Restaurants

The gaming salon Card Kingdom in Ballard, open since May, is already a cult favorite among serious board-game geeks, with a thousand-or-so selection of everything from Magic the Gathering to Operation sprawling across a sleek, friendly warren of rooms.

But you are just as likely to see families afoot, thanks in part to the store's adjoining restaurant/pub, Cafe Mox. A small, well-appointed eating area abuts a bar with a solid selection of craft beers, wine and espresso.

A generous game-checkout policy for the kids, drinks for the adults and a surprising menu of gourmet-pub food for both makes Card Kingdom and Cafe Mox one of the city's best new rainy-day family diversions.

The setting: Cafe Mox's has a bit of a steampunk vibe, with industrial metal lighting, art-nouveau inspired frescos and a long, thickly timbered table. It is softened by deep, cushy booths and the giddy chatter of game players hunched over tables.

The menu: The food is inspired comfort food. Small bites include savory chicken-pot-pie empanadas with homemade cranberry jelly ($7.99) and grilled-cheese silver dollars with tangy tomato sauce ($4.99). There are also a dozen complex sandwiches, including a spicy skirt-steak on grilled ciabatta (the Chivito, $12.99) and a PB&J with homemade peanut butter and jelly ($5.99).

What to write home about: The apple sauce, an optional side with the sandwiches, is the perfect blend of sweet and tang. The Cartel's blend of prosciutto, bacon, steak and queso is served on crispy naan ($12.99).

What to skip: The tuna melt ($10.99) arrived overcrisped and oversalted with the olives and capers blended in the fish.

Summing it up: A yummy dinner for a family of four during happy hour ($1 off all items), including an appetizer, came to $40.46 without tip. An hour of happy family-game night: priceless.

Jonathan Martin: jmartin@seattletimes.com