Going to fifteen cornwall lunch with children

[pooka]

Hi all
Am going to FifteenCornwall on Monday with extended family and dcs.

DD is nearly 5, behaves brilliantly in restaurants and will try most things.

The problem is DS. He's 2.5 and lovely. But an incredibly fussy eater, and not very good at just sitting while others eat. I am trying at the moment to ignore ignore ignore the non-eating and fussiness. While working on getting him to hang around at the table. But I'm not sure how this will work in a more formal eating environment, particularly when I don't want other people's dining experience to be ruined.

I am already rather wishing we weren't going because I just know he is going to run amok. I know, I know - self-fulfilling prophecy and all that. But does anyone have any ideas about what I can do to help make it a fun and tolerable experience for all of us, including ds.

He's not really into drawing. Am thinking will take special comic/stickerbook, both things he's keen on. Would it be appalling to take something like raisins, that can be eaten slowly, buying some sititng time?

I've been at night and for lunch and I can confirm that it is quite chilled - will be other children there at lunchtime too. People were taking the kids down to the beach and surf shop underneath too, it will be fine I think. It's a very nice place.

Well it sounds lovely. I've been to Rick Stein in the evening, which was fairly formal (full of Rock people) and I guess was basing my concerns on slightly stuffy dining experience.
And for anyone planning on being in that area, there is a fab michelin star restaurant in St. Merryn now which is very relaxed and friendly, or was last year when I went (called Ripley's).

Oh and I don't want to insult people who stay in rock - is a lovely place for holidays.

Will he eat plain pasta ??? They always have pasta on the menu so you can ask for some of that. I went when dd was smaller than your ds but with other children and found that it was pretty chilled out . Children swapped places after every course to be next to grandparents etc. They sat on the sofas by the window and watched the kite surfers and surfers / people walking dogs. Took turns with dh to take dd out in buggy but its a steep set of steps to get to the top.
We found service ok and dd made a huge mess with bread / bits of food etc and they were totally chilled about it.
Hope you manage to enjoy it as well !

Alas, pasta is one of the things he will NOT eat. I tell you, it has been an education, going from dd who will try practically everything and is supremely unfussy, to ds who....won't.!

However, had minor breakthrough last night as he helped me make the mashed potato and actually tasted some while cooking. Is weird, as had very varied tastes when first weaned, but gradually his list of acceptable foods has grown smaller. Ho hum.

my friend went last week with her 18 month old and said it was soooooooooooo child friendly there, staff really nice and helpful. I think it's reasonable to expect children in a restaurant at lunch time wihtout other diners getting arsey so I'm sure it'll be fine.