Center City, lunch for grad this Saturday

[BeeZee]

Stepdaughter graduating from Master's program at Penn and it's on Saturday morning. Having a hard time finding someplace open for lunch on Saturday. She and her boyfriend are not very adventurous eaters, don't like spicy foods. Hubby and I have no such restrictions We are thinking that staying out of the University City area is a good idea, so any ideas for Old City/Society Hill/Center City ?

[Bluehensfan]

Estia on Locust across from the Academy of Music is open for lunch on Saturday. They are a Greek restaurant and the whole grilled fish and grilled octopus are fabulous there. They also have lamb and chicken and the food's not spicy. They do have validated parking at the Bellevue. http://www.estiarestaurant.com

Edited May 10, 2010 by Bluehensfan (log)

[KatieLoeb]

You're more than welcome to come visit me at Oyster House Saturday. We serve our brunch menu until 3PM and then switch to the somewhat more limited mid-day menu, but the raw bar is open all day as well as the bar where I could make you a cocktail or pour a glass of wine or beer of your choosing. Lots of fresh seafood as well as a pretty delicious burger for the non-fish/seafood inclined. I'll be that girl behind the bar...

[BeeZee]

Very tempting offer, Katie...unfortunately the Grad's boyfriend doesn't like fish. Or apparently even being next to someone eating fish so we'll avoid torturing the lad this time!

[KatieLoeb]

OK. Had to offer though. If fish/seafood or even proximity to it isn't the lad's desire there nothing to be done about that. My understanding is that we have several rather large parties booked and I suspect it'll be the usual nightmarish scene that Penn Graduations tend to be in the restaurant biz in this town that dreaded weekend every May. :shrug: It is what it is. I still have nightmares about surviving a Penn graduation weekend when I worked as a manager at the White Dog Cafe some 15 years ago or so. It was horrifying. Huge parties with prime numbers of members would show up without reservations and try and convince us that we simply lost their reservation they'd made "months ago". Problem was they didn't realize we'd taken credit card numbers in advance and literally triple confirmed each reservation to optimize seating on what would clearly be the busiest few days of the year. Once they finally realized they were busted because there were too many fail safes in effect they'd usually lighten up from the faked indignation we'd been getting thrown in our faces. Conversation usually went something like this:

They: "But how could you have lost our reservation. All 14 of us have come all the way from Des Moines to see Elmer graduate..."

"Sir, we've been taking credit card numbers for this date and calling and confirming these reservations multiple times since the day after graduation last year. If we don't have your reservation, it's because you didn't make one. Every seat in this restaurant is timed out like a military operation for every waking minute this weekend. So sorry we can't accommodate you and the rest of the clan, but we're fully committed..."

"Well, are you sure you can't squeeze us in?? Surely there's room somewhere for all fourteen of us..."

[BeeZee]

I can only imagine the madness of working in a nicer restaurant in the vicinity of Penn on graduation day...

We have a reservation at the Moshulu, Grad's choice. Oh well, at least the weather is supposed to be nice

[rlibkind]

I stopped by Mid Atlantic yesterday (Market near 38th, not far from Penn campus) for lunch and just out of curiousity I asked how crowded they were for lunch on Saturday. Turns out while they do expect to be busy, they had plenty of room for lunch reservations. If it interests you (check out the menu at this link) and you think your stepdaughter and boyfriend would go along, I can recommend it.

[BeeZee]

Thanks for the rec, will def check it out another time.

[KatieLoeb]

BeeZee:

I have every confidence you can find yourself and your companions a lovely meal somewhere in this city, even on short notice on one of the busiest weekends of the year. There's a myriad of choices to be had, even if you're only a step ahead of the rest of the huddled masses yearning to eat as cheaply as possible, if not free. Please let us know how it went...

[BeeZee]

I appreciate all the great ideas, everyone. Since we let the Grad make the call (it is her day...) she wants to go to the Moshulu because she thinks its a neat idea. I'm not going to exert my will on this one, I'm just along for the ride, so to speak. It's hard to bite my tongue when there are so many better options, but I don't want to be the control freak stepmother (this time).

However, it is good for me and DH so we have some new places to check out thanks to your suggestions.

I am also obsessing over the idea of the smoked salmon reuben, Katie!

[KatieLoeb]

I'll look forward to seeing you another time then. And yes, that Smoked Salmon Rueben is quite delicious. I'd suggest washing it down with some of the house made Aquavit, and pretend you're in Scandinavia!