Holiday dining in Tokyo where the kids can run amuck and eat like kings
With the end of the year approaching, I decided to scout out potential candidates for a holiday meal with my children. My criteria: good food (of course) with something on the menu that would appeal to the under-12 set, great ambience — special enough ...
Lunch on a 'beach' in the center of the city
I wiggle my toes in soft white sand and watch the children play happily a few feet away. Just add the sound of the crashing surf and you might have tricked me into thinking I was on a beach holiday — as one of ...
A child's dream day: lunch, ice-cream and fun at the park
When cooler weather is upon us, my daughter and I like to venture to neighborhood parks to spend some time outdoors. Since I like to eat out and she likes to play, I have found that one of the keys to a peaceful meal ...
Organic meals and fine art are a panacea for parental guilt
In search of respite from the stifling heat and a place to burn off some overabundant preschooler energy, this month we headed to the charming Organic Cafe LuLu in Tokyo's Kiba neighborhood. This excursion was really about assuaging my ever-present uncertainty and motherly guilt about ...
Tokyo's family restaurant that breaks the dingy stereotype
Family restaurants, or "famiresu," as they are often called in Japan, are a type of restaurant that's ubiquitous throughout the country. Denny's, Royal Host and Jonathan's are examples of famiresu chains. 100 Spoons, in the Tokyo neighborhood of Futako Tamagawa — specifically the Rise Shopping ...
Eat and play the rainy days away at Cafe Annteana
Rain — it's enough to strike fear into the heart of the most seasoned parent, as you madly scramble for ways to entertain a child cooped up indoors. Coming to the rescue this rainy season is Cafe Annteana in Tokyo's Daikanyama neighborhood, an establishment ...
Escape the grime of Shibuya's streets at Daylight Kitchen
With the weather we've been having, I've been looking for any excuse to dine al fresco. If you're in the Shibuya area, look no further than Daylight Kitchen. Located behind the Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel and just a quick walk from Shibuya Station, Daylight Kitchen ...
Lead your little connoisseur to a world beyond French fries
I heard about Ai to Ibukuro — a cozy little Japanese-French restaurant in Tokyo's Sangenjaya district — through a friend who likes to visit it when celebrating birthdays and anniversaries with the entire family. It can be a challenge to find restaurants that don't ...
Kid-friendly Meguro cafes put the cherry on hanami season
Spring in Japan is not complete without hanami (cherry blossom viewing), and one of my favorite spots in Tokyo is along the stretch of the Meguro River from Nakameguro Station to Yamate-dori, which is lined on both sides with rows of cherry trees. Once you ...
Kiddie comfort food reigns supreme at Baby King Kitchen
Blink and you might miss it, but tucked away on a side street, off the old-school shōtengai (shopping street) in Tokyo's Koenji neighborhood, is Baby King Kitchen, an establishment where even adults eat off the kid's menu. Not entirely sure what to expect on our ...
Grab a patio lunch before winter arrives
Nothing spells fall like a pile of leaves just waiting to be jumped in, especially for children or those who are still kids at heart. Add to that a steaming hot beverage and some scrumptious eats, and a perfect fall afternoon is born. Fulfilling that ...
Halloween barbecue site is an inferno for all the family
Looking for a way to indulge in the glorious fall weather and Halloween festivities, my 3-year-old daughter and I ventured out to meet one of her friends at Toyosu on Sunday afternoon. Our destination of the day was The Third Park, an American barbecue spot ...
