40 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY march 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com When producer Quincy Jones gathered almost 50 of the top musical artists in one studio to record the hit “We Are the World” in 1985, he offered one bit of instruction. As the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Dionne Warwick, Harry Belefonte and Bob Dylan entered the room, they could not help but notice a sign that read “Check Your Egos at the Door.” For Chef Tim Wood, owner of Woody’s at the Airport in Monterey, that sentiment is the first step in building a children’s menu. “You’re creating a menu to make kids happy and to make parents happy,” he explains. “If you’re above cooking chicken tenders, get over yourself.” Kids’ menus may seem like an afterthought, a pablum sidebar of hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly and battered strips of white meat chicken. But they are also an important component for many kitchens—the National Restaurant Association reports that tables with kids ages 12 and under account for almost $18 billion in spending a year—and can be challenging to conceive. In putting together a menu, chefs must consider portion size. The burger on the “Future Pilots” listing at Woody’s, for instance, is a 6-ounce patty. Pricing is another factor. “Parents don’t want to spend $20 for a kids’ meal,” observes Ashley Wolff, marketing and branding director for Pangaea Grill and Sur at the Barnyard, both in Carmel. All entrees on the child’s menu at Pangaea Grill are capped at $10, with soup and salads running between $8-$11. Everything for young diners at Monterey’s Wave Street Cafe for lunch service is less than $10. The only item at Stonies Taphouse and Bistro in Salinas to top that mark is the cheeseburger, at $11. Yet there are further considerations, ones guided by the bottom line. For example, should a restaurant assume the cost of stocking pasta specifically for kids when it is not part of the regular menu? Food that goes to waste factors into the overall budget. And there’s the matter of quality—the ego behind a chef-driven establishment. At Estéban, where Chef Mario Garcia is forced to break from his Spanish theme in favor of value-menu favorites, they work with all-beef hot dogs from Hebrew National, but prepare pizza dough from scratch. Wood and his team make ranch dressing in-house, but rely on a vendor for chicken tenders. They went through several purveyors over a year before finding a version kids would enjoy without doing any damage to the restaurant’s reputation. Wood calls the venture a science riddled by picky eaters. When he was at the helm at ritzy Carmel Valley Ranch, Wood recalls creating macaroni and cheese, using artisanal products. “Eventually we went to Velveeta,” he says with a laugh. “Make it ooey and gooey, but you have to think about your audience. Sometimes you build all of this, and they don’t eat.” It’s the particular nature of many young diners that can make the task so frustrating. Finished plates of pasta return to the kitchen with shaved Parmesan shoved to the side. The more adventurous turkey and cheddar sandwich on wheat bread at Woody’s is overlooked in favor of the comfortable peanut butter and jelly. Yet, as Wolff points out, families are probably preparing more than hot dogs and nuggets at home. “A lot of times kids are sharing paella with their parents,” Garcia observes. “Most of our dishes can be modified for a child.” Tempura orange chicken with steamed basmati rice appears on the kids’ menu at Sur. Wave Street Cafe offers a tempura batter on chicken strips. Quesadillas are featured on several menus. Many restaurants make sure to add vegetables to the plate (the National Restaurant Association launched a voluntary Kids LiveWell program emphasizing healthier options). At Nepenthe in Big Sur, the list includes celery sticks and fruit. Restaurants that welcome children sometimes allow parents to bring a favorite food with them. Wolff once watched a mother feeding her toddler from a jar, using chopsticks. Curious, she went over to inquire. “The mother said ‘paté—it’s the only thing he eats,’” Wolff says. “Can you imagine that on a kids’ menu?” First course Chef Mario Garcia at Esteban in Monterey breaks from his Spanish recipes to offer a hot dog (the bun is from Ad Astra), pizza (house-made dough) and other children’s goodies. FLAT Bread…Pavel’s Bakerei is now serving “phat” bread, which is like a personal pizza served on half a slice of homemade French bread. Get yourself a delicious slice of potato pesto, salame, margarita or BLT (bacon, lemon and tomato) for $10. They are open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 7am until 3pm, or until sold out. 219 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. facebook.com/PavelsBackerei. credit CHECK…Little Napoli, Vesuvio and Carmel Bakery have all gone cashless, ostensibly in order to run more efficiently and keep prices from increasing. It’s a choice that has proven controversial at many other restaurants, both in Monterey County and beyond, with cold hard cash buying you nothing. But for now, remember to bring your credit cards if you go to dine at Chef Pèpe’s Carmel staple restaurants. chefpepe.com. The Last At Last…Bill and Teresa Lee’s last restaurant has opened at last. Kona Steak and Seafood, with The Zen Den bar, is now open for business. Get a taste of island life without leaving Monterey County. With such seasoned restaurateurs behind the scenes and esteemed Chef Mario Luevano in the kitchen, you can get excited about all the flavors that await. 1200 Del Monte Center, Monterey. konamonterey.com. Grand Reopening…Mission 19 Taqueria is throwing a grand reopening and first-anniversary celebration on Saturday, March 11 starting at 11am. The celebrations include $2 street tacos, $3 beers and $4 Miches for this special occasion. They also have some surprises up their sleeve so stop by for these delicious deals and celebratory fun. 598 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. 7174843, mission19taqueriaca.com. Fried Chicken Fridays…You can now get fried chicken with your made-to-order donuts on Fridays at Dutch Door Donuts. From 11am until they sell out, enjoy a fried-chicken-anddonut special, topped with hot honey. 1 Mission St., Unit 205C (in Carmel Plaza), Carmel. 250-7901, dutchdoordonuts. com. Party down…Central Coastan Pizza and ZumZum Tea are celebrating their second anniversaries with a customer appreciation party at The Shop in Monterey. There will be food, friends, live music and goods from a whole host of other local vendors. It happens 5-9pm Saturday, March 11. 1271 10th St., Monterey. By Jacqueline Weixel morsels Send a bite to eatanddrink@mcweekly.com “If you’re above cooking chicken tenders, get over yourself.” Eat + DrinK Daniel Dreifuss Child Proof Putting together a children’s menu is a matter of planning—and chicken tenders. By Dave Faries
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==