Hudson Valley Parent

10 Hudson Valley Parent ■ October 2015 Eating out with kids How not to be THAT family at the restaurant By LINDA FREEMAN B efore you had kids, din- ing out was something you looked forward to. Now, you're not so sure. What if Johnny has a meltdown? What if Suzie starts screaming, throwing food, or won't sit still? What if people at neighboring tables get up and move because of your kids? Having kids doesn't mean you can never eat out in public again. It simply means you need to be prepared. We talked to several kid-friendly eating establishments in the Hudson Valley for their take on how parents can help make dining out a pleasurable experience for everyone. "When I was growing up kids were taught to behave in public," says Doug Vanoppens, night manager at the Red Line Diner in Fishkill. "Parents are sometimes too lax. They don't pay attention to what their kids are doing. They let them run around. There's always a lot of activity in our diner. Servers are car- rying trays and hot coffee. Kids can get hurt. We try to provide crayons and coloring sheets to keep the kids occupied, or give them a cookie if they've behaved well." Developing relationships "I'm a parent so I understand what it is like to dine out with kids," says Katina Partesis, who owns the Yankee Clipper in Beacon along with her husband Niko, her sister Tonia, and her brother-in-law Petros. She also worked in childcare for 10 years before going into the restaurant business. "Kids love to come here. They call us the big red diner," she says. "We develop relationships with our customers and always try to make the experience welcoming and accommodating, say if a family has allergies or food preferences such as no fries for the children. If a child is upset, we take an interest." Frida's Bakery and Café opened in Milton last year after Bob Pollock, the owner of Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa, was looking for another way to showcase the bread baked by Dave Meltzer that he had been serving at the spa's restaurant. Pollock named the new bakery for his daughter and made their new place more than child-friendly: He made it child-fo- cused with a large, sunny playroom attached to the upstairs dining area and an elevator for easy stroller ac- cess. "We have a casual and relaxed atmosphere," says manager Robin Affuso-Marquis. "We don't have wait- ers, just counter service. You order what you want and then fi nd a table. Our cover kid Kaylin, 3, enjoys the playroom at Frida's Bakery + Cafe in Milton.

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