3 wild kids visit The Wild Hare!

Food – ♥♥♥♥ 1/2

Atmosphere – ♥♥♥

Service – ♥♥♥♥1/2

Kidability – ♥♥♥♥

KT is back! We’ve had several requests to continue to provide a kid’s perspective on Nashville food hotspots, so we’re going to do our best to bring you new and exciting spots for dining, as well as shopping, entertainment and events…ALL GEARED TOWARDS KIDS! Since this kid-foodie’s first focus on every outing is where our meal will take place, let’s get to it…

Mom heard about this little gem on one of her favorite blogs, Style Blueprint. Their adult review said that it was a good place for kids, so we had to try it! A bit off the beaten path, we really weren’t sure where we would end up but we’re so happy to have finally found The Wild Hare! The restaurant itself is an unassuming little house on White Bridge Road, off of Charlotte Pike. You can find directions on their website. While the outside doesn’t look like a kid-friendly haven, the inside is lively, bright, and can even be entertaining. Entertaining is good when you have a 17 month old little sister who’s idea of sitting still lasts for about 45 seconds!

Mom read on the Style Blueprint blog that if you come with kids, you should ask to sit at one of the booths bordered by a chalkboard-covered wall. We did just that, and there was one still available! They provided the chalk and we all got to work on our masterpieces.

The food, you ask? Delicious. We started with a huge helping of lightly fried veggies. These aren’t your out of the box, into the fryer, kind of veggies. Mom says that they probably came from a local farmers market, were still crisp and juicy and we’re pretty sure that the cooks hand-breaded each piece. They were awesome. The sauce that came with them was a little spicy for kids, but mom loved it so much, she brought it home. Little brother had a juicy burger and fries for his main course, little sister had the home made mac and cheese, and I dined on a yummy BLT, hold the T! Mom said that her wedge salad with a Goat Cheese croquet was one of the best salads she had ever eaten!

The owner and servers were incredibly nice and beyond understanding of our, eh-hem, toddler situation. Baby sister managed to irk a few of the other patrons but the people working at The Wild Hare did everything they could to help us, including packaging up our leftovers and bringing our bill at the speed of lightening! Those two things make Mom very happy! I’d like to go back, but only if we can leave the little one behind. She’s become a little difficult to take out lately, so mom and I will have to make some girl-time lunch and dinner dates to continue our reviews!

Come visit KT often! We’ll be posting another review before you can get your kids piled into the minivan!

Yours in food,
KT Nashville

“Sweet CeCe’s” gets even sweeter!

Ok, KT is back and committed to at least one new post per week!  Mom has been busy being a mom and working on getting her photography business up and running, so we’ve been a little “lax” in our posting efforts.  That doesn’t mean that we’ve forgotten about dining around town, however.  So many places offer kid-friendly meals in the Nashville area, I’m not really sure where to start!

Mom says sometimes it’s ok to start with dessert, so I guess now is as good of a time as any!  Sweet CeCe’s, our family favorite for a healthier treat, has opened a new location in Brentwood!  Similar to the feel of the Franklin shop, this new location is decorated beautifully with bright colors and cute table decor!  Mom actually got to meet the designer for the shop when she was buying the adorable pink flowers that adorn each table in the new spot!  I think I need those for my room!

If you haven’t been to the new Brentwood location, you will be thrilled to see the tall silos of treats for your fro-yo!  They are so tall, they go up to the ceiling!  I wonder how many boxes of cereal they use to fill each one up and how long it takes to go through one?  By the line wrapped around the building at their Grand Opening party, I bet the nice girls working there have plenty of work to keep them busy!

The only mention of disappointment from Mom and Dad about Sweet CeCe’s is that they no longer accept American Express.  We know that merchant fees can be a damper on the bottom line, but we think that a company with such a great product and loyal customers should make their yumminess as accessible as possible.  So, for now, we’ll remember to empty our piggy banks before we visit, but we hope that the owners will “revisit” that decision.

If you haven’t been to Sweet CeCe’s, today would be a great day to try it!  Tuesdays are “two punch” days which brings you even closer to getting your next fro-yo treat on the house!

Yours in food,

KT

Next up…we head in town to one of Guy Fieri’s favorite spots!

Related Articles

• Sweet CeCe’s expanding to Farragut (knoxnews.com)

Breakfast, anyone?

Image via Wikipedia

Food    ♥♥♥♥♥

Service ♥♥♥♥

Atmosphere ♥♥♥♥

Price ♥♥

Kidability ♥♥♥♥♥

KT has found a new favorite breakfast spot that you have to try…NOW!

The Pfunky Griddle in the Berry Hill area was awesome!  Every table has its own griddle in the middle and everyone gets to make their own pancakes!  $6.99 for adults and $4.99 for kids gets you as much batter as you need to fill your belly with either traditional or Organic 5 grain pancakes!  You also get one topping of your choice to put in or on your cakes!  Grammy was in town so we had 3 adults and 2 kids and there were plenty of toppings to go around.  Mom and Grammy loved the 5 grain batter with mixed berries. Little Brother, in his usual health-conscious way, went with M&M’s for his mix, and Dad and I loved putting bananas and chocolate chips in our pancakes!

If you’re not a pancake lover, they have more traditional breakfast items like eggs, sausage and biscuits.  You can check out their entire menu online.

KT gives the Pfunky Griddle a perfect score for “Kidability”! Take your kids there this weekend for a breakfast they’ll never forget!

http://www.thepfunkygriddle.com

PF Changs leaves us hanging…

Food     ♥♥

Service  ♥♥

Atmosphere ♥♥♥

Price ♥♥

Kidability ♥♥

Ok, so we know every review can’t be rainbows and lollipops.  We just hate that it has to be one of KT’s family go-to’s for good Asian cuisine in a reasonable amount of time for a decent price.  For whatever reason, the PF Changs in Cool Springs was not on their A-Game last night.

Dad decided it would be nice to take the family out to dinner so Mom didn’t have to cook…again.  So, knowing that she loves spicy, Asian food and we kids love eating with chopsticks, he suggested a family outing to PF Changs.  Everyone was excited with this plan and being that it’s right in the heart of Cool Springs on a holiday weekend, Mom decided to call ahead to put our name on the wait list.

Problem #1 :     Ok, so we’re not off to the best start.  Mom called and asked to be put on the “Call ahead” list for preferred seating.  We’ve been to PF Changs all over the country who offer this as an option to cut down your wait once you arrive.  She said “we’d like to put our name on the wait list,” to which the gentleman on the other end of the phone said, “we don’t do that”.  After asking him in a few different ways, she received the same answer, that’s not an option here.

Since Dad has used this option in the past, as well, he suggested that mom call back and talk to someone else.  Perhaps the person was new or not familiar with their policies.  Ok, no problem.  She was relieved to have someone different answer the phone to which she asked, “do you all do call ahead seating?”  This gentleman told her that they do not do call ahead seating but do take reservations.  ”Ok,” Mom replied, “put us down for 4 plus a baby seat sling and we’ll be there in a half hour.”  Well, apparently that’s not within their policy either.  Mom was told that to make a reservation you had to be at least an hour out.  After a few more questions, we determined that they were not on a wait so Mom and Dad decided to go ahead with the plan.

Problem #2 We got to the restaurant and were told that we would have no longer than a 5 minute wait.  It was surprisingly empty.  After watching 4-5 large parties go in and be seated and waiting much longer than the quoted time, mom decided to revisit the host stand.  She was then told that the reason that all of these people were being seated but we weren’t was because they didn’t have any baby slings for Baby Sister’s car seat.  Mom suggested that maybe they give us the option of putting her in a booth or possibly even a highchair because if we continued to wait, the restaurant could fill up and we may be there for a lot longer than we had planned.  Within a few minutes, they were able to seat us comfortably in a booth with ample room for the baby seat.

Problem #3:  Ample room, yes.  Ample time for server to get to his tables, no.  We literally sat for another 10 minutes before the manager came to take our drink/appetizer order.  At this point, mom and dad were making jokes of us possibly being on an episode of “Candid Camera”.  Little did they know that the joke was truly on us and things would continue to get worse from this point.

Problem #4: We waited a while for our appetizers to come out and in the mean time were greeted by a very friendly, albeit swamped, server.  He was able to take our dinner order and get it into the computer in a timely fashion, so it looked like things were turning around for the better.  Shortly after we finished our Dynamite Shrimp and Dumplings (both very tasty, by the way), the entrees were brought out.  Dad cut into his steak and asked Mom if she thought it looked a little “strange”.

Sidebar…Mom and Dad both spent some time in their twenties in the food service business.  They have a ton of respect for people who serve and cook food at restaurants and in their 13 years together, not one of them has ever sent back a piece of food.  Not once.  So, when Mom looked at Dad’s steak and INSISTED he send it back, we knew it was bad.  Well, it was.  So bad that the server had the manager come to our table and after taking one glance at it, the only words he could use to express what he thought was “that’s disgusting”.  Not a good thing.

After trying tirelessly to get Dad to order something else, the manager finally gave up and let us know that he’d be sending a dessert to the table for the family to enjoy.  That was a nice thought, but Mom and Dad were ready to get out of there!

Dad and Baby Sister headed to the car, Little Brother, Mom and I waited for the check and we headed out the door, to-go bag in hand,  with enough chocolate cake to feed the neighborhood.

Insider tip – If you decide to give PF Changs a chance, even after this review, the kids meal deals are great, from a price, portion and taste perspective.  KT had the Chicken Fried Rice which was $2.95 and Little Brother had the Sweet/Sour Chicken which was $3.95.  Very reasonable and this alone would have given PF Changs a Kidability score of 5 HEARTS, had the rest of the scenario not taken place.

We will go back to PF Changs, but hope that the store in Cool Springs works a little harder to get a quality meal on our table in less than the 1 hour and 45 minutes it took us last night.  Such a bummer for KT and family since we were really looking forward to this dinner out!

Your friend in food,

KT

Fro-Yo 411!

The frozen yogurt craze is sweeping the country and Nashville has several options to choose from.  Our favorite is the subject of today’s review…

Sweet CeCe’s

Food          ♥♥♥♥♥

Service      ♥♥♥♥

Atmosphere  ♥♥♥♥

Price         ♥♥

Kidability  ♥♥♥♥♥

We have become regular visitors at the Sweet CeCe’s in Historic Franklin.  Their location is in a corner building, decked out in bright pinks, purples, blues and greens, and from the minute you walk in, no matter how old you are, you feel like a kid in a candy shop!  They are constantly rotating flavors and it seems like there’s something new every time we go! KT’s favorite combo is Dark Chocolate yogurt mixed with colored sprinkles, chunks of cookie dough and topped with hot fudge.  ”Little Brother” goes all out and mixes everything from cereal to gumballs in his yogurt!

Insider tips from KT…

1.  Don’t go crazy with the yogurt.  They give you HUGE cups for a reason, but you don’t need to fill them up.  The cost of your yogurt depends on its weight. Mom says, “leave plenty of room in your cup to mix in the yummy toppings!”

2.  Get a “frequent visitor” punch card.  They’ll give you one hole punch per yogurt and when you get 9 punches, the 10th yogurt is on the house!

There’s a new Sweet CeCe’s shop in Hillsboro Village near the Vanderbilt campus, one in Belle Meade Hill Center and there are shops opening up all over the country.  KT gives Sweet CeCe’s 5 HEARTS for Kidability which means, you MUST take your kids there, NOW!!!

http://www.sweetceces.com

Your friend in food,

KT

Honkey-Tonkin’ Good Time at Wild Horse Saloon!

Food    ♥♥                                                                                                                                           Atmosphere-  ♥♥♥♥1/2                                                                                                             Service-     ♥♥♥                                                                                                                                 Price-  ♥♥                                                                                                                                           Kidability-  ♥♥♥♥♥

Ok, so you’re probably thinking, how does a place with the word “Saloon” in its name get 5 HEARTS for Kidability…well, my mom was just as surprised.  We had friends from out of town come to Nashville to visit and they wanted to do something “totally touristy”.  Mom and Dad did a little research and found out that Wildhorse Saloon offers free line dancing classes starting around 5pm daily.  After a quick phone call to confirm that kids are allowed, we loaded 2 moms and 5 kids into the SUV and headed into the big city!

Really, what could be more Nashville than a loud, country bar/restaurant where kids of all ages can learn to line dance and listen to a great country music “house band” while you wait for your food?  Although we were having too much fun to really stop and care about what looked good on the menu, Wildhorse’s kid’s menu is pretty run of the mill.  Chicken fingers,  burgers, mac n cheese, and just to make sure you know you’re in the south, the obligatory pulled pork sandwich are all available in kids’ portions for around $5.

We were all blown away by the line dancing teacher who treated us kids like little line dancing stars.  The staff at Wildhorse is extremely friendly and accommodating to big groups with several children and there was plenty of room for us to bring a stroller right up to the table.  There is also a small video arcade in the front of the restaurant in case you have someone who is not entertained enough by the dancing and singing, aka My Little Brother.

The parents have a ton of options to choose from when it comes to food and drinks.  The moms we brought along for the ride really loved the fried pickles!

Two important things to know…

1. Make sure you check their calendar online before you head to Wildhorse Saloon.  We had so much fun the first night, we decided to go again the following night and after getting everyone in the car, into downtown Nashville and unloaded, we got to the front door only to be told that there was no restaurant entry because Ted Nugent was playing! A big disappointment for our group!

2. Although there are several parking lots in the area, our moms found that the most convenient place to park was with the valet at Hard Rock, just a few doors down from Wildhorse.  It’s easy to pull in, unload your crew and not worry about the safety of the parking lot you choose or getting into one of those tight spots.

Put on your cowboy boots, head down to Wildhorse Saloon and be sure to bring your kids!

http://www.wildhorsesaloon.com

Yours in food,

KT

Lunch Date – Burger Up!

Food – ♥♥♥♥                                                                                                                                     Comfort- ♥♥♥                                                                                                                                   Service- ♥♥♥♥                                                                                                                                 Price- ♥♥♥                                                                                                                                         Kidability- ♥♥♥1/2

KT’s Review…

Burger-Up is a trendy, upscale burger shop in the equally trendy “12th South” area of Nashville.  After a morning at The Frist, my mom decided to take us to Burger-Up for lunch based on a recommendation of a friend.  Being the open-minded, foody that I am, I was ready for something new, something fresh, and something beyond chicken fingers, so I was ready to give it a shot.

Getting to the front door was a bit of a challenge.  There is only on-street parking so for 3 kids and their mom, it’s always like running an obstacle course to get safely from the car into the restaurant.  We parked across 12th Street on one of the side roads, all held hands, and made a run for it!

Once we got inside, we were immediately seated at a fun table by the window and life was good.  The servers were extremely friendly, helpful to my mom with getting the baby carrier placed safely in the seat next to her, and they handed my brother and I each our own Dr. Seuss book!  Dr. Seuss book at a restaurant?  That’s strange, but ok, I’ll read it over.  When I opened the first page, there right before my eyes…A KID’s MENU!  What a great idea!

My brother and I both went for cheeseburger sliders and fries.  We’re at a place with “Burger” in the name, surely this is the best choice.  In less than 10 minutes, our food came out and I sunk my teeth into one of the best burgers a kid can get their hands around.  Juicy but cooked through, great bread, and the perfect amount of these yummy, fatter than french fries, potatoes.  So good, even my picky, little brother totally cleaned his plate!

Mom loves Burger-Up, too!  She says that the meat they use to make the burgers comes from a local, grass-fed farm where the owners treat the animals really well.  That’s important to my mom because she’s kind of particular about where we get the meat we eat.  The vegetables are organic and they use local growers as often as they can!  Mom said the story of how Burger-Up got started is amazing and their dedication to serving great food while taking care of the world around us makes it one of her favorite places.

I’m happy it works for her because KT loves me some Burger-Up!!

http://www.burger-up.com

Welcome to KidTaste Nashville!

Welcome to KidTaste Nashville…Your source for all that’s kid-friendly dining in and around Nashville!  A renowned “foodie” at age 7, KT is happy to try just about anything, anywhere.  She is always up for something new and ready to give it a “Kidability” review!

A little about KT:

I’m a 7 1/2 year old girl who LOVES food.  Lucky for me, so do my parents and they’re always trying to find new, exciting places to take my brother, sister and me to eat!  In my short 7 years, I’ve lived in 4 states in different areas of the country and I have to say that Nashville is by far the best place for a young foodie to thrive!  My favorite food is red velvet cupcakes and the only food I don’t particularly care for is raw tomatoes.

KT’s rating system – Hearts!  I  ♥ food!

♥       I kind-of love it but still room for improvement

♥♥    I’m loving it a little more.

♥♥♥ Getting closer to love.

♥♥♥♥ Love it!

♥♥♥♥♥ LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, YOU MUST GO THERE NOW!!!

I hope you and your kids enjoy my blog as much as I enjoy doing the research!

Your friend in food,

KT