Conveyor Belt Sushi

When I first heard about sushi restaurants with conveyor belts where you could watch the food go by I wasn't sure what to think. But once I was able to experience it myself I was sold. I visited Kurama Sushi and Noodle Express in Chapel a few months back and enjoyed a nice mix of conveyor belt California and tuna rolls, along with a custom made spider roll, some miso soup and salad. All were delicious and the conveyor belt sushi had no problem retaining its freshness.

While Kurama Sushi and Noodle Express isn't exactly a fancy sushi restaurant, it's a great place to go to indulge a sushi craving on the cheap. The attentive waitstaff helped make our experience pleasureable and the food was all delicious. While my first visit was with friends, my second was with my daughter and another mother/daughter pair. The girls were fascinated with the conveyor belt and enjoyed watching all the sushi go around. They grabbed a couple of plates of California rolls, which at a buck for 6 pieces is a huge deal. My daughter ate a few with trepidation and determined that she's not quite ready for sushi yet. She enjoyed her order of dumplings, tea and green tea ice cream. The atmostphere is perfect for a low-key evening and a great place to get in and out quickly. With good sushi and affordable prices, Kurama Sushi and Noodle Express is worth becoming a favorite.

Food quality: 4
Cleanliness: 3.5
Service: 4
Restroooms/changing facilities: 3 no changing facilities
Kids’ menu: 4 no, but many kid friendly items
Entertainment value: 5
Phone: 919-968-4747

Kids Eat Free at Ikea

Ok, so we don't have an Ikea in the Triangle, but with two of them within a few hours' driving distance, chances are there may be a trip planned in your near future. After all, they are having a sale, which is a rare occurrence at this hip and affordable mecca for modern Scandi furniture, so now is a wonderful time for a visit.

Now, through January 3rd, the whole family can get a free breakfast, and kids can eat free for the rest of the day (without having to purchase an adult meal). So take advantage of these great meal deals while sprucing up your home decor. I hear the Swedish meatballs are delish!

Barbie—Simply Fabulous at 50!

While the kids are out on winter break why not take your little princesses over to the NC Museum of History to see the fun new exhibit, Barbie—Simply Fabulous at 50! It's a wonderful display of Barbie's evolution since 1959. Barbie — Simply Fabulous at 50! will run through July 5, 2010, in Raleigh. Admission is free.

For more information about the NC Museum of History, call 919-807-7900. The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St., across from the State Capitol, in Raleigh.

Kids Eat Free Every Day

With December winding down and January just around the corner, we may be wondering where we can take the kids to eat that won't blow our budget after the holidays. Well I have some good news for you! To celebrate it's 15th anniversary, Carolina Brewery will be offering some great promotions each month and will begin 2010 with Kids Eat Free EVERY weeknight during the month of January! Kids 12 and under will enjoy a free meal from the kid's menu with a paying adult. The Carolina Brewery has two locations: 460 W. Franklin St in Chapel Hill and 120 Lowes Dr. in Pittsboro.

While I can personally vouch for Carolina Brewery's beer (I think their pale ale is some of the finest around) I have not eaten at either location. From the looks of the menu, however, my mouth is already watering: Brunswick Stew (perfect on a chilly night), Brewhouse chili made with their own stout, shrimp and grits, pizza, burgers, salads and sandwiches. So take the whole family out to Carolina Brewery during the week, any week in January and enjoy an evening of tasty eats that's easy on the budget.

Sweet Tomatoes, Raleigh Location

Sweet Tomatoes has to be about one of the most family friendly restaurants around. Where else can you find a buffet with your choice of more than a hundred items ranging from soup to pasta, with many healthy options in store?

Upon entering Sweet Tomatoes you're greeted with a full salad bar complete with ingredients to build your own salad as well as delicious prepared salads. Once you pay for your meal you can move on to the hot bar where you'll find at least three pasta dishes and a handful of soup options. There are breads, muffins, even pizza for you and your kids to help yourselves to. There is no limit on how much you can eat.

What we love about Sweet Tomatoes: the simple, laid-back atmostphere. This place is definitely geared towards families and is equipped with plenty of high chairs, cups with lids and food options that kids will love. Our 6-year old loves that she can serve her own plate and to go back for seconds if she so chooses. I love that they offer many low-fat and healthy choices, including low-fat frozen soft-serve yogurt for dessert. There are other options such as gelatin desserts, a selection of fruit or peach cobbler. One of our friends is lactose-intolerant and she was very happy not to be excluded. Take a peek at their entire menu and see for yourself.

Monday nights are kids nights where kids from 3 to 5 eat for $.99 (regularly $2.99 each) and kids from 6 to 12 eat for $1.99 each (regularly $4.99). On kids' nights there is a table set up in the dining room where kids can go to color a picture or do a craft. This helps to keep antsy kids in their seats and gives them something to do while mom and dad enjoy a conversation or leisurely finish their meal. Adult meals are priced at $9.29 each, which isn't exactly cheap but when you factor in that you get soup, a salad, an entree AND dessert for that price, it's a real bargain. And it's real food, too. Nothing "fast food" about it.

This month, and going into September, Sweet Tomatoes is taking their customers on a culinary tour of the globe. They'll be offering menu items from a different region, as well as special placemats for kids highlighting the region and containing coupons for future visits.

OVERALL SCORE: 3.75
Food quality: 3.5
Cleanliness: 3.5
Service: 4, Self-serve, but the dining room is abuzz with very sweet women assisting diners.
Restroooms/changing facilities: 4
Kids’ menu: No official kids' menu, just a buffet of food appropriate for all ages
Entertainment value: Monday nights there is a kids' table for coloring, crafts, etc.
Location: 5244 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC
Phone: (919) 871-0310

Tir Na Nog Irish Pub

Since it's inception in 1997 we've been big fans of the Irish pub, Tir Na Nog, located near Raleigh's City Market. Actually, I had a clothing store (Head Over Heels) that was located right next door to one of the owners and we designed patchwork vests for all the waitstaff to wear upon opening. So you could say we have a history with this place.

Years later, Tir Na Nog has new ownership. The waitstaff is friendly, but now wears t-shirts instead of button downs and vests. We went on a recent rainy Friday night (IMHO the best time for the comfort of an Irish pub) and it was pleasantly packed with families, couples and groups enjoying good food and good cheer. Tir Na Nog did not disappoint. With a menu filled with comfort food, both Irish and American, our group dined on Bangers and Mash, Corned Beef and Cabbage, beer & cheese soup, a Scotch egg and a dense but delicious lentil veggie burger. The food was good, the portions were ample and everything was quite tasty. Our daughter dined on a very generous portion of mac and cheese that put a new twist (literally) on the dish with spiral pasta in a creamy cheese sauce. The side of fries made her a happy girl, but didn't do much to round out her daily dose of veggies that can be so challenging to fulfill. The food didn't take too long to arrive and the waitstaff was attentive. The atmosphere was quite pleasant with a bustling sound that drowned out our pre-schooler's meltdown. All in all, a great place for a family meal and a nice ending to a busy week.

OVERALL SCORE: 3.2
Food quality: 4
Cleanliness: 3.5
Service: 4
Restroooms/changing facilities: 1 (no changing table, close quarters)
Kids’ menu: Yes, high-chairs available
Entertainment value: Occasional live music, Irish dancing
Nutrition: 3.5
Price, kids specials: $$, no kids' specials
Location: 218 South Blount Street, Raleigh NC
Phone: 833-7795
Phone 866-712-2881

Georgina's Pizzeria

We first tried Georgina’s Pizzeria after being tipped off by several friends and then meeting the owner at a networking event. Buried in a strip mall in Morrisville, we never would have found this gem otherwise. But upon hearing from multiple foodies that the food was very good and it was child-friendly, were decided it was worth a shot.

Upon entering Georgina’s I was struck that this didn’t necessarily look like a family restaurant. But after we were there just moments, my initial thoughts were proved wrong. The friendly hostess seated us and gave both kids crayons and paper kids’ menus to color. I sipped a nice glass of house chianti while we placed our orders. We watched as families streamed into the restaurant and were seated at the large, family sized tables throughout.

Once our food arrived, my daughter was smitten with her housemade ravioli. It was good enough to keep her at the table and entertained. I had the balsamic chicken which was fabulous! Recommended by the waitress, she didn’t steer me wrong. Everything was delicious and came out in a very timely manner. As the kids finished up their dinner we asked for a couple of balls of pizza dough for them to play with while we finished our food. They loved it and it kept them quiet until the end of the meal. While it did make a bit of a mess, the wait staff was quite gracious and didn’t seem to mind.

When you want great homemade Italian food served in a warm family atmostphere, try Georgina’s Pizzeria. With an outdoor patio perfect for warm evenings, this is a great stop during your busy week or for a nice evening out on the weekends. Heck, if you live in Morrisville or Cary, pick up the phone and have them deliver your next pizza. Download a 10% off coupon from the website.

OVERALL SCORE: 3.2
Food quality: 4.5
Cleanliness: 3
Service: 4
Restroooms/changing facilities: 3, clean restrooms, no changing facility.
Kids’ menu: Yes, features ravioli, spaghetti, etc.
Entertainment value: kids coloring option, pizza dough for the kids, occasional music
Nutrition: 3.5, Good and fresh. Many items made in house
Price, kids specials: $$, Download a 10% off coupon from the website.
Location 3536 Davis Drive, Morrisville
Phone 866-712-2881