We were exploring near the Upper West Side and were in pursuit of a lunch place. I noticed that Ditch Plains was close by, and it had recently been recommended to me. (They also have a location in Greenwich Village)
We entered and realized that we were no longer in Kansas.
More like Romper Room.
I guess word got out that this place was kid friendly, because the strollers in the shot below only show about half of what was packed into their small entry-way. It wasn’t really a problem as much as it was weird to be the only people in a restaurant without a child (and an iPad playing a cartoon). After looking at the site, it appears that they are not just kid friendly, but also kid healthy with a kid’s menu that follows USDA dietary guidelines.
The restaurant itself has a wide open feel and a few communal tables. Surprisingly, it was not very noisy, even with all those kids.
We started our lunch with some Porkslap Pale Ale. Always a favorite for Mike and me.
We began with a half dozen roasted oysters (seems we’ve been starting with oysters a lot lately!) They were with garlic and parsley butter and quite tasty.
Mike got (shocker) the burger. It was called the Big Marc and had spiked ketchup, housemade pickles, homemade black pepper (huh?), cheddar bun, jalapeño, and cheddar tater tots. I couldn’t try the burger, but Mike liked it and I was a fan of those cheddar tater tots!
I got the seared sea scallops with charred corn puree, summer vegetables, and basil walnut pistou.
Even though the scallops looked a bit burnt, they were cooked perfectly and really delicious. The base was really delicious and fresh.
We were in a indulgent mood, so we got dessert as well. Sadly, I can’t recall what this one was:
But I sure know that this was the s’mores!
There are few things in life that I love more than s’mores.
And these ooey-gooey ones did not disappoint in the slightest!
Overall, the food was very good at Ditch Plains and we enjoyed our lunch. I am curious about other meals there and would certainly go back if in the area. I was a bit nervous that the kids would be loud and obnoxious, but it wasn’t too bad at all. If you have a family, this seems like a fantastic place to go. Kids are well taken care of and accepted and food is very good. I hate to think I’d have to sacrifice eating out at good restaurants when I have kids, so I appreciate that this place exists for that reason at least.
Total Nom Points: 7 out of 10
