Say hello to a new category on my blog…..THE HAPPIEST HOUR.  This is my quick fire run around town in my happiest hour between classes on Monday.  Usually what happens is that I put on my speed walking shorts, yellow reflective shirt and walk briskly to the nearest restaurant that is open………no, not really.

I have had a few posts about my Happiest Hour excursions but I didn’t have this really cool name.  I spent millions on a marketing research and design firm in order to come up with the name. I think we did a better job than the “Say WA” campaign (click).  I can’t believe that marketing company was paid $442,000 for that dumb idea.  They could have just given me a 12-pack of beer and a coffee shop punch card with 2 or 3 left until I get a free cup.

Where did all of that come from? Back on track!

One of the coolest things about my Happiest Hour is that a lot of these restaurants I have been visiting have Happy Hours going on at the same time (two and two together, name it, make it your own…….or something like that) so I have a chance to eat some great food for an even better price. In addition to all this I get to see what these restaurants do in order to keep a steady stream of customers coming in their doors at odd hours of the day.   This is not a cooking blog, food blog, or whatever you want to call it.  It’s a database for me to remember what to do right and how to fix my mistakes in order to open my own restaurant one day and give you a great experience.  Notes, I take them.

The Flying Fish nails happy hour. The crab cake pictured above might be the best in the city but I’m partial to the sauce so that’s probably what does it for me.  A lemongrass mayonnaise, yes f’ing please……bathe me in it and inject it into my veins.  Before you get that traditional taste of mayonnaise in your mind please realize there are different types.  The regular store bought kind that gives mayonnaise a bad name and then there is the in-house made style which is more like a sauce……traditional French style. 1 egg yolk + 1 cup of oil, emulsified slowly, awesome.  Stuff in the store? Garbage.  Vegenaise? Barf.  Lemongrass mayonnaise!!!!!! YES!!!  I loved the little citrus salad and the crab cake had a nice amount of crab and not too much filler…..this is the key to a great tasting crab cake.  Little filler? Crab cake killer! (Marketing genius at work)

Steamed Manila Clams with Chorizo and fried fingerling potatoes in a garlic broth.  I love clams but I love chorizo even more. I’m a huge fan of pork and clams.  I’ve done it a few times on this little database a few times (click) and (click) so when I see it on a menu somewhere I am always excited to try it out to see how people with the know-how make it happen.

How is their version? I almost ordered another plate. Yeah, that good. That little broth at the bottom of the plate brought so much to the overall flavor without being overwhelming. It wasn’t the typical assault with garlic that I’m used to.  I love garlic but I know a lot of people that go crazy with it so it’s nice to see some restraint.

Will I go back to Flying Fish for my Happiest Hour? Yes, of course. Each item on their appetizer list is $6!!!!!  $12 bucks for two great dishes or go eat fast food and spend the same amount? Yeah, Happiest Hour wins every time!

Sorry about the Glamour Shots haze on the pictures, they’re from my phone and not my regular camera.

Flying Fish (click)

Eric