Ganges
Cuisine: Indian
Non-smoking section: No
English-language menu: Yes
General kid-friendliness of menu: This is a good restaurant for the gastronomically adventurous. Spicy dishes can be cooked without the heat upon request (probably a good idea for the young ones).
Kid-friendly staff: They speak English and seemed friendly enough.
Bathroom: Pretty clean with a sit-down toilet. No changing table.
Three healthiest items for kids: Green and Healthy Vegetable Hariyali (veggies in a spinach sauce), mutter pulav (saffron rice with peas), chicken shahi korma (chicken with pineapple in a cream sauce).
Kids’ play area: The toys look like they hadn’t been played with for a while, but there’s a two kids’ tables and chairs, plus books and crayons mixed in with the other toys. Behind the building, there is a small park for kids.
Seating: Two highchairs, booths, no outdoor seating.
Average price: RMB 175
Parking: Yes
Credit card: Yes
Atmosphere: Indian vibe from the music to the colorful, embellished décor.
Must-order item: Butter chicken or tandoori chicken
In a nutshell: Delicious Indian food in a comfortable environment that won’t break your budget. MR
Daily 11am-11pm. 5/B, Hairun International Apartment, 2 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District (5135 8353) 朝阳区将台路2号海润国际公寓底商5号See Directory under Indian for more locations.
Hai Di Lao
Best Authentic Chinese Food
Cuisine: Chinese (Hot pot)
English-language menu: No
Kid-friendly food: When you order the noodles, a chef will actually “pull” the dough at your table. Children love to watch him dance and whirl with the noodles.
Three healthiest items for kids: Noodles, meatballs, and baskets of assorted green vegetables.
Kid-friendly staff: Very limited English, but they provide a steamed egg custard to children for free. The waiters are very polite and respond quickly to requests.
Bathroom: Clean, sit-down toilet.
Kids’ play area: N/A
Seating: Booths, couches, chairs. Highchairs on demand.
Average price: RMB 250
Parking: Yes
Credit card: Yes
Atmosphere: Dark, comfortable, cozy
Must-order item: The noodle (for the dancing!), sliced beef, sliced lamb and assorted mushroom basket.
In a nutshell: This authentic Chinese hot pot place makes for a fun family night, complete with tableside entertainment, but it would be best to bring a Chinese speaker as the service and menu are in Chinese. KH
Daily 9am-10pm. 4/F, Wangjing International Commercial Center, 9 Wangjing Jie, Chaoyang District 朝阳区望京街9号望京国际商业中心4楼 See Directory under Chinese for more locations.
Taj Pavilion
Best for an Eclectic Teen Birthday Party
Cuisine: Indian
English-language menu: Yes.
Kid-friendly food: Kids unfamiliar with Indian cuisine might find certain dishes a bit too exotic, though many dishes can be prepared with less fiery spice.
Three healthiest items for kids: Chicken tikka (grilled chicken breast), tandoori gobi (cauliflower kebabs), dal palak (yellow lentils cooked with spinach)
Kid-friendly staff: Well-trained staff with an English-peaking maitre’d on staff at all times.
Bathroom: Located outside the restaurant in the hallway and they don’t have the high standards that the restaurant has. Sit-down toilets and no changing tables.
Kids’ play area: N/A
Seating: Upholstered armchairs and some couches; highchairs are available upon request.
Average price: Lunch sets RMB 200; dinner and a la carte RMB 350
Parking: Yes, in Lido Hotel parking area.
Credit card: Yes.
Atmosphere: Upscale, traditional Indian replete with authentic décor and music. Intimate.
Must-order item: Chicken tikka, butter chicken, and of course as much roti and other Indian breads you can stuff in your face!
In a nutshell: Great place for a family meal. Would make for a wild birthday experience for teens – a visit to the Cosmic Bowling Alley (and cool stores) next door followed by a classic Indian lunch or dinner. Michael Wester
Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm. 3/F, Holiday Inn Lido, Jiangtai Lu, Shoudu Jichang Lu, Chaoyang District (6436 7678, 6437 6688 ext 3811) 泰姬楼印度餐厅, 朝阳区首都机场路将台路丽都假日酒店广场缤纷廊3层
See Directory under Indian for more locations.
