Give in to the urge to splurge

Pinching pennies can be exhausting when you are nowhere near the coupon-clipping stage in your life. So don’t be afraid to treat yourself – and your date. Perhaps it’s another birthday, an anniversary or simply

Pinching pennies can be exhausting when you are nowhere near the coupon-clipping stage in your life. So don’t be afraid to treat yourself – and your date.

Perhaps it’s another birthday, an anniversary or simply a way to show the person you care about that you’re willing to drop $30 on a miniature dessert platter.

Whatever the occasion, these pricey Philadelphia favorites are sure to impress.

Tangerine Mediterranean is one of the most romantic restaurants in the city. Located in Old City at 232 Market St., this Mediterranean and Moroccan-themed eatery features a dark, candlelit decor.

Deep crimsons, sapphires and purple hues tint the lighting and set the mood in this exotic locale. Make your way to the dining
room to find plush, low-to-the-ground Moroccan-style seating. Tangerine’s seafood dishes are as pleasing to the eye as the palate. Be sure to try its red snapper with spinach ravioli and pepper sauce. And don’t miss out on its Mediterranean sampler appetizer.

The bar top, illuminated in a deep blue and dreamy green backlighting, looks like something straight out of “Sex and the City.”

Drinks are pricey, of course, and there is no beer on tap.

The Palm, located at 200 S. Broad St., is the ultimate place to be seen. Although it draws an older crowd, you’ll have fun pretending to be somebody famous with your date at this classy restaurant.

Once you figure out which fork to use, it’s difficult to decide what to order with choices like veal piccata, ahi tuna steak and risotto with porcini mushrooms.

This classier pick is perfect for birthdays and all special occasions – and don’t skip out on dessert.

Aboard a 102-year-old trading vessel, the Moshulu Restaurant and Bar on the Penns Landing Waterfront, 401 S. Columbus Blvd., is an extremely unique splurge. The ship itself had an extensive career on the seas working the ports of Europe, South America, Australia and Africa and is the world’s largest four-masted sailing ship still afloat in the world.

The food aboard Moshulu has a South Seas flavor, but the view is pure Philly. Start with its New England clam chowder and move on to the filet mignon sandwich for a perfect mix of surf and turf. Moshulu’s elegant Orchid Room features dining and dancing.

Reservations to all three of these fine establishments are encouraged. Make sure to arrive 10 minutes early because these upscale restaurants tend to discard your reservation if you are late. Also, visit any of their Web sites (www.tangerinerestaurant.com, www.thepalm.com, www.moshulu.com) to check out their full menu beforehand.

Cristina Perachio can be reached at cristina.perachio@temple.edu.

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