Kat's 9 Lives

It's getting harder and harder to find good happy hour deals.  Brio Tuscan Grille has always offered a pretty decent selection of happy hour appetizers and drinks.  What's even rare is that the prices are quite reasonable!

For about $5 you can get their Beef Carpaccio, which is quite reasonable.  They definitely don't skimp on portion size.  I always order one for myself as I don't share my meat! Lol. The carpaccio is always light and refreshing.  This appetizer contains four of the five food groups, so I'm counting it as a healthy dish.  😇

Their Chicken Pesto Flatbread is also a must that's only $5.  Be sure to ask for their fresh Parmesan cheese to give it that extra kick.  I enjoy the crispy texture of the flatbread mixed with a tasty pesto sauce and shavings of chicken on top.  Definitely eat it fresh and hot from the oven.

For the holiday season they offer a gift card special.  If you buy $100 worth then you will receive a $25 bonus gift card.  You can even use it for happy hour, which is an even better deal.  To my surprise, they brought out a small bottle of their olive oil.  Perfect for holiday cooking!

Who doesn't love a great Happy Hour? It's the perfect time and reason to check out Old Pasadena Restaurants and see what they have to offer. Now you won't have to rush out of work just so you can knock back some drinks and enjoy some snacks at a great price. Be sure to check out the extended happy hours!

Don't you just love Happy Hours? You get to sample popular places like Prospect without putting a huge dent into your wallet. Although, I think I get order happy and end up with a huge bill at the end! lol Their bar area was PACKED for a Friday night. Be sure to get there with plenty of time because there is limited seating and sometimes people reserve part of the bar area. Quick tip: Don't be afraid to be aggressive and just squeeze! There is also nothing wrong with one person seated and the other one hovering over you at the bar to enjoy drinks and food.
The bartender was super nice and sweet! Even though they were super busy he was still very attentive and had a great smile. You could feel the sincerity and warm atmosphere so a huge plus in all the crowdedness.
Ms. Lin started the night with a Fleur d'Orange, $5. It is a mix of Citrus Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liquor, Sparkling Wine, Soda, and Orange Twist. The drink was refreshing and a great value. There were a few potent potables that looked and sounded good, but I will wait until next time to try.
Limited seating and time limits don't mix because you have to make quick and greedy decisions! I ordered one of everything except the Chickpea Fritters, because let's face it... I need my meat! There wasn't enough time for us to try the dish and order another round of the dishes before last call. That day I was very well behaved and only ordered one to try rather than over order.
All the appetizers were $5 each and that night they offered a Foie Gras & Truffle Mousse served with Toasted Sourdough. Really? For only $5? Bring it on! The mousse was nice and smooth. I was surprised at how generous the portion was. Even though it is suppose to have truffles inside, I couldn't really taste or smell the flavor. You can definitely taste the foie gras so I am not complaining! The only down side was it came with 4 small pieces of toast. We probably could have asked for more bread but we didn't want to be a bother.
Luckily there were some Kennebee Chips left over to top off with the foie gras & truffle mousse. I make do with what I got. The French Onion Dip that came with the chips was nicely seasoned and had a smooth texture. A tribute to good ol'fashioned potato chips and dip.
The Pork Belly encased in Steamed Buns with Brussels Sprouts and Miso was only so-so. It is Prospect's version of "gua bao", a typical Taiwanese snack. The pork belly needed to be cooked just a tad longer for the meat to melt in your mouth. My piece didn't have enough savory flavor. I personally make super delicious pork belly so I am a tough one to please.
They offered Trotter Tots with Lobster Aioli, Salsa Verde, and Capers. I think I was a little confused because I was expecting fried lobster but it was really fried pork. Still, I am not one to turn away bite-sized fried meat. Can't really remember anything good or bad about this dish, but I do think they did a nice job on the batter and crispy texture.
Ms. Lin is a huge fan of oysters so we were happy to see Fried Oysters served with Tasso Aioli on the $5 bites. The batter on the oysters wasn't as crisp as the trotters, but they were plump and juicy. Again, there was nothing wrong with this dish but nothing really stood out either.
What sounded really good was their Flat Bread with Bacon, Caramelized Onions, and Gruyere Cheese. How can you go wrong with bacon and melted cheese? The bacon was more like slices of ham and there wasn't much melted cheese. For me, the dish was a little on sweet side and had no savory characteristics. Maybe it was the caramelized onions that were too sweet but I also think the bacon didn't hold its end of the deal by bringing in the salty/savory component.
All in all I thought the bartender was super nice and welcoming. The food... was not bad but nothing special. I am glad I got to try their small bites to get a taste of what their restaurant might be like because their dining room menu is a bit more on the pricier side. This is why I love that they have a Happy Hour where you can still try them at but at a fraction of the cost. If I had to pay a lot for the food and drinks, I would have given them a harsher review. It is all about weighing the cost and taste. They do change their bites menu and if the next time I am up there they offer a good selection, I just might return.

Prospect
300 Spear St
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 247-7770

6ix Park Grill offers a Monthly Mixer with Live Music where guests who come to mix and mingle will also enjoy complimentary valet parking and an oasis-like landscaped outdoor patio equipped with a fire pit to enjoy Southern California’s beautiful climate. Happy Hour will run all night and also includes $5 wine, $6 appetizers and $6 custom signature cocktails.
At last month's mixer they showcased the Carpe Diem winery and their Pinot Noir.
There were two trays of nicely prepared bite-sized snacks. I loved the tomatoes and cheese on top of the crostini. It was simple and delicious. You could eat the whole tray without realizing it. A great way to start the night off and pair with the drinks served.
They also provided bite-sized duck confit to nibble on while chatting up the wonderful crowd. Don't worry about enjoying the snacks because they are on top of it to bring more out for the customers to enjoy.
I couldn't resist ordering my Virgin Piña Colada. Last month had been really hot and a nice refreshing blended drink really helps cool the body down. It's also good to know that they have more than alcoholic drinks to choose from.
We were served the Ahi Poke starter with Cucumber, Onion, Soy, Ginger, and Fried Wontons. For me, there was too much ginger flavor. I felt like the dish needed an acid to bring it up a notch. Nonetheless it was beautifully presented and if you like ginger, then this would be the dish for you.
The appetizer they presented us that I loved the most were the Wood Fired Shrimp with Thai Chili, Avocado, and Spicy Aioli. Each shrimp was plump and beautifully grilled. I loved the flavors and spices. The avocado helps harmonize the spices with its buttery texture. I wish I had more of this! Yum! This alone is worth a return trip! MBA was my plus one for the night and she absolutely loved the Chicken Tinga Quesadilla served with Avocado Cream and Chipotle Salsa. This worked out perfectly because I passed the quesadillas to her and kept the shrimp for myself! =)After their appetizers we were allowed to choose anything off the menu if we were still hungry. I opted to try their 12 oz. Prime USDA Rib-Eye. Since I was denied the rib-eye at Carnevino a while back I had been craving some delicious marbleized meat. My steak was nicely grilled and I loved seeing the grill marks. The meat was tender, but I did wish I had a bit more sauce to add more flavor.My main goal with the steak was to get the side! They had some nice sides to choose from but NONE better than Coconut Bacon Rice! I mean they had me at bacon. At first I was a little bit afraid that this might not end up as tasty as I hopped but after the first bite I wish I had more. They really should consider making this a dish or making it a bigger side. I wanted more after I finished my small pile. Bacon goodness!MBA abandoned me and only opted to get a dessert. She chose the Brown Butter Cake with Sweet Cherries and Warm Honey Rum Butter. I guess I read this wrong because I thought it would be a warm moist cake but it was cold and a bit on the tougher side. To be honest it was like one huge solid cut of hard pound cake. This was not what I expected. I really thought we should have ordered the Chocolate Molten Cake.While we were munching on the nice appetizers and me chowing down my steak, I noticed their specialty cocktail menu. The Blackberry Jamboree with Stoli Vanilla, Black Cherry Vodka, Blackberry, and Lime was surprisingly tasty. I am not a big fan of alcohol but after stealing a sip I had to have one for myself. You can definitely taste the velvety vanilla flavor and the freshness of the fruits.
All in all it was a great evening with a lot of great people. 6ix Park Grill has a great selection of Happy Hour appetizers and specialty drinks for $6 from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Mon-Fri. It's always good to find another great Happy Hour place in OC. Perfect for anyone who has had a long day in the office.

6ix Park Grill
17900 Jamboree Rd
Irvine, CA 92614
(949) 225-6666

So I heard from Ms. Lin that a new restaurant was having a great deal for their Grand Opening. Spire was offering $1 oysters and Free bubbly to celebrate until they run out. Sounds great, no? Well they were HORRIBLE! The only time I blog super fast, especially when I am sick, is when I love love the place or am super pissed... Guess which one? O=D
They were super busy which was great for a grand opening and we got ourselves a nice seat in front of the guy shucking oysters! At first I thought, LUCKY! The guy talked to us and was friendly. I was feeling the vibe and it seemed like it would be a great start of the night. The server came by and took our order. All was going fine. I watched as the guy kept shucking and kidded with him about how I want to steal the tray of oysters. In retrospect, I should've taken them all for myself!

So... time goes by.... it just gets worse and worse. Trekkie and I sat there trying to chat through the loudness, which was fine. As we continued catching up... time is slowly passing by. No drink.. no order... no server... everyone is running around with their head cut off. Albeit that is to be expected on opening night and I wasn't too upset. We just sat there and chilled.... almost an hour goes by.... nothing... nobody to take an order for food or getting our drinks.... we've been ready to order when he took our drinks but nothing.... We are just watching the guys shuck the oyster. Finally the server comes back to take our order... we said we wanted to start out with just a dozen oysters... he tells us that the kitchen just 86-xed the oysters... we are like what?? Keep in mind they opened at 4:30 PM and we were there by 5:30 PM... within a 2 hr window for their opening night celebration they ran out? WHAT? That is super poor management and the fact that I sat there watching the guy shuck for an hour and nothing??? This is what's worse, the people next to us came in after us and the guy took their order a few minutes before us got oysters and were DENIED! WHAT THE EFFFFF! We have been there for an hour and got nothing?
At this time I was more annoyed but not really angry... we ordered a few appetizers to try out. It really bothered me that the people next to us got their food and had oysters! What? Then we just sat there... I think the appetizers we ordered came out before the drinks! The worse part was the drinks were FAIL! Trekkie got a Cadillac Margarita and they suggested the South End Vanilla Latte. I left my drink there. It was just a coffee liquor with probably bad Vodka... or that is what it tasted like. Trekkie wouldn't even finish my drink and he just drank his, which he thought was nothing special.
Oddly enough they have Three Baked Oysters with Spinach and Garlic Shallot Cream. The server was confused but came back from the kitchen and said they were good. This was actually the last appetizer to come back because it takes time to bake. I drizzled it with lemon juice and ate the oyster first... **crunch!** OMG there's rock salt in the oysters itself?? Chewing continues.. **CRUNCH** Even though I was being super careful, owwww! I regret ordering this and the worst part was I wanted this dish. I didn't even bother consuming another one.
We decided to try the Two Beef Short Rib Sliders with Horseradish Cream, Arugula, and Pickled Onions. The meat was not badly cooked, but the flavor was just alright. Trekkie left most of his bread on the plate, not a good sign. I am really glad we decided to get the Shrimp Ceviche. It was the only redeeming factor. I loved loved loved this. They actually use barely cooked shrimp with avocado and jalapenos accompanied with tortilla chips. Both Trekkie and I noticed that we only got 2 tortilla chips while everyone got 3. I didn't really care but I guess he did because he wanted more lol! The citrus flavor was wonderful and really jazzed up the shrimp. One of the best shrimp ceviche I have ever had. For the longest time this was what made us happy...
The mood didn't turn sour really until the end. After finishing the 3 small plates, we just sat there. Even though we are in plain sight and near all the staff, it felt like we were off in a ragged corner that gets no service or anything. They had plenty of employees for a small place and it seemed like they didn't know how to work the machines? We were waiting for a while to get our check because we were ready to go. Trekkie had to work really hard in getting one of their attentions to even getting the check! We've had enough of the bad service, bad drinks, and bad food. Even after we put our cards out at the edge, right next to the computer station, no one took it. Finally we flagged down the guy to charge us, then more waiting. At this point the ceviche was no longer enough to save the experience. During our appetizers I actually discussed how I want to return Saturday to catch the deal. Slowly... I noticed all their faults as we sat there bored and getting more annoyed. I was astonished to hear from Trekkie, "I am actually hungrier than before I came here!" Poor him! I feel bad exposing him to such a travesty! He wasn't even hungry to begin with but after this meal he was ready to wash this horrid experience away with some real good food. What really bothered me is that we were there early and they ran out? If you plan to offer a "SAID" special of $1 oysters and free bubbly, you should provide! This is your "grand opening" but I feel that this was just a ploy or just really POOR management. Either way it was sad and disappointing. We questioned why they didn't give us a normal menu to order oysters... still .. as a "promotion" you should have at least enough to last for more than 2 hours! Trekkie even asked the server about the bubbly and he never even came back. This is probably one of the rare times that I actually suggest a lower tip because it was just such a bad experience. As soon as I left the restaurant, I called up Ms. Lin to tell her how horrendous it was. You don't show a woman oysters the whole time and give her none! In the 2 + hours we were there... we only got 3 appetizers and finally 2 drinks... Poorly done... I am writing this for my readers to warn them about the false advertisement to entice customers. Just go to Hog Island for Happy Hour. It is about the same wait with better oysters, better service, and ACTUALLY give oysters that they promised!

Spire
685 3rd Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 947-0000

What do you do after you scarfed down 12-15 choco-pies and are feeling super ill? Me, I keep eating to get that horrid taste out! =D Burumun and I were going to meet for dinner but she was stuck in traffic so first I went to Four Leaf again for some crêpes. As I was walking there I noticed the sign for Happy Hour at Pinkberry again! How could I say no? I have been meaning to come back to enjoy the deal for almost a month now and it was 20 minutes away from 5 PM. Right around 5 PM the place was crowded but the guys behind the counter were very courteous and friendly. I asked for extra watermelon puree on my watermelon yogurt. Sure it was half off, but I do think they skimp a lot on how much yogurt they give you and make it look bigger. Still, I was satisfied and ate it happily. There were lil chunks of watermelon ice inside. Too bad the deal ended the next day! I hope they still have the flavor around though. =D

Pinkberry
332 E 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 621-7645

I was recently up in Little Tokyo and PK had a craving. Unfortunately we missed Happy Hour! Even Pinkberry now has Happy Hour. From 5-7PM for the summer they are offering 1/2 off for the Watermelon yogurt. We went in and asked to sample the watermelon yogurt. So the yogurt is lightly hinted with watermelon and they top the yogurt off with blended watermelon juice. Yum! Don't know if it's because it has been hot these days or I was starting to get hungry... but it really hit the spot! I had to run back to the car because of the meter so I wasn't able to pick up a cup before I left. =*( I now have an enormous craving and desire to get a cup! Hopefully the Pinkberry nearby has the same deal and tastes just as good. Pray for me! If you plan to check out this great deal, I'd recommend calling just in case. O=D

Pinkberry
332 E 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 621-7645

We continued the night after Circolo and went to 5A5 for Happy Hour. They have different HH specials every weekday night. It was déjà vu as we drove down the street. I swear that I have been here before. My gut instincts were correct, I have been to this location to its predecessor restaurant. The decor is almost the exact same except the bar area. That night we were going to have some fun in the bar area and a few nights later we would be back for Dine About Town. As soon as you enter the doors you see the enclosed flame along the entrance and the video flame background behind the bar. Their lounge area was pretty packed that Friday, but we were able to get a table in the corner.

They have different Happy Hour Specials on different nights. It was Friday when we went and they had Lobster Dumpling in a Soy Broth for $2 a piece/order. Since I am such a huge fan of lobster, I was in heaven. Little did I know that it had a strong ginger flavor, but for lobster... I could take it. O=9 Ms. Lin enjoyed the saltiness and lobster. I thought it was a bit over salty but still an awesome deal. A little saltiness should bring out the natural sweetness of the lobster but too much would overpower the taste.
The best deal that they have for HH is a choice of 2 Shooters for $5. There are only 3 choices. Hamachi comes with Avocado and Ginger with foam. Poke was Tuna, Maui Onions, Sesame Seeds, and Shredded Seaweed. Oyster was paired with Watermelon and Shiso. We both had the Hamachi but I chose Oyster and Ms. Lin chose Poke. Ironically, I thought the Poke and Oyster were the most unique. All three were solid and a great deal for HH. The Poke was quite fragrant and savory. My Oyster was very refreshing and light. A nice combination of fruit and herb to bring out the natural sweetness of the oyster.
Since Ms. Lin and I are such huge fans of truffles that we succumb to order any dish that mentions the ingredient. We agreed to try the Truffle Fries for $5 served with a Sriracha Aioli. The fries were extremely fragrant and there seemed to be little chopped up bits of truffle sprinkled on top... the fries... well they were a whole other story. I was extremely disappointed at how unappetizing the fries looked. They were thick steak fries with the skins on but they were droopy and a pal brown-yellow color. One look and I knew that I was in for a let down. The only thing that semi-redeemed it was dipping it in the aioli. Without the sauce, this dish would be just a complete disaster.
I fell for the description of Beef Carpaccio Roll, $5. It's Shredded Jicama with Beef Carpaccio wrapped around it along with slices of Avocado on top and a dot of Sriracha on top. For the sauce they used Ponzu and an herb oil for flavor. The concept might sound great on paper but it failed to come together in the end. What I found to be the problem was that nothing was strong in flavor to stick out or enhance the ingredient's natural taste. If you break down the components, you'd find out that all of the ingredients are very subtle or even bland to the palette and all of them together just washes all the flavor out. Jicama is a very watery vegetable that is light and avocado is delicious in a subtle way, but a stronger ingredient would be needed to make the dish pop. Even the beef was watered down and flavorless. I tried drenching the roll in the sauce but nothing can salvage the taste. I definitely wouldn't get this again. Poor Ms. Lin had to clean up the mess again and finish this bland dish.
All in all 5A5 had some interesting options for Happy Hour. It was a very chilled, laid-back, yet modern environment. The place was pretty packed Friday night and everyone seemed to be having fun. I would definitely come back just for the shooters again, they are definitely worth the trip! The price difference from dining room and HH is so great that when I go next time I am ordering 10 of those yummy snacks! ^_^ It's also worth checking out the different HH specials they offer daily. Too bad we were a little over drinking by this point or we would order a cocktail to go along with the snacks. Finding places that offer a good or decent HH in SF has been a difficult task and after trying to find better places or even more choices I have come to appreciate 5A5 more. Nonetheless, I came back for Dine SF and we all had a nice time.

5A5 Steak Lounge
244 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 989-2539

I am all about the deals around town. Why not spend smart? I love to eat good food, try out new places, and without breaking the bank. Ms. Lin had planned out a night of Happy Hour-ing around town. We were flexible on time and the night was young. Our first stop was Circolo. They offer Happy Hour Tuesday – Friday from 5 to 7 PM in the bar and lounge area only. It had been raining on and off but that cannot stop us. Parking was not too hard since it was early and Circolo is located a ways away from the crowds. It was definitely the most happening place around that area. Since we were only there for Happy Hour, we just sat down around the lounge area. The place is very dimly lit like a club. There was a very hip and posh feel as we can look through beaded slits into the dining area where the kitchen is clearly visible. Our server was very friendly. We started the night off with some drinks. As many of you know, I don’t like to drink alcohol but I thought it would be nice to start off the night with a bang. They had a few drinks on the list. I wanted to try their mmmmmmojito! for $7 because they offered some interesting fruit flavors. Sadly they didn’t have the guava anymore and I decided to go with the Lychee flavor as a safe choice. Ms. Lin chose the Leblon Calpirinha’s Lychee. At first I thought we were going to share the drink so I was a bit caught off guard that she ordered a drink since I would not be able to finish it. If you like strong alcoholic drinks, then this is the right place for you. The HH price was definitely worth it for the potency. At least you know they aren’t skimping on you, although… sadly I wished they did. lol Still, I recommend them for their drinks. To make things easier for our server, not because we are greedy O=), we told her that we wanted one of everything on the HH menu except the oysters. They offer Chilled Oysters with Margarita Ice for $1 each. What a great deal! The oysters were big and had a good amount of Margarita Ice on top. This has been a popular new trend to add more unique flavors and a twist to your everyday oyster. If you are looking for delicious oysters and variety, then you need to check out Hog Island at the Ferry Building. If you are looking for oysters at a good price and to try something new, then Circolo’s HH would be just right for you. The Orange-Chipotle Glazed Pork Ribs weren’t bad, $5 for 6 pieces. I couldn’t really taste the Chipotle flavor. It reminded me of Peking Pork Chop that most Cantonese restaurants serve. Still I liked the flavor and the meat was tender. Ms. Lin wasn’t that big of a fan so I was able to consume most of this appetizer. They offer 2 Grilled Hanger Steak Butter Lettuce Cups for $6. The steaks were nicely cooked and looked very succulent. As for the components, there were marinated cucumbers inside to help give the dish more flavor. I felt this fell just a little flat because lettuce is so rich and full of water that it tends to drown out other flavors. They probably needed just a bit more flavor to overcome the lettuce. I am sure the steak would be good by itself but together as a whole didn’t accomplish the flavor palate they were probably aiming for. One thing on the menu that caught my eye was the Crispy Free-Range Chicken Lollipops 3 pieces for $5. How can you not like meat on a stick that tries to sound like candy? O=9 Alas, it really is just chicken with the bone sticking out. I enjoyed the flavors and the tenderness of the meat. It was good juicy fried chicken. Ms. Lin was not that into it so I had the extra piece as well. For $4 you get 2 pieces of their Tempura Fish Tacos. There were a lot of interesting flavors mish-meshed into one. It was a very cultural taco. They were trying to mix a variety of Asian flavors some Mexican flavors, then to up the ante with crumbled goat cheese on top. Be sure to eat it while it is hot so that the fish batter doesn’t get soggy sitting out. Sadly that night they had ran out of the Atkins Ranch Lamb Sliders. So the last appetizer is the Angry Black Tiger Shrimp, $5 for 4 pieces. The shrimps were a good size and had a nice kick. They laid atop a bed of vegetables that would balance out the spices. The taste reminded me of a cross between spicy barbecue, Jamaican jerk, and chipotle... if that makes any sense. O=9 Since it was spicy and had a strong flavor, Ms. Lin liked this dish probably the best.

All in all the prices were great and the portions were good. It’s a good place to go for Happy Hour to unwind and relax. A great find. It was a great way to start off the weekend and the night. Funny story about the strong drink, Ms. Lin and I were working hard to finish the drink. This time around Ms. Lin was not “woman” enough to finish my drink so we started a dare. I asked her if she think I could down my mojito and she believed I could. Being cunning, I asked what was in it for me. She said that she would pay for my drink if I did so. Done! I took out the ice and chugged it all down! *Gulp Gulp* P.S. Mine was the taller drink. =P I did it for the gold, literally. Hey at least I didn’t have to pay for my drink. ^_- A good time was had by all.

Circolo
500 Florida St
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 553-8560