Mediterranean Dining at Little Rascal
/(Nolita)
163 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY 10012
Tel. 212-966-0446
Now that the weather is finally nice (hurray!), we've been doing lots more walking out and about, re-exploring our neighborhood. One thing that we always like to do is to walk up and down the quaint little streets of Nolita, check out the local restaurants, cafes, and shops. This is precisely how we first stumbled upon Little Rascal on 163 Elizabeth Street.
We actually started going to Little Rascal many moons when they first opened, which was BB (before baby). Back then, we thought that the food was delightful (if not slightly on the simpler end), the service friendly, and the atmosphere both intimate and quaint.
Flash forward nearly three years later, and we realized what a true little gem this place is, particularly if you come here around 5-6pm for an early dinner with the little one.
When I first walked in, a small part of me actually thought that this wasn't going to work out. "Do you have high chairs?” I inquired outright, scanning the room and knowing full well that it didn't look very promising. "No,” replied the owner, “but I can find you a comfortable corner where you'll have plenty of space for you and your baby." His response was so kind, so inviting, that it instantly made me shake off any doubts I had, and I was quite sure that they’d look after us.
I was right.
In no time, we were seated, settled, with food (and more importantly – drinks!) on the way. We spread out toward the back of the room, where little man nestled quite comfortably in his stroller, positioned at the head of the table and winking at the ladies sitting within close proximity. They winked back, and the rest was history.
Food tips:
- We had the babaghanouge, which was delicious and loved by all (particularly our munchkin), we were even treated to some yogurt, which monkey also savored
- Last time we came, we had hummus, equally delicious and the ultimate kiddo-friendly food, if I don't say so myself
- Hubs had the lamb and I went for the chicken, each served grilled, with a side of hot peppers and rice (healthy and delicious)
Baby tips:
- The set-up of Little Rascal is very casual, ideal for communal dining. Best for babies and young tots to sit at the edge of the table, or better yet on the bench beside you so you can keep a close eye. The vibe is low-key and warm, not too loud, but with just enough ambient noise to drown out a finicky bubs
- We had a large table all to ourselves and were able to spread out, key when you have a ton of accoutrement on deck, which we did (since we normally bring a "back-up" meal courtesy of Earth's Best or something home-made just in case nothing at the restaurant suited munchkin's palate)
- Unfortunately, no high chair also means no changing table (surprise surprise), though the bathroom was plenty spacious for a quickie-nappie change if warranted.
We would quite happily go back, as hubby couldn't stop raving about how much he enjoyed his meal. I guess it just goes to show, you don't have to look very far from home to find a true gem!
