Weekend MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE
Q FOOD FEATURE Q MOVIE TIMES Q BEST BETS FOR ENTERTAINMENT
The
happiest of hours THE BEST DEALS AND TASTIEST BITES IN MOUNTAIN VIEW AND PALO ALTO Q F O O D F E AT U R E
Story by Elena Kadvany Photos by Michelle Le Bartender and manager Toan Vuong pours Bushido’s blood orange parade cocktail, a mix of blood orange and Geikkeikan sake.
H
appy hour: the best time of day whether you’re hungry, thirsty, looking to save a few bucks — or all three. Happy hour’s exact origins remain murky. Reportedly, Navy men in the 1920s used the phrase to refer to a time of the day set aside for fun or athletic entertainment — wrestling, boxing, et cetera — to boost morale. Or maybe it began with “l’heure verte” (the green hour) in France in the 18th century, when many Parisians’ drink of choice was green-hued absinthe. During Prohibition in the 1920s, thirsty Americans reportedly gathered for illegal drinks before heading out for dinner. Whatever its origins, happy hour is here to stay. Check out this byno-means-exhaustive roundup
of some of the top happy hours in the region, from the stiffest cocktails and most appealing appetizers to a bar where the drinks are so affordable it doesn’t even need a happy hour. Best deals Trendy San Francisco transplant Tacolicious in Palo Alto has a pretty standard happy hour — Monday-Wednesday, 3-7 p.m., and Thursday-Friday, 3-6 p.m., with house margarita, sangria, bartender’s choice cocktail, a glass of wine or a beer for $5.50. Tacos, quesadillas and guacamole are also $5.50 each — but the real star is the “T-lish prefixe.” This low-brow version of high-end pre-fixe menus is available at any time and comes with a shot, a beer and a taco — all
for $10. The shot is El Jimador tequila, the beer a Tecate and the taco one of the restaurant’s signatures. Owner Joe Hargrave cut his chops in more upscale restaurants, explained Tacolicious Marketing Manager Sarah Qadri, so this is his “fun spoof on those more formal dining experiences.” The Tacolicious bar is also stocked with more than 100 tequilas, so drink your heart out. Tacolicious, 632 Emerson St., Palo Alto; tacolicious.com At Mountain View pub St. Stephen’s Green, Monday-Friday, 3-5:30 p.m., draft beer ranges from $2.25 to $5. Grab a vodka or a glass of house wine for $4.50. From 5:30-6:30 p.m., prices go up by about a dollar, but the kitchen also opens so you can get appe-
tizers and entrees like a shepherd’s pie or fish and chips at a lower price. If you’re a weekend brunch-goer, order any breakfast item on Saturday or Sunday and you’ll get bottomless mimosas. St. Stephen’s Green, 223 Castro St., Mountain View; ststephensgreen.com The best happy hour deal in town has to be at Antonio’s Nuthouse on California Avenue in Palo Alto, where happy hour doesn’t actually exist because the dive bar’s prices are already so low. “My prices are like happy hour all the time,” said owner Tony Montooth. Well drinks are $3.50, domestic beers are $3.25 and imported beers, $4. No umbrellas in your drinks or pretentious ingredients you can’t pronounce
at the Nuthouse, where peanut shells litter the floor, bras hang from the ceiling and a sign behind the bar warns, “No laptops on bar please!” About eight months ago, Antonio’s Nuthouse did get into the discounted drink game, however: $3 margaritas from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on every day that ends in “y.” The margaritas — mixed by Montooth himself in a large plastic jug — are served in a pint glass with a slice of lime and a salted rim. Don’t question the limit of two per person — they’re strong. Antonio’s Nut House, 321 California Ave., Palo Alto; 650-321-2550 Best bites For a taste of the south during Continued on next page
April 24, 2015 Q Mountain View Voice Q MountainViewOnline.com Q
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