollers, so bring a carrier if possible. The service is fast if you can get their attention, and the food arrives swiftly, piping hot and flavourful. It’s a great opportunity to teach kids about dumplings in an environment where kids are welcome.

Last bite: Arrive when Nom Wah opens to be seated straight away, or be prepared to join a long queue. An authentic, affordable, and casual place to order lots of fun dishes so kids can experiment with all the flavours and textures. Chopsticks optional!

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Nom Wah Tea Parlor, Chinatown
13 Doyers St.
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (212) 962 6047
Prices $
Hours: Sun-Thur 10:30am-9pm; Fri-Sat 10:30am-10pm

TriBeCa Treats: Kid-friendly Cafes, TriBeCa, New York

July 9, 2013 / Manhattan Munchies, TriBeCa / 0 comment

After a traumatic trip to the paediatrician for Baby J, Alexis, Cheese, Baby J and I all badly needed a pick-me-up. A quick Google search revealed nearby TriBeCa Treats, so we trundled off to get a sugar hit to power us through the rest of the afternoon.

The interior was surprisingly roomy – plenty of space for multiple large strollers to comfortably fit inside. A long table in the middle gave the shop a communal dining-feel. When we were there, two little girls were happily coloring and reading books at the table. (This would be a great place to bring kids after school to start on homework or to unwind. We will keep this in mind for the future!).

Tribeca Treats - cupcakes — Tribeca Treats – cupcakes.

Of course, what we were most interested in, was the treats. TriBeCa Treats sells a wide variety of cupcakes at a (Manhattan) bargain of $2 each, as well as brownies, cookies and more.

A sweet little kiddie table near the counter was a really nice touch, so the kids happily sat at the table eating their treats instead of running around like escapees from the loonie bin.

Towards the front of the store there are a variety of cute greeting cards and lots of accoutrements (paper plates, napkins, gifts) for a party to go with your bakery order.

Last bite: This little gem of a cafe is a great place to stop by for a sugar hit with the kids—or without them.

Highchairs: No. But there is a toddler-sized table for the littles.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: No. There are a few steps to get in.
Change tables: No. But there is a bathroom behind the counter that patrons can use (you just have to ask).
Kids’ menu: No.

Tribeca Treats
94 Reade St (btwn. West Broadway and Church St.)
New York, NY 10013
Phone: (212) 571 0500
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 12pm-5pm

Willow Road: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Chelsea, New York

July 1, 2013 / Chelsea, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food / 0 comment

One of our favourite areas of the city is in Chelsea right under the High Line, with Chelsea Markets, the Hudson River Park and Chelsea Piers all a short stroll away. A new eatery to this prime strip of real estate is Willow Road, a New American restaurant and bar offering twists on classic dishes and an extensive cocktail menu (try the Hair of the Dog pick, the Willow Fresca—sparkling wine, fords gin, fresh lemon, peach tincture—$14, for a refreshing zing to wake you right up).

Thanks to the not so reliable service on the subway, we arrived late and somewhat dishevelled. The hostess couldn’t have been friendlier or more charming, letting us sit at the table while we waited for everyone else to arrive. No highchairs, so we sat in a corner booth-type area, and squished the Cheese between us to stop her from escaping. The vibe was a bit party-like, which was surprising for a brunch crowd. A hen’s party wearing candy pink cowboy hats took up one large table (and were amazingly mellow), while upbeat tunes played over the speakers.

Willow Road, kid-friendly restaurants, Chelsea, New York, via brunchwithmybaby.com — Bread basket, $10

We ordered the bread basket to keep Cheese entertained while we waited for everyone to arrive and order—it came literally in a casserole dish, possibly the most bread I’ve even see dished up on a plate. It was fresh and warm, but with no butter, spreads or oil. Upon request we were given a dish of whipped butter, which complemented the bread to perfection.

It seems like Cheese has reached a certain difficult age where dining out is similar to our first few months with her as newborn. As in, one of us would eat while the other walked around rocking the baby. Now, instead of being rocked, our chaos-loving toddler, who refuses to sit still for a minute, needs to be escorted around by one parent, while the other gets a few minutes to shovel in her food. We’d been warned to expect this at her age (22 months), so it’s not a big surprise. It does, however, mean our restaurant choices for the next few months will be a lot less of the sit-down variety, and more of the grab-and-go kind.

We had a few friends with us, so we ordered a good variety of brunch food, including the Crispy Black Kale (with pecorino, chile and garlic), Cast Iron Baked Eggs (with chorizo, charred scallion, parmesan cream, $16), Slow-Cooked Eggs (with steel cut oats, smoked bacon and maple hollandaise, $15), Egg White Omelette (with spring vegetables and charred tomato sauce, $14), Charred Bean Salad (with mustard seed, pepita and smoked paprika, $14) and the star dish of the day, the Brioche French Toast (with banana-apple caramel and whipped sour cream, $15).

The Charred Bean Salad was the dish of choice for our gluten-and dairy-intolerant friend. It was also perfect for both of the vegetarians at the table. A great mix of flavours and textures with perfectly grilled beans and seeds, and a zing of paprika.

My Brioche French Toast was lusted after by everyone except the toddler who just wanted to eat pieces of ice from the water chiller. It was everything French toast should be—light, fluffy, sweet, and covered in a delicious apricot and caramel fruit compote, with a dash of whipped sour cream. It. was. amazing. I may have shared it around to stop all the hungry faces from staring at me.

While Willow Road had none of the usual baby-friendly paraphernalia, what they did have was extremely friendly and accommodating staff. Miss Cheese was at her wriggliest (walk! walk! down! down!) and spent the entire time running around the restaurant (yes, we were THOSE people) and up and down the ramp and stairs out the front. The hostess and other staff we ran (literally) into during these strolls could not have been more understanding and kind, making it super kid-friendly even without highchairs and change tables.

Last bite: A great option for brunch with friends or a date night in Chelsea. Bring the kids for a fun meal, with super friendly and accommodating staff. Order the Brioche French Toast and a Hair of the Dog, and enjoy a relaxed outing.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Minimal – bring a fold-up stroller or carrier.
Easy access: No. There are a few steps to get in after the ramp at the entrance.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Willow Road
85 10th Ave (between 15th St. & 16th St.)
New York, 10011
Phone: (646) 484 6566
Prices: $$$
Hours: Brunch: Sat-Sun 11am-3pm Lunch: Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm Dinner: Mon-Sun 5:30pm-3am
Reservations

Food Trucks at the Barclays Center in Prospect Heights, New York

June 13, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, New York Food, Prospect Heights / 0 comment

Cool Haus food truck - kid-friendly Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Cool Haus food truck

Here’s some happy news for foodies who usually hunt down food trucks on Twitter: Brooklynites can now catch some of their faves on select weekends—July 6 and Sept. 7—at the plaza outside of the Barclays Center.

Frites 'N' Meats food truck - kid friendly Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York - via Brunchwithmybaby.com — Frites ‘N’ Meats food truck

We wandered on by to check out the food trucks on their opening day, and were so pleasantly surprised to see a great variety of trucks (with no queues) and plenty of seating in the shade. Score! The food trucks out on that day were: Kimchi Taco Truck, (think Korean-cross-Mexican), Treats Truck (the actual truck that serves the Carroll Gardens store of the same name), Coolhaus (build-your-own ice cream sandwiches), Mamu Thai Noodle (a family-owned and operated truck specialising in Thai food), Frites ‘n’ Meats (design your own burgers) and Taim Mobile (gourmet falafels and smoothies).

Barclays Center - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Shade

We were planning to pick up food from a truck and walk with it to Prospect Park. But when we felt an unexpected cool breeze coming through the plaza (on an otherwise stifling hot day), we decided to sit and eat in the nearby plaza instead.

Taim Mobile - kid-friendly food, Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York via Brunchwithmybaby.com — Taim Mobile

I’d been wanting to try Taim in the West Village for ages, so was delighted to see their truck Taim Mobile in attendance. Taim is great for more than just vegetarians like myself—their falafels are gluten-free and cooked to order in 0% trans-fat vegetable oil. All of the items on their menu are vegetarian—most are actually vegan (items with a * on the menu contain either dairy or egg products).

We decided to share a few things—the Mediterranean Platter, $9 (hummus, tahini, israeli salad, green cabbage, quinoa salad and pita), Falafel Side, $4 (six balls) the Date Lime Banana smoothie with soy milk, $5, and Falafel Sandwich, $6.50 (green falafel, hummus, israeli salad, green cabbage and tahini sauce).

In retrospect we didn’t need the sandwich—we had SO MUCH FOOD. We tried our best to eat some of everything, but admitted defeat with groaning stomaches. Note to fellow diners—the platter plus falafels are PLENTY for two people to share, plus a toddler. Miss Cheese tried a bit of everything, and decided she liked the smoothie, pita and falafels best—perfect kid food, by the way.

Barclays Center food trucks - kid-friendly food, Barclays Center Brooklyn, New York via Brunchwithmybaby.com — Loving the soy banana shake.

We let Cheese sit on our laps or on a proper chair since she was too wiggly to stay in the stroller. If your kid sits still you can park them right at the table. We each also took turns chasing her around the plaza while the other parent finished his or her food. There was a lot of shade and plenty of fun things for toddlers to explore (doors and fences and tables, oh my!), so she was actually really reluctant to leave.

Treats Truck - kid friendly Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York - via brunchwithmybaby.com — Treats Truck food truck for desserts.

Last bite: A great variety of food surrounding a shady plaza with tables and chairs. Put the dates on your calendar and make it part of a day trip to Prospect Park.

Barclays Center
620 Atlantic Ave. (between Dean St and Flatbush Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Food Truck Dates: June 1, July 6 and Sept. 7
Hours: Saturdays, 11am-5pm