Great places to hang out in Den Haag

I have a good friend who lives in Den Haag and passed on the followingadvice about places to go and eat if you have a small child. This is reallygreat advice so I thought I should post it here:

Hi Victoria,

Very sad to hear your friend has such a lousy experience in my country. AsIan can confirm, it's not a very easy place for 'outsiders'... The upside isthat if you are not at fancy free and footloose as my friend Ian is- andwith a little boy that age she will have moderated her dancing ambitions-The Hague can be quite a nice place to hang out.

Here are a couple of my personal favorites:

- Ziani: italian restaurant espically great with children. There is even alittle playcorner and no one will mind a couple of screeming children (Ihave experience):http://iens.nl/restaurantsVan/DenHaag/restaurant.htms?r=4240

- De Boterwaag: grand cafe at the center of town (Grote Marktstraat). Goodplace to have a few beers and especially sunday afternoon it is crowded withchildren. Bit smokey but all that will be history after jan 1 when allpublic hangouts will be smoke free. Remnds me that I should quit beforethen.

- Bodega 'De Pakschuit'. On the canal on the old part of the center. Goodtapas and again fine place for drinks on sunday afternoon with children. Nottoo crowded.

Plenty of good parks and playgrounds of course. I frenquent the playgroundon the Scheveningseweg/Kerkhoff laan a lot. Good stuff for kids and daddycan look at the skateboarders when he is bored. She should definately checkout the park 'Clingendael', very classy park and good playground as well. Iam sure she will have discoevered the marvels of the Beach, and it isstarting to become off-season but I highly recomemend strandpavilioen 'Zuid'on the 'Zuiderstrand'.

Best thing of coursee with children is to get a babysit and have a romanticevening out for mom and dad.

- Pastis: french bistro at the hart of the old center. Decent steakbearnaise and good ambiance:http://iens.nl/restaurantsVan/DenHaag/restaurant.htms?r=21430

- Favorite Thais restaurant is Ponsawan:http://iens.nl/restaurantsVan/DenHaag/restaurant.htms?r=18512 great food andvery frendly people (right around the corner from where Ian used to live butlet's admit it Ian, you were also a bit shortsighted).

For mom alone, when she is tired of the whole afair: Wicked Wineshttp://iens.nl/restaurantsVan/DenHaag/restaurant.htms?r=5571

Nice place that women tend to like on wednesday nights for a glas and somegossip.

For Dad, when he just wants to get hammered on Belgian beertasting: Cafe 'DePaas' on the Dunne Bierkade. Ask Ian (he still will recall that he beat meby one glass and was very proud of that. Never saw him check in the officethe next day though).