Durden

By admin · On October 17, 2015

A Fight Club themed East Village haunt serving traditional Creole/New Orleans food. Friendly laid-back vibe. All good if you don’t mind the smell of beer first thing in the morning.

Basics:

Cuisine:	Creole/Cajun
Address:	213 2^nd Avenue, NY, NY @ btwn 12^th and 13^th st.
Area:	East Village
Phone:	212-473-1155
Hours:	Mon-Fri 4pm – 2pm Sat 1pm – 4am, Sun 1pm – 2am
Price:	$
Menu:	http://www.nawlinz.nyc/menu/

Kid Friendliness:

Stroller parking:	YES
Room Around Tables For Stroller:	YES
Accessible (No Stairs):	YES
Double Stroller Friendly:	YES
Table Activity:	NO
Kids Menu:	NO
Half Portions Available:	YES
Changing Table Men’s:	NO
Changing Table Women’s:	NO
Booster Seats:	NO
High Chairs:	YES

The Verdict:

Good for Infants who stay in the stroller or are high-chair ready. Little Kids who can sit in a chair without a booster seat. Suitable for Brunch/Lunch only.

Sippy Cup Rating:

(3.0 / 5)

Mommy’s of two year olds and hungover NYU revelers have something in common after all – the need for some strong coffee. We found that and more at the authentic New Orleans, East Village gem – Durden.

Sunny and I were well into our Saturday routine – having just completed a particularly “spirited” swim class at the 14^th Street Y, we were both ready to chow down. Arriving at 1pm sharp, we were the first customers and the sleepy bar was just waking up. We were immediately greeted by the owner who quickly tried to charm Sunny with a free plate of his mother’s famous cinnamon buns.

Free desert food to start off a meal, you say? A man after my own heart. The N’awlins menu is traditional and limited (po’ boys, fried catfish, rice and beans etc.)….not ideal for a picky toddler. Nevertheless our waiter was very accommodating. He brought Sunny small plate of plain soft scrambled eggs and cut up fruit. This was a good thing because my order, the traditional Creole dish Eggs Sardou took a while to make (it was well worth the wait by the way). While I waited Sunny and I munched on some perfectly spiced French fries however to Sunny’s (and my) dismay the Durden doesn’t have “red sauce” (Ketchup). I was schooled that ketchup is basically a sin when it comes to traditional Cajun cuisine. File under #learnsomethi gneweveryday. Since I don’t travel with a bottle of Heinz in my baby bag I was concerned that we were cruisin’ for a meltdown but I had technology on my side and an episode of “My Little Pony” saved the day!

Here’s the deal: The Durden is first and foremost a bar. So if you don’t mind the smell of beer, then you’ll appreciate the open floor plan which allows for lots of strollers and places for your kids to walk around while you wait for your meal. However, if frat-house chic is not your thing, then this ain’t for you. There is a small outdoor seating area as well but I suggest saving that for an adult outing since there is limited room for strollers and the tables are right on busy traffic filled 2^nd Ave. which is a no-no for a roaming toddler.

Insider Tip:

Durden is primarily a sports bar. What is a quiet restaurant at 1pm quickly turns into a rowdy college hang a few hours later. Get there early.

Bonus Points:

Hands down the Durden has the BEST bacon I have ever had. They use jowl of the pig which cured and cooked with a sticky layer of spicy sweetness resulting in a candied piece of heaven.