Dining Out With The Kiddos

By Bobby Navarro

Having family dinner night doesn’t have to mean burgers for the parents and chicken tenders for the kids. Gone are the days of sacrificing healthy, delicious meals just to find a spot with options for the younger generation. If you’re looking for a new go-to spot for your next family dinner, check out these Orange County spots. Not only are these restaurants favored by parents for their delicious, elevated flavors, they also offer great kids at affordable prices menus that break away from the mundane.

4th Street Market

4th Street Market is full of legendary concepts. Between Dos Chinos, Falasophy, and Jinny’s Pizzeria, there are so many great options for the whole family, but it gets better — the Santa Ana food hall recently released a kids menu. Four of the concepts will have their own kiddie options, but some highlights include the Cheese Quesa-Pita from Falasophy, the Chicken Teriyaki Bowl from Mar, and Carne Asada Tacos from Dos Chinos. The food hall also houses three delicious dessert spots — Front Porch Pops, Treatery, and Chunk N Chip. After they eat, the kids can play the games while you hang out on in the airy outdoor patio. Even the pickiest youngster will find something to love at 4th Street Market!

Kids and adults alike will love the varietal food options, not to mention the award winning patio which comes complete with games, at 4th Street Market in DTSA | photo courtesy of 100eats

Urban Seoul 2.0

Located at the Irvine Spectrum, Urban Seoul 2.0 is the second location for Urban Seoul, but with an expanded menu. This is the spot to hit if you have adventurous taste buds. Some favorite items for the adults include Garlic Edamame, Chorizo Kimchi Fried Rice Skillet (chorizo, bacon, pork belly, kimchi, garlic, rice, pickled red onions, fried onions, green onions, sunny side up egg), and PBLT (pork belly) sliders. Urban Seoul 2.0 has a great kids menu that strays away from the ordinary mac and cheese and hot dogs. It features Popcorn Chicken and Rice, Gogi Quesadilla, and Cheeseburger Sliders — YUM.

Pandor

Specializing in authentic freshly baked bread, pastries, breakfast, and paninis, this French Boulangerie themed cafe offers appetizing options for both kids and parents. The breakfast menu features a special kids menu in smaller portions for their little bellies ! For "Le Petit Dejeuner," you and the kids can enjoy sweet options like PB&J French Toast, Nutella French Toast, and delicious House Made Granola Parfait as well as savory dishes like the veggie Farmer’s Omelet and Scrambled Egg Sandwich.

Coliseum Pool & Grill

Summer has arrived, which means grill outs, pool days, and beach picnics. The Coliseum Pool & Grill at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach is the perfect spot to ring in the warmer weather, poolside. For the adults, we love the Colosseum Tempura (shishito peppers and shrimp with sweet chilli aioli), Blackened Cobia Fish Tacos, Roasted Salmon Salad, and Mary’s Chicken (brown rice, brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, pistachios). For the young taste buds, the grill offers a Kids Mozzarella Thin-crust Pizza, Grilled Salmon, Chicken Quesadilla.

Din Tai Fung

For the Asian fare lovers out there, Din Tai Fung is one of the most popular spots right now for killer dim sum. Located at South Coast Plaza, Din Tai Fung features a long list of buns, dumplings, noodles, and fried rice. For the parents, we recommend starting off with the Cucumber Salad. For your mains, try the Truffle & Pork XiaoLongBau (soup dumplings), Shredded Pork Fried Rice, or Noodles with Sesame Sauce. A lot of Din Tai Fung’s offerings are smaller portions, making them great for the kids with elevated taste buds. They’ll love the Pork Dumplings, Chicken Fried Noodles, and Vegetarian Fried Rice.