POSTED: Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 9:26 PM
Happy Hour is a place to vent daily frustrations and unwind, a time to reconnect with friends and coworkers you don't mind seeing beyond the boundaries of Cubicle Land. It's is also the ideal time to score a deal on your favorite gustatives and gulpables. Although my work scenario has me behind a kitchen prep station rather than a desk, I can appreciate HH just the same. For this feature, I'll hop bar by bar to HHs across the area and report back to Meal Ticket every Tuesday.
If you've been to this week's featured HH, tell us about it in the comments. I want recommendations for future trips, too!
Let's delve into it at Rembrandt's.
WHERE YOU AT?
I met Fairmount friends at
Rembrandt's (741 N. 23rd St.) for a Friday happy hour. When I walked up a handful of outdoor diners sat at round plastic tables but soon retreated indoors after a sprinkling of rain. Inside, I had my choice of sedentary real estate in either of the two rooms of the bar area. Instead of bar stools or a dining table, I grabbed a high-top for three that was more conducive to conversation, but still maintained the "at the bar" feeling.
The wooden bar, which wrapped around a half-wall that created the two rooms, seats around 20. The low- and high-top tables combined could seat another 40 or so. The wooden façade around the bar and the small white, burgundy and orange tiles covering the floor give the room a charming, antique personality, as do the walls adorned with the original works of local artists. Two large flat-screens in either corner.
WHAT'S THE SCENE?
I was surprised to be in close proximity of a toddler and teenager — not the bar patrons I'm used — but I suppose that's telling of the atmosphere here, sort of like it's anyone's place to come hang out. Tunes from the '90s played, although I barely heard a note over the intermittent yelps as the Flyers and Phillies games played on the tubes. When the games ended sports fans dispersed and a new crowd, a little less casual, filed in.
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
Select drafts (on Friday it was
Great Lakes Golden Lager,
Yards Brawler and
Victory Prima Pils)
, wines (a red, a white and a Zinfandel), and
well drinks are $3 during happy hour, from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday. We had some Victory and Great Lakes and snacked on
"pot" (potato) chips and
hummus off the
$3 to $5 happy-hour snack menu. The pot chips were well-seasoned waffle-cut crisps fried just under the burnt mark (right where I like it) and served with a slightly spicy aioli. Hummus was good, too, with a nice kick of cumin served with pita bread; some pieces fluffy, some crisp. Also available:
mac and cheese, BBQ ribs, mini crabcakes, a cheese plate, and
bacon-wrapped asparagus (!).
