The Terroni that I had referred to is the one on Adelaide and has very high ceilings (an old courthouse I believe) and I really didnt find it noisy although it was bustling??

When I go to the Pickle Barrel and to Mr Greenjeans, I do so with the expectation that the food will actually be very good.

I don't know of a better hamdbuger downtown than MR. Greenjeans in the Eaton Centre.

And I think kids surrounded by a pack of adults, just might like to enjoy themselves, instead of being formalized into some "adult experience"

I thnk it's just plain mean to take them to some goat's eyeballs in squid ink kind of a place, plus out of keeping with the mood suggested from the original posting.

BAK

Its like going to McDonalds in Paris... nuff said...

I think the food at the Pickle Barrel is fine -- and I don't mean that pejoratively. There's a wide variety on the menu so everyone can pretty much get what they want, and the prices are reasonable. The downtown PB in the Atrium has recently been redone and is very nice. That said, it's a good place for a casual dinner but not if you're looking for fine dining (probably not what you want with kids anyway) or fabulous food.

Also in the Atrium is SpringRolls -- wide variety of pan-Asian, pretty place, good prices, as well. Both the kids and the grown-ups might enjoy that as well.