Reds

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £8 (lunch)
   £15 (evening meal)
• House wine: £9.99 per bottle
• BYOB: £3 wine corkage

• High point: Stress-free dining for those with children
• Low point: But not so stress-free for those without
• Food served: Mon 10am–4.30pm; Tue–Sun 10am–10pm
• Open since: 2007
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of main courses), Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Takeaway

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008
– in the shops now or buy online.

For parents and toddlers there are many soft play areas with café facilities, but Reds goes one better, as a café with soft play facilities. Being able to eat without constant interruption is a luxury that is so far only available to Portobello parents, although there is another venue in the planning process. Reds is spacious and simply decorated with white walls, pine tables and a few leather sofas. The back room is dominated by the red soft play frame, smaller than those found in many soft play centres, but just as intoxicating for the children. Here, what's good for the goose is good for the gander as the children's menu is simply a pared-down version of what's provided for the adults. During the day there are dishes such as macaroni cheese, steak pie, fish and chips and nachos – not much originality perhaps but good quality, freshly made food for all the family. In the evening, the menu changes to bistro-style dishes of steak, seafood or spaghetti, but still the kids are welcome. For parents who can at times feel like dining out is little more than an ordeal to be overcome, Reds is a breath of fresh air.