On a recent family trip to visit friends in Greenwich, CT, we stumbled upon the Beach House Cafe, a traditional American restaurant with a hint of nautical flavor that caters to the young, old, hip, and hungry. Bring your kids and friends to get a taste of the seashore, sunblock not required!

We felt right at home as soon as we walked into the understated dining room — black and white with hints of sea-washed color. We skipped the buzzing bar since our kids were in tow and enjoyed our booze (wine rather than one of their “beachy” cocktails to save on calories) tableside.

Turning our attention to the extensive menu, we found both healthy and not-so-healthy options galore. The appetizer offerings were on the heavier side. Rather than skip them altogether, we shared a few to get a taste without overindulging: fried calamari (360 calories and 25 grams of fat per order, so take 3 or 4 pieces and move on!), the tomato, basil, and mozzarella quesadilla with arugula (one piece is more than enough to savor the flavor), and the pan seared crab cakes (cut each in quarters for a bite-sized taste).

To balance out our apps, we kept our entrees on the healthier side. I ordered the refreshing seafood cobb salad filled with scallops, shrimp, avocado, a hard boiled egg, and roasted corn (ask for it with dressing on the side and no bacon). My friends enjoyed the blackened tilapia and arugula salad (its seasoning adds lots of flavor without fat) and the grilled mahi-mahi (skip the potatoes). For the kiddies, there was a great children’s menu with side salads, hamburgers, and penne with marinara — which kept them away from unhealthy mac & cheese or chicken fingers. I got zero complaints!

The kids shared a dessert while the adults sipped coffee and tea and danced to the live local music — an easy and enjoyable way to burn off a few extra calories!