The experience

We planned an excursion today at Fair Park, so we were deciding to either go to La Duni or to Dream Cafe.  We have some friends in town (you met them at Cafe Izmir the other night) and there was a chance that they might meet us for brunch -except that when we called to tell them we were headed out to eat, we woke them up. Mina overheard our conversation and wanted to go to Dream Cafe -she knows there is a playground there. So we headed out with low hopes that our friends with join us, but with the great weather, we knew we’d be having a great lunch regardless.

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We arrived and were seated right away. Outside and right by the play area.  Perfect!  The kids were off to play without hesitation. Ogre and I looked over the menu.  I typically order the Cloudcakes, but the waffle was looking tasty.  I decided to start with a bagel with salmon cream cheese while I figured out the rest.  Ogre was also having a predicament.  He almost always gets the migas here, but his diet had him amidst a conflict to order something a wee bit healthier. 

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While the kids played, we put in our brunch order and enjoyed our coffee and fresh squeezed orange juice.  Ahhh, couldn’t have paid for a better day.

The kids would come and go for a drink here and there or a bite of my bagel, but most of the time they played.  Benjamin is obsessed with slides so he went up and down and over and over again.  He did fall once off the “rock” steps, but once Ogre picked him up and asked him if he wanted to play, he nodded his head and said, “pay.”  And off he went again.

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Breakfast came and we started to dig in.  Ogre asked me how mine was and I replied, “Well, I wish it had more goat cheese, I can’t taste it very well.”  Then he looked at mine and as he offered some of his, which as he handed some over, he said, “Mine has a ton of goat cheese.”  The light clicked on.  I didn’t get the right order.  There were no sun dried tomatoes or goat cheese at all. 

I called over the waiter and he offered to either bring some goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes or to make a new one.  I requested a new one.  I couldn’t imagine it would be the same with just throwing the stuff on top of what I had.  I was glad I waited as it was really good!!

Benji and Mina ate theirs pretty well.  Benji did not like the poppy seed dressing that was on my fruit and promptly spit that out, but other than that, the kids did a great job eating and playing and eating and playing.

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When we finally decided we were done eating, we broke the news to the kids that it was time to leave.  Luckily we had the “fun day ahead of us” bargaining chip for Mina who did not want to leave at all.

 

The food

This little gem of a restaurant is probably best known for its breakfast and brunch, but I hear (and they describe) a pretty tasty lunch as well.  I don’t know if the dinner menu is just like the lunch menu as we’ve never been for dinner before.  They have a lot of good healthy choices, so it was nice for those of us with New Year’s resolutions. 

DSC_0061I ordered a toasted bagel with salmon cream cheese to start.  The salmon is mixed in with the cream cheese. The bagels were really good -not chewy at all.  Even the kids liked mine and confiscated the top half of my bagel much to my chagrin.  (The top is my fave).  Ogre hates salmon, but took a bite and said it wasn’t bad until the salmon aftertaste hit him.  I thought it was quite tasty. 

DSC_0067For breakfast I had one of their popovers with a “scramble” -mine with sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese and spinach.  It was very good.  All the flavors complimented each other and the sun dried tomatoes were like candy!  The popover tasted fresh and the fruit that came on the side was covered with a poppy seed dressing that enhanced the fruit’s flavor. 

DSC_0064Ogre ordered the Sante Fe Omlette made with egg whites.  He said it was basically like mine -sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese, spinach and his had pesto (mine did not).  He said his was also really good. 

 

DSC_0062Mina had the Mickey Mouse pancakes -these are whole wheat pancakes with blueberries for eyes and a nose and a strawberry mouth.  This is also a tasty treat (I’ve had these before). The pancakes super fluffy.  She ate hers with their strawberry butter and maple syrup (which tasted like the real deal). 

 

DSC_0063Benjamin had oatmeal.  Ogre tried his oatmeal and said it was really good, and oatmeal can be tempermental sometimes.

 

They have great menu choices for the kids -organic oatmeal, fruit, whole wheat or ricotta pancakes, bacon, hash, and eggs or french toast. 

 

The service

Service is great here.  We’re always surprised that there’s never a wait.  Servers are attentive and refill coffees without request.  They messed up my dish and gave me a choice of either just bringing out sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese (so I wouldn’t have to wait) vs. making me a new one -I chose make a new one and it was out in a jiffy.  Food comes out at a nice tempo, but that’s not a worry with the playground hearby.

 

The kids

Seriously, this is the holy grail of kid friendly restaurants.  Maybe we shouldn’t even review any more restaurants.  Haha. Just kidding.  They have great food, with lots of healthy choices, lots of not so healthy choices and a great kids menu.  When the weather is decent, bring the kids, sit outside, relax and enjoy your great food while the kids play.  Even with the play area, they still put their menus on coloring paper and offer crayons.  The kids can be up and down out of their seats and in the play area!  We love this spot.  The kids loves this spot.  Our tummies love this spot!

The total:

What did Guidelive say?

  • 5100 Belt Line Road
  • Addison, TX 75254
  • Phone: 972-503-7326

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