Hands-on Ethiopian dining is great for kids

Dining with kids presents a number of challenges -- there are bed times and food preferences to work around, not to mention any number of smaller technical difficulties such as high-chair procurement, bib installation and volume control. Nonetheless, a family must eat, and experiencing the diverse cuisines of Seattle can be a fun way for families to get to know their city.

With that in mind, my husband and I recently headed out with toddler in tow to try out a couple of Ethiopian restaurants in Seattle: Lalibela in the Central District and Pan Africa Market on First Avenue downtown. The communal nature of eating Ethiopian food makes it fun for families. And a plus for kids? You get to eat it all with your hands.

The staple of an Ethiopian meal is injera, the gigantic sourdough flatbread upon which the meal is served. The spongy texture and mild flavor make it popular with children, and its simplicity nicely counters the flavorful meats, legumes and vegetables that comprise the meal. It also serves as the primary utensil, as diners tear off pieces that they use to pick up their food.

There is no children's menu at Lalibela, so we ordered the meat combo ($13) from the regular menu. It included spinach, beef tibs (sauté) and a couple of different lentil dishes, collectively known as miser wot. We also listened to the recommendation of a young girl who was dining with her family and tried the lamb tibs ($11).

Our food arrived fairly quickly. Both the combo and the lamb tibs came with extra injera, which gave us enough food to stuff three hungry adults and a heavily grazing toddler. While the adults were pleased with the spicing on all the food, both beef dishes proved too hot for Gub (my daughter). Good thing we took the young girl's advice about the lamb: It proved a big hit, as did one of the two miser wots, which was made with yellow lentils.

After the meal, Gub wanted to get out of her high chair (one of three very clean ones available) and check out the beautiful traditional tables made of basket work, known as mesobs. Low chairs surround the four mesobs at Lalibela, making them extra fun for families with young ones.

The location of Pan Africa Market, which is right on the edge of Pike Place Market, makes it an especially easy spot to try while downtown. The vibrant colors of the décor make the restaurant seem warm even on a dreary day, and a counter by the window allows diners to do some people-watching while they eat. When we visited, their two high chairs were both clean, and the staff was very accommodating to our requests for plenty of napkins, extra water with extra ice and extra plates.

Pan Africa Market's menu is similar to that at Lalibela (meat combo $10, lamb tibs $12), and our experiences at Pan Africa Market confirmed Gub's love of miser wot, which our waiter noted was almost universally popular with kids due to its milder spice. Pan Africa Market also offers breakfast on the weekends, which includes more standard egg dishes in addition to traditional Ethiopian breakfast, making for a great opportunity to try Ethiopian food with the safe backup option of eggs.

The staff at both restaurants let us choose our table, which allowed us to find spots removed from other diners but with a good view of the room. Gub loves to watch other people, but I didn't want to disturb diners with her occasional shrieks. There were no changing tables at either restaurant, and the restrooms were clean but small, which could prove difficult for the diaper set. In spite of that, the staff at both Lalibela and Pan Africa Market were comfortable with children, and the other diners didn't seem to begrudge the table with the toddler.

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