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Post submitted by Tina Isen Fox

Saturday night 6pm. Rittenhouse Square. No babysitter. Hungry parents. Hungrier four-old. Fast food not allowed. Nothing too loud. (Mom’s hearing is shot from her unbridled youth.) Liquor license required. Kids’ menu a bonus. Shorts must be acceptable attire in summer. Anything beyond the four-block radius of residence is too far. Where do we go? The usual place, of course, Marathon on the Square”"where grown-ups can eat and drink like grown-ups and kids can eat and drink like grown-ups. Ok, only if they want to.

I was a bit miffed when Marathon on the Square first opened because it took the place of the long-gone greasy spoon, Diner on the Square. But in time I learned to love and appreciate MOTS, as it’s called, because it’s as close to a diner as we get in Rittenhouse Square, just without the sticky floors. MOTS is a part of the local Marathon Grill empire, but this one cops more of a “dining out” attitude than the others.

One thing about MOTS, everything is big. The menu is big. The portions are big. However, the bill is not all that big. Technically, you could eat every meal here, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served daily, plus weekend brunch. I like to think of the menu as being schizophrenic”"but in a good way. If you’re feeling like a wild child one day there are choices from nachos supreme, chili and macaroni and cheese to grilled cheese and kosher hot dogs”¦.(surprisingly, these dishes are prepared grown-up style, kids can get their own versions). If you’re in bit of a mellow mood, fare includes cold sandwiches like hand-carved turkey or smoked salmon, plus grilled goodies like hamburgers (called char burgers), salmon burgers or corned beef. Plus there’s a full menu of what I like to call “real” entrees, serious food for when you want to act level-headed: NY strip steak, filet, grilled tuna, spaghetti, steamed mussels and quesadillas. And when you’re really feeling out of your mind, opt for the Control Freak salad, which means they’ll put together a salad with absolutely everything you want, no questions asked. (Prozac for the confused diner).

Our family night out usually consists of the same order (Freud would call it a culinary repetition compulsion): Dad: vegetarian grilled local Portobello mushroom sandwich, sweet potatoes fries (a must). Four-year old: Did I mention you could order breakfast all day at MOTS? How can he resist Chocolate Chip Cookie dough pancakes or caramelized banana French toast? He can’t. Me: Caesar salad, Turkey burger, French fries and a side of broccoli for the table. Best part? The glass of wine mom and dad both need by Saturday night. And for those nights when you can’t manage to get the kid to cooperate, the whole shebang can be ordered out for delivery or pick up. Ya gotta love city living.

Marathon on the Square
1839 Spruce St (19th and Spruce), Philadelphia, PA
Phone: (215) 731-0800

Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11am-11pm
Fri: 11am-midnight
Sat: 8am -midnight
Sun: 8am- 10pm