lunch on thursday, may 18 around 11:30am until about 12:45pm. there were three of us (+ three babies, of course) and two strollers.
review by allison.
1. Are aisles wide enough for strollers?
Most main aisles (getting up to the counter, to the table areas, and in/out the door) are *just*wide enough for a stroller, though you've gotta take a few sharp turns in some areas. The area between the front door and the order counter can be cramped if there's a long line of people waiting to place orders or browsing along the glass display of cakes, tarts, pastries, breads,and (did I mention?) cakes.
2. Highchairs available?
two
3. General ambient noise:
Outdoors, the noise level can be whatever your kids want it to be. Indoors, the noise is mostly cafe- style chatting.
4. Outdoor seating:
Amandine has about four round tables in front on the sidewalk along Wilshire. There, you are about six feet from the street (curbside parking during off-peak hours, a bus lane during peak hours). There is also a patio in the back, right next to the parking lot (not a great view). A few tables are right up against a parking spot (so you're sitting out on the blacktop - watch those bumpers!), but there is a small section of about five or six tables that are separated from the blacktop by a few large potted plants. In that section, there's some room to get your strollers in and out of the patio between the plant beds, which is awesome for a small group of mamas who need access in and out between the tables/chairs.
5. Spacing between tables:
The back patio is probably the best bet for strollers, since there's a lot of foot traffic indoors. The outdoor seating out front would probably be the next best bet, though there is traffic on Wilshire. When I went with a couple of mamas in the past for lunch (arriving at 11:30 AM), we were able to get the entire patio section. We pulled some tables together and had room for two (maybe three) strollers next to us. And it still left room for other customers at the cafe as the lunch hour picked up.
6. General service/attitude from staff:
This is cafe-style service --you order up front, someone brings your food to you, but utensils/water/napkins, etc. are all self-serve. Generally, attitudes seemed welcoming.
7. Tolerance/attitude of other diners:
During lunch hour, the cafe attracts some business clientele from the Wilshire business offices nearby. Generally, people seemed okay (but I have to admit, I didn't really notice 'cause I had my hands full).
8. Separate rooms available:
There is a small indoor dining area in the front of the store that gets a lot of foot traffic (not good if your kids are easily distracted from their food), also a small indoor dining room in the back (with about four tables, but not much room for strollers). There's the back patio mentioned above.
9. Changing table in the restroom:
Nope. But the restroom is just large enough to wheel your stroller in if you need to.
10. Parking/transit availability:
A small (free!) parking lot in the back with about 8-10 spaces, and transit along Wilshire (Blue Bus 2, Metro 20/720) and Bundy (Blue Bus 14).
11. Breastfeeding?
Can't speak to that, sorry, but my friend managed just fine.
AMANDINE PATISSIERE
12225 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025-1105
310-979-3211
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Sunday, May 28, 2006
cafe dahab
friday, may 26 at cafe dahab in west los angeles. we were there from 11:30am until about 1:00pm.
review by yucaree.
1. Are aisles and walking areas wide enough for strollers?
sort of. just inside the front door are some small ottoman-like stools that you may run in to, but they are light enough to easily push out of the way. you can squeeze through the tables one stroller at a time and probably park one stroller near your table. there is a step leading down to the area that is open for dinner only. there is more room outside on the patios, although there is another step to access the south patio. we took up the north patio because we had six strollers. there's just enough space to park four or five strollers in this area as long as you don't block their kitchen door.
2. number of high chairs available: 1
3. general ambient noise level
couldn't tell because when we were there for lunch it was pretty empty. if you're out on the patio it faces sawtelle boulevard, which can get a little noisy because the intersection with santa monica boulevard is less than half a block away.
4. Availability of outdoor seating (and proximity to traffic areas)
see above
5. How cramped are the tables next to each other?
the tables are pretty close together inside and outside. the tables and chairs outside are plastic so they can easily be moved.
6. General service/attitude of staff toward kids/families
our server was pretty accomodating and didn't seem to mind too much that we were taking up an entire part of the patio. he just told us that we had to leave a path from the kitchen door, but didn't say anything when we blocked it a bit. gratuity was tacked on to our bill; i don't know if this was because we were a party of six, or because he knew we made a mess. however, this was during a time when there were hardly any other customers.
7. General tolerance/attitudes of other diners
i noticed that the man sitting at the next patio over moved farther down. i have no idea if it was because we were too loud or because he was smoking a hookah and was nice enough to move. my vote goes for the prior guess.
8. Are there separate rooms or areas that can be blocked off for large groups/families?
if you can get it, the north patio seems good.
9. Are there changing tables in the bathroom?
no.
10. Is there parking? Or transit?
there is meter parking on the street and a public lot half a block away. i believe it was 50 cents an hour, max two hours. free street parking is only two blocks away toward the west. there may be a lot for the strip mall behind the building. i saw an driveway between the building and the used book store next door. plenty of transit acces off of santa monica boulevard.
11. Breastfeeding?
i breastfed no problem. of course, i don't care very much where i breastfeed so i didn't feel uncomfortable out on the patio.
CAFE DAHAB
1640 Sawtelle Blvdevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310-444-0969
review by yucaree.
1. Are aisles and walking areas wide enough for strollers?
sort of. just inside the front door are some small ottoman-like stools that you may run in to, but they are light enough to easily push out of the way. you can squeeze through the tables one stroller at a time and probably park one stroller near your table. there is a step leading down to the area that is open for dinner only. there is more room outside on the patios, although there is another step to access the south patio. we took up the north patio because we had six strollers. there's just enough space to park four or five strollers in this area as long as you don't block their kitchen door.
2. number of high chairs available: 1
3. general ambient noise level
couldn't tell because when we were there for lunch it was pretty empty. if you're out on the patio it faces sawtelle boulevard, which can get a little noisy because the intersection with santa monica boulevard is less than half a block away.
4. Availability of outdoor seating (and proximity to traffic areas)
see above
5. How cramped are the tables next to each other?
the tables are pretty close together inside and outside. the tables and chairs outside are plastic so they can easily be moved.
6. General service/attitude of staff toward kids/families
our server was pretty accomodating and didn't seem to mind too much that we were taking up an entire part of the patio. he just told us that we had to leave a path from the kitchen door, but didn't say anything when we blocked it a bit. gratuity was tacked on to our bill; i don't know if this was because we were a party of six, or because he knew we made a mess. however, this was during a time when there were hardly any other customers.
7. General tolerance/attitudes of other diners
i noticed that the man sitting at the next patio over moved farther down. i have no idea if it was because we were too loud or because he was smoking a hookah and was nice enough to move. my vote goes for the prior guess.
8. Are there separate rooms or areas that can be blocked off for large groups/families?
if you can get it, the north patio seems good.
9. Are there changing tables in the bathroom?
no.
10. Is there parking? Or transit?
there is meter parking on the street and a public lot half a block away. i believe it was 50 cents an hour, max two hours. free street parking is only two blocks away toward the west. there may be a lot for the strip mall behind the building. i saw an driveway between the building and the used book store next door. plenty of transit acces off of santa monica boulevard.
11. Breastfeeding?
i breastfed no problem. of course, i don't care very much where i breastfeed so i didn't feel uncomfortable out on the patio.
CAFE DAHAB
1640 Sawtelle Blvdevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310-444-0969
it begins!
what is wwam! (yes, WITH the exclamation point), you ask? it's WOMEN WHO ARE MAMAS! we were started by one mom introducing her mom friends to other mom friends. then we started recruiting more moms we knew. of course, it's only been a couple of weeks since this all started, but we're up to six members ... and growing.
why is this important? because moms need things that other moms can offer: help, support, laughs, companionship, advice, comfort, reassurance, an extra set of hands so we can eat lunch in peace for a change. wwam-ers want to be on the giving and receiving end of all this fantastic-ness.
our goal for this blog is to provide valuable and honest information for moms in the los angeles area; not only about the kid-friendly establishments in the city, but information that can help us as mothers and as women. after all, we may be the best mamas we can be for our children, but we're also women with needs and wants separate from our children.
if you're looking to join our group (we plan on meeting once a month or so, with the kids) or contribute information, please email us. we'd love to have you join us because we're going to ... take over the world one mama at a time!
why is this important? because moms need things that other moms can offer: help, support, laughs, companionship, advice, comfort, reassurance, an extra set of hands so we can eat lunch in peace for a change. wwam-ers want to be on the giving and receiving end of all this fantastic-ness.
our goal for this blog is to provide valuable and honest information for moms in the los angeles area; not only about the kid-friendly establishments in the city, but information that can help us as mothers and as women. after all, we may be the best mamas we can be for our children, but we're also women with needs and wants separate from our children.
if you're looking to join our group (we plan on meeting once a month or so, with the kids) or contribute information, please email us. we'd love to have you join us because we're going to ... take over the world one mama at a time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)