Eating out with Toddler – Teppan Kenta

I usually write about awesome places to eat out with a baby in Toronto, this time it’s also about the challenges we’re facing now that the baby is a toddler who is well into the terrible two phase. A couple girlfriends and I were linking up and decided to check out the newly opened Teppan Kenta, a Japanese Teppanyaki spot, for dinner last week. If you’re trying to find it, it is hidden behind the Rabba so don’t waste your time walking up and down Wellesley like we did! I couldn’t help but notice that the patrons were all East Asian, which is a sure sign of authentic cuisine.

The layout includes communal wooden benches (with slots underneath to toss your purse or diaper bag!) and an open kitchen. The staff were super friendly and enjoyed playing with the Little Monkey despite her annoying tantrums. They even kept picking the chopsticks that kept slipping out of her hands despite my constant ask on not to bother. It’s getting harder and harder to take her out these days especially when I’m flying solo without the hubs. She wants to push her limits and be assertive when it comes to what she wants and won’t give up till she gets it…most times these asks are coupled with loud shrieks she finds hilarious. Yet I find myself taking her out atleast to one event each week because I feel the need to continue the exposure. My hope is that the continued exposure to social situations will make her a social angel once again when this phase passes by. Hopefully I’m right and not just subjecting my friends and potential new friends to an annoying toddler for no reason at all! The little one was so rambunctious that she fell off the bench, much to the shock and horror of our neighbours. I’m so used to her tumbling around that I wasn’t phased by it or her 40 second crying session, but it definitely was not pleasant for those around, despite their smiling faces.

As with most izakayas you’ll be ordering quite a few dishes as they are all tapas style portions, which is great when you’re in a group as you get to explore a variety of dishes. We discovered some delicious eats and some so-sos but best of all was the Reif Estate 2012 Riesling that paired beautifully with the meal. I was pleasantly surprised that I actually liked the white so much! My favourite dish of all was the Ebi Cheese doused bread crumbs and shrimp dish. It was our first time trying Japanese Pancakes so we weren’t sure what to expect…the pancake was topped with an omelet and  the pancake itself was a cabbage base.

My challenge with Izakaya menus in general is that I’m left hungry, no matter how many dishes I eat! I guess I should challenge myself and order about 8-10 dishes per person vs. the 5-6 we usually do. That said, Teppan Kenta is very reasonably priced and we were pleasantly surprised by the final bill. Not a spot I’d go back to but that’s only because there’s so many others I need to try. They are kid friendly but taking a toddler here may not be the best bet as the wooden benches make it a bit difficult for them to sit in one place.