Ichiban Noodle Restaurant, 400 College Road, Fairbanks, Alaska.
Leave the crayons and the bag of busy toys at home. At Ichiban there’s no time to throw a tantrum. For parents, wait time in a restaurant is inversely proportionate to total satisfaction. Unlike other slow-motion restaurants in town (I’m looking at you Cookie Jar), Ichiban understands that bringing a two-year-old into a restaurant is like pulling the pin on a grenade and holding on just to see what happens.
On our most recent visit I brought a stopwatch. Our egg rolls were delivered one minute and twenty seconds after our order. Our entrees arrived seven minutes later. I thought the Flash might be working in the kitchen.
Ichiban’s staff is kid friendly. The waitresses make them feel welcome. They compliment you on how cute your baby is and they sound sincere. They don’t blink if a member of your party is wearing a fairy dress because she refused to leave the house without it. The cook not only came out to smile at our baby, but also gave my husband a thumbs-up sign. We’re not sure what he meant, but we appreciated it.
For parents sharing with tots, I recommend the Ichiban Fried Rice. It’s a mix of beef, shrimp, chicken, and pork, providing a variety of finger foods perfect for anyone capable of a pincer grasp. For younger babies, the peas, carrots and rice are great. The older finger food aficionado will probably like at least one of the meats. Cedar changes her mind with each meal. On one visit, she will eat all the chicken, the next all the beef. The meat is fresh and tender and the rice is lightly seasoned.
If you have a small infant, Ichiban is a great place to nurse. The chairs pivot and recline slightly, making eating while juggling a squirmy infant almost a pleasure. Instead of walking and bouncing, the turning of the chair can comfort a fussy baby long enough for you to scarf down delicious pork bulgogi.
Unfortunately, Ichiban lacks a changing table. It doesn’t matter though. Both the men and women’s bathrooms were so immaculate that changing a baby on the floor could be an option. Besides, the food will be ready so fast no one will have time to dirty a diaper.
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