It May Not Be Haute Cuisine, But Perkins Knows Kids

Escaping toddlers. Kids washing window sills with the contents of their water glasses. Others determined to eat the contents of the salt shaker. Nothing bothers the motherly looking waitresses at the Perkins Restaurant on Bothell Way N.E.

Slapping a pot of coffee on the table, a Perkins waitress can corral a toddler and take an order with total aplomb, as we saw recently at brunch. Out front were a couple of bikes with kid seats attached. Yes, it's our kind of place.

While our two daughters worked on the free paper game the restaurant provides (it's part of the donation effort Perkins makes to the Child Welfare League of America), I checked out the children's menu.

All kids meals are $1.99, except between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. daily. Then children, accompanied by an adult, eat free off the children's menu when the adult orders big-people food. Kids' beverages not included.

Our oldest daughter chose three pancakes layered with mini chocolate chips. Her younger sister picked pancakes decorated with bright-red strawberry topping and whipped cream. Other kids choices include chicken strips, a burger, grilled cheese, fried fish or a hot dog, each with fries.

From among the adult breakfast offerings of eggs, pancakes, omelets, French toast and waffles, the girls' father settled on the $5.49 Eggs Benedict: two eggs and Canadian bacon on an English muffin topped with Hollandaise, hash browns on the side. I had the Belgian

breakfast. For $4.49, it's half a Belgian waffle, two eggs, hash browns and bacon.

With menus like that, it's obvious Perkins isn't on the cutting edge of Northwest cuisine or health food (and from the look of it, the glutenous strawberry mass on the 3-year-old's pancakes may not have even been biodegradable, although that never stops toddlers).

What Perkins does have is decent, basic, reasonably priced food in a relaxed atmosphere that really caters to the families. If more proof is needed, consider the wishing well. A brass pot near the front door, it contains free small plastic toys for the kiddies. As our waitress said, ``Enjoy your day; you only get one of 'em today.'' With wishing-well trinkets in hand, our kids enjoyed their day.

Restaurant: Perkins Restaurant, 14511 Bothell Way N.E., 364-8282.

Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 6 a.m.-2 a.m.

Highchairs/booster chairs: Yes.

Children's menu: For kids under age 12.

Nonsmoking area: Yes.

Beverages: No alcohol.

Taking the Kids appears the first and third Saturdays of each month. Seattle Times reviewers visit restaurants anonymously and unannounced. They pay for all food, beverages and service. When they interview members of the restaurant's establishment, it is after meals and services have been appraised. They do not accept invitations to evaluate restaurants.