A well-kept secret: Early brunch at Le Diplomate

Brunch in Washington, DC, typically starts at 11:00 am. By that time, I've usually been up hours and likely eaten three meals. Also by that time, all the hungover hipsters have had time to wake up, brush something if we are lucky, and crowd up most of the decent brunch spots.

Unbeknownst to many, around 9:15 am, a line forms outside Logan Circle's Le Diplomate. You can spot the strollers and Ergos blocks away. That's because their brunch starts at 9:30 am.

Le Diplomate, on the corner of 14th and Q Street, NW, was actually the inspiration for this blog, and I've updated this post several times as we uncover new reasons why we love it. The experience is so consistently enjoyable not only do I want all babies and their parents to know about it, I also want more restaurants to know about it too.

Le Diplomate's service is well-choreographed and always reliable. And for a fleeting moment, parents might actually feel like they are leisurely dining in a Parisian cafe.

At the nexus of Le Diplomate's many baby-friendly elements is its bread.

By far the freshest and crunchiest, the bread is baked in-house, free and always swiftly brought to the table. As an infant, I occupied myself gnawing on crusts, plus the basket is fun and safe to play with too. As a toddler, I'm happy to eat it and keep (mostly) quiet while waiting for my meal.

The place is equipped with more than enough high chairs (ask for the sturdy American ones - not the tippy French ones if you are a wigggler and/or weigh more than a stuffed animal). And friendly staff do not shudder at the sight of a slobbery baby, a disheveled mom or even a boobie.

While Le Diplomate lacks a kids' menu, it makes up for it in outdoor seating, changing tables and some baby-friendly entrees.  The Grueyere and Fine Herbes omlette can be sliced into fingers for easy, independent maneuvering. The poached eggs Basque has a simple polenta you could scoop on a plate for me. And you can never go wrong with the oatmeal.

My brunch and dinner companions have indulged in the espresso bar, pastry basket, salmon tartine, Belgium brews, sea scallops, trout and open faced sandwiches.

The bread is so good (and time-consuming to eat), my parents can often end the meal with a coffee or dessert. A real luxury when dining with baby.

4.5 stars (on its way to 5 as soon as Le Diplomate adds in a kids' menu)

Learn ABOUT ME and check out some of my DOS AND DONTS for eating out.

Rasika: Fine dining for parents

Believe it or not, I dared even Rasika West End (1190 New Hampshire Avenue, NW/Foggy Bottom metro). I arrived in a stroller and left in a Moby, and the dining experience was unanimously pleasant for my mom and two friends.

There was a little panic when I awoke from my nap, but as an overall experience, certainly better than sitting at home watching Modern Family re-runs.

I was eight weeks old and had eaten a big meal prior to the walk there. When I did wake up in my stroller, Mom whisked me off to the spacious Ladies' (albeit sans changing table) to transfer me to the Moby where she wrapped me tightly and bounced me back to sleep.

In addition to being Mom's favorite DC restaurant, the up-scale Rasika is remarkably baby-friendly. Tables are spaced wide distances apart allowing for easy stroller maneuvering. There is quite a bit of background noise, making the random scream, moan or babble indistinguishable. The hosts and wait staff are unpretentious and amenable as well. When I arrived, they escorted us to a convenient, spacious table with ample space to park my stroller. A waiter even offered my mama a pillow. That would have made nursing even easier in their already-comfortable chairs.

Why mention if I didn't even nurse? Knowing I can nurse at any second definitely takes the edge off me and more so my mama. She never wants to be caught in a social situation where she can't give me exactly what I want the moment I want it. Otherwise it can spiral into ugly very quickly.

Back to Rasika. Another added bonus - as I scoped out the joint, not one dirty look from employees or fellow patrons. And I even saw two other kids. Good for their parents and their palate.

I'd actually be curious to return as a toddler to test out the high chair situation and explore the menu a little more in detail. I mean the naan, vegetable biryani and chickpeas would probably work, but what about the chutneys? Would my parents' favorite okra dish and scallop appetizer be too adventurous?

I guess I need to go back....