Elegantly luxurious, yet quite affordable." It sounds like an old Hyundai commercial, but when dining at Philadelphia Fish & Co.'s bar, this maxim holds true.
Set on prime real estate in Old City, Philadelphia Fish and Co.'s bar menu stands out as an alternative to the many price-gouging locales in the area. While the restaurant itself is moderately priced for the "upscale dining with a heavy emphasis on seafood" genre, with entrees topping out at $28 for the filet mignon and the flat iron steak with jumbo shrimp, the bar menu provides the opportunity to impress your date while also showing that thrift is king.
$6 is a key figure to keep in mind. It is the standard price for most of PF&C's bar menu. For those not afraid to delve deep into the waters of the Schuylkill for some red snapper filet or baked oysters with creamed spinach and melted parmesan cheese, PF&C's bar is for you. The most incredible deal on the bar menu was the juicy tuna burger with balsamic onions and roasted tomatoes. Served with authentically lightweight french-fries, this is one deal that should not be passed up. The $6 smoked fish and goat cheese bruschetta should also become a high priority at the bar. This is not your typical bagel with cream cheese and lox, and thus takes that concept to a more complex level of taste bud satisfaction.
With three Ritz movie theatres a short walk away, PF&C is a viable option for a pre-show meal, post-movie critical discussion over dinner, dessert and nightcap.
PF&C's extensive Happy Hour is sure to bring delight to those of us who get dragged downtown to the Ritz but don't really want to go to the movies. Now, while your friends are enjoying some artsyfartsy documentary, you can pound some cold ones at reasonable prices. Nearly every hour is Happy Hour, as the official Happy Hour times are from 5 p.m. - 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10p.m. - 2a.m. Friday and Saturday. PF&C's drink specials include $2 lager, $2 mixed drinks, $3 margaritas and $4 cosmos and martinis.
From the dessert menu, in which each item costs less than $7, one can choose from eight items including chocolate brownie cheesecake drizzled in raspberry sauce and warm berry crumble with walnut's and Basset's (widely hailed Philly's best) vanilla ice cream.
The next time you are roaming aimlessly around Old City, don't hop on the blue line and head back to campus so you can save a few bucks for dinner. Check out Philadelphia Fish & Co.'s bar for an opulent dining experience in a relaxed atmosphere that will surely not dent your wallet.
