Candlelight. A jazz pianist playing softly in the corner. The gentle clink of wineglasses filled with a vintage worth more than your next car payment.

And then the hostess seats a family of 4 at the table beside you. Are you horrified?

A recent article in the New York Times (via CNN) is drawing heat for giving the nod to high-end NYC-area restaurants that not only deign to allow younger patrons entry, they even cater to them.

A kiddie menu listed below your Chateaubriand and escargot? Not likely! you huff. After all, for what you're paying, you shouldn't have to deal with squirming and whining.

And yet, as the article points out, is it inherently inappropriate to bring your children out to a fancy restaurant? I know many a youngster with better table manners than off-colour-joke-telling, cellphone-mashing loudmouth business types (disclaimer: my kids are not among them), and am the first to support parents who try to expose their kids to new cuisine and exciting experiences.

Would you boycott a restaurant that welcomes younger guests? Or do you give props to businesses who would fill the void of family-friendly establishments that offer more than chicken fingers?