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I have often wondered why, in a society of parents who are wait-listing their barely conceived children at private schools and enrolling toddlers in immersion language schools and advanced tap dancing, that we so neglect the education of the palette. America is fostering a culinary culture unmatched in our history and there is no reason to be ordering your kids mystery nuggets or plain pasta.

Here in Central Oregon we have many, many options beyond over stimulation and bad burgers. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern options have become easy and kid friendly for open-minded parents. The happy hour at Merenda offers all sorts of Northern Italian/Southern French influenced dishes for cut-rate prices. Get there at 4:30pm, sit in the dining room and order off the bar menu. Kebaba has great Lebanese food and a relaxed atmosphere – especially in the summer months. I’ve yet to meet a kid that won’t eat hummus or falafel with a little tzaziki. Demetri’s has Greek food in a low-key atmosphere. Try the spanikopita to introduce them to spinach and finish off the meal with the baklava – a kid favorite.

I have often wondered why, in a society of parents who are wait-listing their barely conceived children at private schools and enrolling toddlers in immersion language schools and advanced tap dancing, that we so neglect the education of the palette. America is fostering a culinary culture unmatched in our history and there is no reason to be ordering your kids mystery nuggets or plain pasta.
 
Here in Central Oregon we have many, many options beyond over stimulation and bad burgers. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern options have become easy and kid friendly for open-minded parents. The happy hour at Merenda offers all sorts of Northern Italian/Southern French influenced dishes for cut-rate prices. Get there at 4:30pm, sit in the dining room and order off the bar menu. Kebaba has great Lebanese food and a relaxed atmosphere - especially in the summer months. I've yet to meet a kid that won't eat hummus or falafel with a little tzaziki. Demetri's has Greek food in a low-key atmosphere. Try the spanikopita to introduce them to spinach and finish off the meal with the baklava - a kid favorite.

Burgers and Fries beware. We’ve got ethnic, buffet style. Since its opening, Taj Palace has stood out as the ONLY Indian eatery in town, but it also happens to produce some of the best Sag Paneer (spinach and cheese cubes in a spiced cream sauce) this side of New Delhi. I’ll admit that I’ve never been lucky enough to eat in India, but of the food I’ve eaten in Indian communities in large American cities, Taj Palace holds its own.
For the last couple of years, Taj has offered a Friday and Saturday night buffet. It’s a variation on the popular lunch buffet, featuring a bit more upscale items. For $14.95 you have a choice of unlimited amounts of sag paneer, lamb curry, homemade nan, lentil dahl, chicken tikka, sambar (thick lentil vegetable soup), aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower cooked with Indian spices), vegetable biryani (basmati rice with mixed vegetables) and malai kofta (vegetable and cheese balls in a yogurt sauce). Not only is this a smokin’ deal, it’s the best way for a novice to try Indian cuisine.

Burgers and Fries beware. We’ve got ethnic, buffet style. Since its opening, Taj Palace has stood out as the ONLY Indian eatery in town, but it also happens to produce some of the best Sag Paneer (spinach and cheese cubes in a spiced cream sauce) this side of New Delhi. I'll admit that I've never been lucky enough to eat in India, but of the food I've eaten in Indian communities in large American cities, Taj Palace holds its own.
For the last couple of years, Taj has offered a Friday and Saturday night buffet. It's a variation on the popular lunch buffet, featuring a bit more upscale items. For $14.95 you have a choice of unlimited amounts of sag paneer, lamb curry, homemade nan, lentil dahl, chicken tikka, sambar (thick lentil vegetable soup), aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower cooked with Indian spices), vegetable biryani (basmati rice with mixed vegetables) and malai kofta (vegetable and cheese balls in a yogurt sauce). Not only is this a smokin' deal, it's the best way for a novice to try Indian cuisine.