Photography: Movie Theaters by Garvin Burke and all others contributed;
3 Film-and-Food Finds for When Your Kitchen is Closed
In the longstanding Jewish-American tradition, folks who don’t celebrate Christmas pair a movie with a meal at a nearby Asian restaurant on the day most other places shut down. Even for families who do observe the holiday, going to the movies post-presents has become a growing practice. Here are three of our favorite places to take in a film and a feast because good stories and good eats are something we all believe in—for any day.
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The Avon Theatre Film Center is an architectural and cultural gem that anchors Bedford Street. The historic theatre reopened in 2004 as a nonprofit independent cinema and has two theatres (seating 271 and 242) screening a well-curated mix of independent, documentary, arthouse and foreign language and classic films.
Love Meat BBQ is an all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue place with grills in the middle of the tables, 12 choices of meat (our favorites are galbi and bulgogi, marinated beef short ribs and sliced ribeye), and an array of pickled and fermented vegetable side dishes.
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A choice of movies, reserved seating, recliners with seat warmers, and mobile ordering so you don’t have to stand in line for your popcorn or drinks, this Summer Street AMC Majestic 6 offers contemporary amenities and screenings of the latest blockbuster Christmas movies, including The War of Rohirrim, the next in the Lord of the Rings franchise.
Taj Indian Cuisine, just across the street, offers lots of options for vegetarians. We like to start with masala dosa, the large, dramatic crepe filled with spiced potatoes and served with sweet and spicy chutneys. There’s plenty of fish and meat on the menu, too, including goat curry and shrimp
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CROSSING THE BORDER
Newly renovated and gorgeously decorated, the New Canaan Playhouse is a 100-year-old movie house with two screening rooms decorated in vivid shades of emerald and teal. It has a concession stand and a pub that offers cocktails, beer and wine. Chings Table is a beloved establishment in New Canaan, and its pan-Asian menu includes Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Indonesian and Malaysian dishes. On a cold winter day, we like to start with a restorative miso soup or spicy lemongrass tom yum (shrimp soup), before tucking into caramelized sesame chicken and fried red snapper with Penang curry.
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