Harold Moore, executive chef and co-owner of Commerce
I bring my four-year-old daughter, Carey, to Esca (402 W 43rd St at Ninth Ave; 212-564-7272, esca-nyc.com). Thanks to its Theater District location, you can get in and out for dinner in just over an hour, which is perfect for a child’s attention span. Plus, she loves the food. Her favorite dishes are the simply-prepared fried smelt and the steamed clams.