Stadium (Encinitas): Review #2

LOVE the Stadium in Encinitas. Went with CH and ST tonight after trying it a few months ago.

All the plusses:

--kids' play room

--monitors at your table to see your child in the playroom so you can relax (we didn't even know about this kind of table last time, so one of us had always been left alone at the table while the other watched him; this was way better)

--surprisingly great food for a sports bar/burger place. I enjoyed seared ahi sliders with sweet potato french fries; ST had standard m&c that also came with fresh carrot and celery sticks and tater tots; CH had a chicken teriyaki bowl he liked (he decided to give the Stadium another try tonight and order something different even though he had a tummyache last time - hopefully it was a one time thing and he'll be fine tonight).

--great selection of beer on tap (I hardly drank any but enjoyed some tastes of the Stadium Honey beer)

--super-friendly servers: all the young women and men who work there are very nice and family-friendly

--hip-ish atmosphere and comfy seating. I'm not even into the big screens b/c I don't need to watch the game, but it lends the place a buzzy atmosphere.

Looking forward to going again. Super toddler-friendly and mom- and dad-friendly place (it almost felt like a date while we were sitting on our own, chatting, while watching him on the monitor playing hide and seek with the camera :)).

Round-Up of Recent Visits: A. R. Valentien, Bibby's Crepe Cafe, The Stadium

Now here's a group of restaurants that no one would put together:
--Fine Dining at A.R. Valentien (Lodge at Torrey Pines)
--Breakfast with Boy at Bibby's Crepe Cafe (La Jolla)
--Sports-Bar Dining at The Stadium (Encinitas)

But I've been to all three recently and don't have time for full reviews, so here goes:

A. R. VALENTIEN: Still good, but didn't seem nearly as good as it used to. Both CH and I thought so. Enjoyed my kabocha squash ravioli and crispy-skin arctic char. But the char was swimming in butter. It was tasty but not the light food that Chef Jeffrey Jackson used to serve. The veg. that came on the side used to be spectacularly light and tasty: lukewarm broccoli sauteed in garlic that honestly wasn't better than most cheap places in town. Wudn't nothing like the grilled farm-to-table veggies at Tender Greens, for a fraction of the price. Did love the yummy Jordan Chardonnay (if it's going to be $15 for a glass of wine, I want it to be a spectacular glass). And liked the free mini-desserts at the end. But this was our fave restaurant once upon a time. Definitely ain't anymore, can't see going back for a few years.

BIBBY'S CREPE CAFE: Decent place to bring ST, though it was mobbed: when ST went for a while on Cute Husband's lap, they took his own chair away because they needed it to use at other tables. Took a while for food to come and ST was in a bad mood, but when it came it was very good. REAL BUCKWHEAT CREPES, portions much larger than at Fabrison's in Little Italy. At the same time, I suspect that the crepes weren't 100% buckwheat. Even though Fabrison's crepe fillings are much less generous and well-priced and I was hungry after eating there, the crepe itself there was pure buckwheat pleasure and very delicious. The Bibby's crepe tasted less nutty, complex, etc. Buckwheat cheaters? But I would go back there if I was in the neighborhood. It wouldn't really satisfy a buckwheat craving, though!

STADIUM: Was very pleasantly surprised with this under-the-radar toddler-friendly place. Has a little kids' room with some toys and Cars the movie showing. Probably would work better if you went with more than 1 child, since ST didn't really want to stay in there by himself, which meant one of us was still sitting at the table alone. Food MUCH BETTER THAN EXPECTED for a loud sports bar with screens everywhere. Very large menu; enjoyed my portabella mushroom sandwich with sweet potato french fries a lot, and there were many other veg choices I could have gotten. Great beer selection and very friendly, efficient service too. But CH (he of the unpredictable stomach) got a tummy ache afterwards so it may not get a return visit from us. Definitely worth a try with kids!