katzenjammy

On Tuesday, after starting with the 75-cent happy hour oysters and $2 Zolo Red pints at Jax, Spouse and I stopped by The Kitchen. We sat at the bar and ordered $2 Fat Tires (no draft beers) and snacks off the happy hour menu: a bowl of house-marinated olives ($2) and the charcuterie plate ($6 or $7). The latter consisted of a slab of house-made country-style pate, some capicola, a lovely prosciutto, and slices of a really extraordinary dry-cure chorizo. The plate came with olives, cornichons, pickled onions, and chutney, and was served with a basket of bread. When we asked a waiter about the chorizo, Chef Hugo was summoned from the kitchen. He told us about the provenance of the chorizo (which is sold by the cheese store across from Liquor Mart) and brought us out a sample of another dry chorizo, this one an interesting smoky version from Spain. It's clear he really cares about the food. There were other yummy-sounding options on the happy hour menu, including a wild mushroom fettucine and a bowl of mussels. It's a cheap way to try out the restaurant -- the regular menu and prix fixe dinners are somewhat pricey, but I can't wait for an excuse to try them.

Mongo et al, I'm both cheap and a microbrew freak. Here are my favorite Boulder beerspots with special reference to happy hour: 1) Mountain Sun & Southern Sun Happy hour 4-6 p.m. and 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Monday through Friday, 10 p.m. -1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday: $2 house pints, $6 house pitchers. The two Suns share many of the same brews, though each typically features one or two not available at the other. My favorites are the Colorado Kind, a very hoppy ESB, and the XXX Pale Ale. Seasonal brews, like the recent Strong Ale, are often excellent. No happy hour food specials, but the regular menu is decent and cheap, and the service is cheerful and competent (all too rare in Boulder). A half-order of nachos will easily feed three or four not-too-piggy people. Very popular, sometimes hard to get a table, can get very noisy. 2) RedFish Happy hour 4-7 p.m. daily: $2 pints, various snacks. Mostly Belgian-style beers. I like the Angry Monk, which is tasty but less sweet/bubble-gummy than some belgians. Seasonal brews are good. Discount snack plates (fresh mozzarella salad is yummy, hot wings are lame). Service can be flaky or excellent. Quieter than the Suns, never a problem getting a table (but it's more fun to sit at the bar). 3) Conor O'Neill's Happy hour 4-7 p.m. daily: $3 20-ounce drafts, $3 wings, nachos, curry and chips, cheese fries. Okay, not a microbrewery/bar per se. But their selection of semi-craft draft beers is terrific: Guinness, Murphy's, Beamish, Stella Artois, Harp, Boddington's Pub Ale, White Rascal Belgium Wheat Ale, Bass Pale Ale, Smithwicks Irish Ale, and more. And the curry fries rule. Service is variable; not too crowded/noisy at happy hour.