We’ve challenged your children to become global citizens without leaving Lake County by grabbing a Passport to Flavor and taking our Global Dine Around Challenge for Kids.
So far we have been to:
Today we’re kicking the challenge up a notch. We’ve eased you into it with familiar favorites, now we’re taking you somewhere new, somewhere far from the kids menu: Japan.
Japanese Dining in Lake County
Try Kawa Japanese Restaurant & Mongolian Grill, 100 South Atkinson Rd. in Grayslake. A large selection of Japanese and Asian menu items means there’s something for everyone. The Mongolian Grill, a large, round, solid iron griddle where chefs cook your selection of meats, veggies, and sauces makes for an entertaining sight for the kids.
Take the Challenge:
Sushi is an ideal food for kids! Parents concerned about raw fish needn’t worry. Sushi does not necessarily mean raw fish, but refers to the vinegared rice that is integral to the dish. There are many sushi dishes that do not make use of raw fish at all, but make use of avocado, cooked eggs, barbecued eel, or cooked shrimp to name a few.
An easy introduction is a favorite for my kids, the California Roll or “maki.” It consists of rice, cucumber, cooked crab meat, avocado and rolled in seaweed. Sometimes it will also contain fish roe or “tobiko” but you can ask for it to be left out. Kids love to try their hand at chopsticks, but it can just as easily be eaten with little fingers. For a hot meal, kids will enjoy choosing their own stir-fry items and watching them cooked on the Mongolian Grill.
Recommended Reading:

First Book of Sushi by Amy Wilson Sanger
Miso in my sippy cup, tofu in my bowl! From tekka maki to wasabi, tasty treats await young readers in this colorful, rhyming ode to Japanese cuisine. With pages full of tummy-tempting foods, the books in the World Snacks series are a delicious way to introduce even the littlest eaters to cuisines from all around the globe. {from Amazon}
Before you go print out this coloring sheet to take with you and your children can learn about Japan while they wait for their food!
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