Corner stools - best seats in the house
Every Wednesday, the Ritz theaters in Old City reduce rates on all shows to an amazingly affordable $6. The Ritz are good “date-movie” theaters because there is always something interesting/stimulating/artsy/educational/foreign/award-winning showing (i.e. you can generally avoid the cheesy romcoms and lame studio blockbusters which can be date-movie disasters, trust me).
There are 3 Ritz theatres all within walking distance of one another, but the Ritz Five at 214 Walnut Street is the closest to Zahav, a “modern Israeli” restaurant with a comfortable atmosphere, an elegant bar, and an outstanding happy hour from 5-7pm. Be warned, however; the Lemonnanas at Zahav are so delicious, you may end up ditching the movie and ordering another round instead.
How cheap we talkin’: Admittedly, this date cuts it close, but $15 per person should get you 2 theatre tickets, 2 Lemonnana cocktails, and one order of half-price hummus to share, including tax and tip. But if your bartender was as nice as ours, you should pony up the extra buck or two and tip handsomely. I will not stand accused of being a Rachel Ray.
Why this will impress your date: The Ritz Five has history (it has been in operation over 30 years and was one of the first “arthouse” theaters in Philadelaphia), and Zahav has class (afterall, it was reviewed in Gourmet magazine).
The Inside Game: Demonstrate you possess the twin turn-ons of planning and foresight by picking up movie tickets on your way to Zahav. That way you won’t have to wait in line later, and you’re guaranteed a seat.
Score Extra Points: By actually knowing how to find Zahav.
Next Date: Any Wednesday!
Located at 237 St. James place, and tucked into the grounds of the Society Hill Towers, Zahav can be a little tricky to find. If you are standing in front of the Ritz Five facing the street, follow cobblestoned Dock street to the right until you are in front of a cement staircase. Take the stairs and you will be delivered to Zahav’s unassuming doorstep.
Don’t let the flat brick front fool you though. Zahav is a class act. My date and I arrived on the early side of happy hour and found the nearly empty restaurant a cool, quiet, retreat from the heat. It started filling quickly after 6pm though, and since happy hour is only available at the bar, we were happy to have gotten seats.
Behold: The Lemonnana!
My date and I each order the cocktail special, the Lemonnana, a mixture of Bourbon, muddled mint, fresh lemon and verbena – a refreshing (and strong) concoction that is part lemonade, part Mohito, and all delicious. In fact, the first words out of my mouth after taking the initial sip were, “Holy crap.” (Not very couth, I know, but it simply couldn’t be helped). Normally a $9.50 drink, it’s only $5 during happy hour. Also on offer are $3 off all wines (which range from $9-12 normally) and $3 Goldstars (a lager from Israel). After I recovered my composure, the bartender informed us that they would soon be offering other mixed drink specials during happy hour, such as the Israeli Salad Martini (cucumber and tomato infused gin, dry vermouth and lemon). Here’s hoping!
The other reason to go to Zahav’s happy hour is for the half-price hummus. Their hummus is – in a word – unbelievable. Creamy, nutty, oily and smooth, it comes with warm pita garnished with sesame seeds and seasonings, and you really will want to lick the plate. The bread comes served in one large chunk, so there is also the “are our fingers going to touch?” factor when you are both reaching to rip off another piece. It took a serious effort for us to drag ourselves away come movie time. But the theater proved to be a fine place to digest, and there’s nothing like starting a movie with a pleasant Bourbon-induced buzz.
LEMONANA = AMAZING
staff was super friendly and they were highly amused and delighted when i told them they were featured on this site. def try the cauliflower appetizer/side. $5 and delicious. ive never tasted anything like it.
Isn’t the cauliflower amazing? I’m so glad they made that a permanent part of their happy hour menu. Thanks for letting them know about the writeup!
[...] for a date that's a little more impressive? Catch a smart flick at the Ritz on a Wednesday for $6. Kick things off with Happy Hour at Zahav, for half-priced hummus and $5 Lemonnana cocktails. For [...]