Stick to the cocktails, raw bar, and smashburger at Jaffa Bar - Review - Philadelphia - The Infatuation
"In a shocking turn of events, the team behind Zahav and Laser Wolf opened a restaurant with nary a chickpea, shish kebab, or salatim platter in sight. Instead, the focus is on elaborate cocktails and seafood served in a revamped 19th-century Kensington factory with all of the expected globe lights, leather booths, and exposed pipes. If you’re already in the neighborhood, it’s a fun place for drinks, a burger, and raw bar snacks. But this CookNSolo sister isn’t quite the destination its siblings are. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo You’re best off sitting at the bars on the first floor, where towers of shellfish, buttery scallop crudo, and thin-sliced yellowtail laced with pastrami seasoning whiz by. The Shins and Bruce Springsteen play over the speakers, and the buzz from dates and groups of friends is exactly the kind you want in on—that's not just the drinks talking, we promise. But while you're at it, grab another round of chile-infused mezcal cocktails and split some cold seafood with a few pals, or settle into your solo spot for a dozen oysters. A full meal in the upstairs dining room at Jaffa Bar can be wonky, though. In terms of service, we’ve had everything from well-paced, welcoming nights to an entire order piled on the table within seven minutes. More importantly, the hot menu items often don’t work. Merguez sausage overpowers flaccid scallops. Tuna wrapped in a phyllo-like dough is sometimes topped with a delightfully sweet-spicy avocado sauce, and other times it’s served in something more like flavorless oil. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo The bright spot of Jaffa Bar’s cooked department is the double smashburger with a potent, drippy mix of green chiles, grilled onions, and a bright shabazi mayo. It’s up there with the best of Philly’s thick boys, and if we lived in the neighborhood, we’d eat it on the regular. While Jaffa Bar isn’t worth a hike across town, it is a useful, high-energy spot for the area, whether you’re trying to seem cool on a date or you’re in charge of planning a boozy hang with friends. Food Rundown photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Green Eyed Lady The drinks here are fantastic. This shaken one combines blanco tequila with green chile, cucumber, coriander, and lime. It’s smoky and spicy while simultaneously feeling refreshing. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Jaffa Tower In a town increasingly bloated with over-the-top seafood platters, we appreciate that Jaffa Bar's version is relatively straightforward and fairly priced at $72. It comes with a dozen oysters you'll curate using a cute golf pencil and a custom ordering sheet, along with half a dozen clams and perfectly firm shrimp cocktail. Mignonette tastes nice and fruity, and the house cocktail sauce hits all of the appropriate smoky notes. Yellowtail Pastrami More than just delicious—this dish is memorable. The pastrami spice, potent with coriander, garlic, and black pepper, creates a great contrast against the yellowtail. Crudos that go wild with seasoning don't always work, but this one does. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Scallops & Merguez If you read the above review, you already know how we feel about this hot dish. Limp scallops get completely overpowered by the sausage. And potatoes have no business being at the party. Skip it. Moroccan Frena Bread This unsuspecting menu item is actually one of Jaffa Bar’s best. It’s pullable, buttery, crisp on top, fluffy in the middle, and you’ll want three orders. And that’s without even touching the garlicky matbucha. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Endive Salad Is this salad going to knock your socks off? No. But it is crisp and tangy thanks to sliced apple and celery, and out of all of the greens here, this is the only one to order. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Jaffa Burger Thin, double patties are charred and topped with american cheese, a mash of green chiles and grilled onions, and a punchy green shabazi mayo—all happily thrown on a sesame seed potato bun. You can taste each of the elements, which only enhance the juicy meat flavor. You’re gonna need extra napkins." - Alison B. Kessler
