Kid Friendly Restos: The Frazzled Cook in Mandaluyong

I am now on the look out for kid-friendly restaurants where I can bring my kids and not feel like I am bothering other patrons. I'm still learning the art of relaxing while still being a parent on constant alert.  Fortunately, there are heaven-sent places out there where decent adult food is served in a setting that's also entertaining for kids.  The Frazzled Cook is one such place. It is a house-turned-resto along Luna Mencias street, close to Shaw Boulevard, in a lovely part of Mandaluyong where beautiful old houses on large cuts of land have been converted into business establishments like art galleries, antique furniture shops, pre-schools, bakeshops and restaurants. We stumbled upon this place when our aunt Tita Boots died and her wake was held nearby. Driving by the converted  house, we were intrigued by the markings on the windows that read: "I am a Restaurant". 

From the name of the place alone, busy moms can already feel an affinity with the people behind the resto. Frazzled. I know the feeling. As a sleep-deprived mother of a newborn and toddler, and the wife of an on-the-go husband, I find myself perpetually grasping for equanimity.  So I was so pleasantly surprised to feel relaxed at The Frazzled Cook. I recommend it as a kid friendly place.  Upon entering, one already gets a sense of the whimsical and playful approach of whoever did the interiors. The booth closest to the door features a mural, and a wall-full of waving good-luck cats.  

There are a lot of things to look at: books, toys, and collectibles on the shelves; chandeliers, drop lights and trinkets on the ceilings; pictures, paintings, and murals on the walls; mismatched chairs and tables as well as mismatched china and other tableware. The furniture look welcomingly weathered and worn, in a shabby chic way, making a parent feel that kids won't hurt them with a scratch or a spill.  Narra was clearly entertained. Right next to our table was shelf with children's books, including a fun pop-up version of the timeless classic, Alice in Wonderland. The eclectic collection of furnishings and novelties made me feel a bit like Alice myself.  The ambience is reminiscent of Cafe Juanita in Pasig, and the old Fat Michael's in Makati. 

When we arrived, were immediately given a high chair for Narra, and that's a plus! Some restos simply don't have high chairs, and that always makes me feel as though my kid is unwelcome.  A high chair is an investment made by restauranteurs who count kids as part of their clientele. I sometimes have to guess whether it is appropriate to bring my kids to certain places.  The laid back attitude of the people at The Frazzled Cook reassured me (they didn't seem frazzled at all). 

The resto's menu is another kid-friendly artifact. It has a lot of quirky illustrations and is made of a sturdy, stain-free material - not the flimsy pages your kid can easily rip apart. Narra pretended to read it like a storybook.

And when her food arrived, the resto passed my true test for being a kid-friendly place: Narra ate her food without being coaxed! Her soup was pureed asparagus with chunks of white cheese swimming about, and she asked of the floating white things: "what's that mama?" - "cheese", I replied, and this brought a smile to her lips. She also liked the pita wraps with cottage cheese, rolled small enough for toddler hands.  

Next time we're in the area, I'd love to eat there again. It's a great laid-back destination where a frazzled mom like me can come with my kids and actually get to relax.

For more info, visit their website:
www.thefrazzledcook.com