Earlier this week, the blogging gang got together for SteakCamp at The Brave Bull. [read Raul and Karen's reviews.] I couldn’t attend as I was at our daycare’s BBQ. It’s one of the things about being at the higher end of the SocMed demographics. Most of the gang in town are single, or married without children. Not me, I gots responsibilities.
So the type of restaurant reviewing I’m up to is a place like babyeats in Lynn Valley. It’s a new concept that’s been getting quite a bit of media buzz (National Post - BCLocalNews - North Shore Outlook - North Shore News), so Jen and I checked it out.
The tag line is “making eating out child’s play.” The concept is a large open area for the children to frolick freely, while around the outside moms and dads chill with lattes and salads and have a stressless visit.
It is novel. I’ve seen many a mom with a squirmy son while she tries to kibbitz with her girlfriends on a Starbucks patio, this is the kind of place they could now frequent. Moms get to gossip, kids get to squirm wherever they want.
You do have to pay to play, $4 for the kids and $2 for the adults. They’re selling memberships at $125/yr for kids and $75/yr for adults. That’s about $25 a month to have a membership at a cafe with a playroom. Seems a little steep. But then again, perhaps that’s the crowd they’re going for. The National Post piece is nothing but dollar signs and name droppping.
… crawling with $1,000 Bugaboo strollers .. after several Vancouver-area house flips, raised the equity (just shy of $300,000) … The adult chairs are Eames and the $425 highchairs are HiLo, by Montreal’s Age Design … These are the kind of kids who learn sign language just for fun. … there is organic buffalo meatloaf on the menu, and Weleda nursing tea … wooden trucks by Fagus and bright plastic Trioli chairs … our stylishly rounded-off James Burleigh table … the designer toys, the melamine dishes, the German wallpaper … [National Post]
It all sounds very Posh and Becks.
The food is all organic, and ultra healthy. I had a Portuguese Stew, Jen had some salads while Z had brown rice pasta with turkey quinoa meatballs.
My stew was all potato with sauce, Jen’s salads were a little too much to have as a full meal (as in the taste got boring quick), while Z licked and smacked his fingers inhaling the meatballs and pasta. The portion was huge for $5 and we have some locked up in the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch.
babyeats has only been open a few weeks, and, as you’d expect, some of the things just didnt quite seemed finished about it.
Rachel, the owner, admitted they didnt have the rice balls that were on the menu because they hadn’t found an appropriate rice yet. We weren’t given napkins or wipes and the highchairs were very high for Z (our $40 ikea chair at home blows the stink out of these $425 beasts). The place is called babyeats, but at a larger 13months, the tray was almost tight under Z’s armpits.
Would we go back? I don’t know. $4 for a 13 mo old to mess around for a while seems a little steep, especially when you toss in $2 for each adult. Our entire meal came to $36, which felt expensive for what it was. Jen wasnt a huge fan of the toys either. There were lots of sharp edges and a few of the heavier toys (like a wooden cash register) weren’t attached to the shelf and came crashing down.
I asked her if it was a place she would come with her girlfriends and relax while the kids ran around, again she wasn’t sure.
The demographics seem a little off, for what they offer. There was one child there pushing 5 who seemed really bored, the walking toddlers had a bit of fun, and you really had to hover over Z to make sure he didnt bonk himself, so the demo seems tight. 2-4 year olds only.
It’s a fun and interesting and fresh idea, will it still be open in 2 or 3 years? Not so sure. Then again, we don’t have a Bugaboo stroller and a Danish au pair.
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Great review, and great photos of Jen and Z! You know, one of the things that the Metro Vancouver area could use is MORE family-friendly, baby-toddler-oriented type places, for sure.
I saw this on the news. Great concept, but something about it tells me it won’t last. Maybe they should ditch the play fee (McDonalds doesn’t charge to use their play land) and maybe up the food price by a dollar or two? Maybe they should have different sections, too. Toddlers, and older kids? That was Z isn’t getting trampled, and 4/5 yr olds aren’t bored? It is a great idea though.
[...] review is here, Buzz’s review on the 24 Hrs is here and link-love on his review of BabyEats is here and the Unofficial The Brave Bull page is here… Thanks everyone for [...]
I hated this place. I went with my 4 month old and 3 year old when it first opened and the owner was so rude to us that we walked out. She was clearly unprepared for this type of business and ignorant in the basics of customer service. Get a clue.
[...] and I have already tried babyeats in Lynn Valley as a place to go out with Z. We weren’t totally impressed, and haven’t been back. [...]
What an stupid idea!! I can’t believe people actually would buy into this. Ridiculous!
Well I just went in to babyeats this afternoon and found it to be a totally enjoyable experience. The owner was lovely and remembered our names as we left. She was very welcoming and genuinely kind and enthusiastic when it came to my 9 month old who had an absolute blast. I don’t own a bugaboo stroller and could care less about the names on the toys/chairs etc. Get over yourselves people - it sounds like it’s more of an inferiority complex that is the issue here and less of an issue with the venue and what it has to offer. I wish it much success and know I’ll be heading back soon - especially come the fall.
@deb thanks for the note, i’m glad this post has prompted a discussion with varying points of view.
i agree, the owner is a lovely woman, and the article from the globe tripped over itself with posh references.
my opinion remains though, i think it’s all a little over the top for the cost/benefit.
NEVER TO RETURN-SLIPPED ON WET FLOOR AND INJURED–BE AWARE OF INSURANCE AND INJURY PROBLEMS-Just a strange attitude from management- went for family dinner and were one of 2 families there–it was calm– ran up a bill of $150 then came second night-thought to take a group of 6 kids, 5 adults for dinner (Including our Dr. friend)-the kids where finnishing the only things left on menu- all else was sold out-’as no cook that day’– no soups, no lasagna-but cheese toasty things and the odd rice pasta and quinoa salads- Re-heated salmon -so not fresh–we had to pick out corn from food as both kids have allergies to it! We waited along time for food as other folks ordered and only one staff there—then saw our 5 year old head for the washroom, she slipped on a wet, newly mopped floor- Mom ran in to help her and slipped also-crashing into modern door and fancy wet floor–fracturing her elbow, hitting her head and throwing out her back–Both Mom and kid were badly hurt. Asked lady for “Ice” and she blurted out that they were closed at 6:30. –No sorry for wet floor or any care of the injured folks. So why didn’t she tell us to get out- as she just mopped the kids/girls washroom at 6:38pm, with 8 females still in the ‘play’ room. Then bad attitude to not give ice-”it was our fault to be there so late” they close at 6:30—she finally got some ice- only witching saying she had worked since 7am,blah,blah and we should have left— only 1 staff working all day and she was exhausted she said–being the sister of owner visiting from London–
***If they don’t change some rules, get up to speed with some safety regulations, get advise from a real lawyer -then change to hire staff to help supervise the children, establish some rules, get more staff -cook fresh food and be open to business and safety regulations- it will be their own unprofessional attitude that can close the place down…
Just think of the extra charges- of $34 plus over $130 for cheese toast and salad dinner-medical costs and pain and suffering–what a night out!
They must address some of the safety issues for all patrons–The attitude of managment will not give them any great awards but help them to drive away business.
Never go here– the problem is what is the insurance for your kid or yourself in event of injury! We just had a tough sleepless night, and really bad injuries to repair over our next few weeks of vacation-in pain and rehab joy! What will happen to your kid when other kids are violent/out of control-our 1 year old, got hit 5 times in first hour, from a 2 year old brat who also dropped a heavy truck on her, then pushed a kitchen unit over her hand -then 1 year old got shoved off the small trike–who is supervising while hip parents drink lattes? What do you say to his Dada who just bought him a huge water gun sitting on their table?
This Concept Cafe-would never survive in the real world- lucky we are not into lawsuits or they would be closed down!