Moms Eat Local: Samurai Japanese Restaurant

Moms know how tough it can be to eat out with little ones. Patch wants to help you know before you walk in the door if Samurai Japanese Restaurant is a good place to eat with your children.

Restaurant:

Is there a kids’ menu? Not officially, but there are kid-friendly items.

Are there healthy options on the kids’ meal? Japanese restaurants tend to have many more healthy options than other restaurants. Edamame ($4.75), miso soup ($1.95), green salads ($4.25) and shrimp shumai (steamed dumplings, $5.95) are just some of the many. 

How does the restaurant deal with food allergies? Japanese restaurants offer many gluten-free options since many of the starches are rice or rice-based. Remember to just stay away from fried or tempura items and check to see if the noodles are rice noodles or flour noodles. Otherwise, alert your server and they will be as accommodating as they can be.

Is the restaurant so quiet that any childish outburst will draw attention or is there enough noise that a small cry is likely to go unnoticed? It depends on how crowded the dining room is and who is seated near you. I have gone and had a very quiet dinner there but most recently there was a very chatty and loud group of students next to us and everyone could hear their conversation. Regardless, kids are welcome.

For the full review of Samurai Japanese Restaurant, check back with Bryn Mawr-Gladwyne Patch on Thursday.