If you're in the mood for a family-friendly night of strolling and dining, downtown Hollywood has plenty of choices. If you have children, consider combining your outing with Funtastic Fridays, a miniature carnival set up in Anniversary Park with plenty of free activities to keep the little ones busy before or after dinner.

These are some of the restaurants we visited:

EXOTIC BITES

If you judged this tiny cafe with its green plastic-covered tablecloths by its looks, you might not go inside. But then you would miss out on some great-tasting Mediterranean food.

On Friday and Saturday nights, Exotic Bites draws a crowd with belly dancing and hookahs ($15 for one flavor, $18 for two). When we visited early on a Sunday evening, it was deserted, but that was fine with us.

We started with an appetizer of thick falafel patties with a crispy, brown crust surrounding a moist, flavorful blend of chickpeas, parsley and cilantro.

The entree platters come with hummus, tabouleh, couscous, salad, warm pita bread and dipping sauces. We tried one with a flavorful kebab of marinated chicken breast made even better with a zesty sauce and another with kibbe, football-shaped meatballs seasoned with onions, pine nuts, cardamom, turmeric and other spices.

If your child isn't that adventurous, there are also burgers, chicken wings, to grilled mahi mahi and other standards.

Exotic Bites, 1848 Harrison St., Hollywood; 954-921-6667; salads and wraps $2.95-$7.75, starters $5.50-$6.95, entrees $9.95-$14.95.

CAFE ITALIA

This small cafe reminds us of the ones that you find along the streets of Rome -- cozy little places where you can duck in for anything from a cup of coffee to breakfast, lunch or dinner.

With Italian posters and paintings on the wall, you can almost pretend you've zoomed across the Atlantic. There's a computer station with Internet access, but if relaxation is in order, grab a comfy chair; on a quiet night, no one minded when our child decided to crash in one of them.

The menu runs the gamut from croissants and omelets for breakfast to salads, paninis, pizzas and pastas. There's a kid's menu, and children eat free on Friday night as part of the Funtastic Fridays promotion.

Bucatini bolognesa brought long, thin pasta tubes in a hearty meat sauce. The lighter shrimp linguine alla siciliana had a half dozen good-sized shrimp in a sauce of fresh garlic, tomato and olive oil that could have used more tomatoes, some red pepper flakes and a little less oil.

Café Italia, 2025A Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-925-8815; breakfast specials $4.95-$5.95, lunch specials $5.95-$10.99, salads $7.50-$10.99, sandwiches $6-$9.95, pizza $7.95-$9.95, pasta $8.99-$16.99.

ORALE MEXICAN

Orale (Mexican slang for ''Right on!'' or ''Oh yea!'') opened only a month ago at the west end of Hollywood Boulevard near Dixie Highway, where there's virtually no walk-by traffic. That's why owner Juan Rodriguez is hiring a mariachi band periodically to wander down the boulevard and draw attention to the restaurant.

Once there, customers will find an upbeat and inviting space with bright orange and yellow walls decorated with murals and Mexican artwork, plus an extensive menu that goes well beyond the usual burritos, fajitas, etc. There are plenty of choices for kids whether they like Mexican or not.

The chips are so fresh and warm, it's hard to stop eating them, but try not to fill up; the portions are large. If you want more than salsa, there are several dips under $5.

Carnitas were big chunks of pork, lightly fried and juicy inside. Put them inside the piping hot house-made tortillas and top with grilled onions, salsa and fresh guacamole for a tasty combo.

There are a number of chicken dishes from the El Gallinero region of Mexico, including Pollo de Poncho (with chorizo) and our choice, Pollo Norteño, marinated, grilled chicken breast topped with sautéed onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and bell peppers. We passed on the usual melted cheese for a healthier dish, but our efforts were defeated because the vegetables were drowning in oil. Plus the kitchen initially forgot the grilled tomatoes.

The service needs work, too; our waitress didn't know the menu well and had difficulty communicating in English.

Orale Mexican Restaurant, 2041 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-367-6795, www.oralemexicanrestaurant.com; starters $3.50-$9.95, most entrees $8.25-$15.95.

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