We made it over to Boom Noodle, the new Japanese-style spot on Capitol Hill, last week. If you've been to any of the Blue C sushi joints in town, which are owned by the same group, you know the general aesthetic of the place: big, open, modern, clean. Where Blue C sports a conveyor belt to bring people together, Boom has big, semicommunal tables that allow you to eat with a lot of friends or to make new ones with your tablemates.

When we arrived at around six on a Thursday night, the place was nearly empty, and the hostess let us choose our seat. Within an hour, Boom was packed nearly to the gills. We felt comfortable being there with Gub thanks to the low-key atmosphere, and we saw several other families while we were there. There was a decent supply of high chairs and even more booster seats, suggesting an endorsement of family dining on Boom's part. The customers seemed to be a mix of types, and the room buzzed with conversation without being outright loud. A child of normal volume wouldn't stand out here.

I thought the menu would be right up Gub's alley, since she had been chanting "noonle, noonle," all day long, but it was one of those days. She enjoyed the edamame puree with sweet-potato chips, which was on the small-plates menu and tasted like hummus' cousin. Presented with soba from my dish and udon from her daddy's, she simply played with them and wanted the ice from our water. Luckily, I was able to order a small bowl of rice, which she ate with soy sauce. She also got excited by the bite of mochi ice cream that our friend fed her, but who wouldn't?

We'll certainly be back, maybe for a shared noodle bowl for lunch after we go to the Children's Film Festival this week.

When she isn't writing about kids and families, Lilium Pierson can be found adventuring in Seattle with her young daughter, "Gub." Their favorite activities include library visits, Sundays at the West Seattle farmers market and exploring their neighborhood. Pierson's work has appeared in Seattle Business Monthly.

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