You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy Irv’s Place. In fact, Dining Services is betting that its new kosher restaurant will appeal to the area’s growing Muslim community and to vegetarians.

The restaurant is part of Dining Services’ efforts to better serve the diverse campus community. And Peg Lacey, managing director of campus dining, anticipates that it will be well received.

“I’m looking forward to eating there myself; I’m a vegetarian,Ó Lacey said. “And I think that there is only a very small number of students whose requirements for halal dining could not be met at Irv’s Place.Ó

Because the kosher kitchen in the new restaurant will be exclusively used for kosher dining, Dining Services can offer a greater variety of dishes. “People who use Irv’s Place will have the option of a meat or a dairy meal for all meals, something they have not had before,Ó said Lacey.

The restaurant is located where Saladalley and Boccie pizzeria used to be, at 4051 Irving Street. Open to the general public, Irv’s Place will serve lunch and dinner Monday through Friday beginning Sept. 3. The facility replaces the former kosher dining service in the old Faculty Club, which closed when the club moved to the Inn at Penn.

Dining Services’ partner in running the restaurant is Slik, a New York corporate food service concern which has a reputation for excellence in kosher dining.

The restaurant will offer a prix fixe menu for both lunch ($8.50) and dinner ($12.50, holidays $13.50); meals there are included in University meal plans. Lunch hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday; dinner will be served from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and one hour after the Sabbath candle lighting on Friday.

In addition, an express lunch from Irv’s Place will be served at Penn Hillel to serve students who cannot walk to 40th and Locust for lunch.

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