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FeedFeatured Happy Hours
It's 5 O'Clock!...and this is where you should be.
Read about -320 MAIN, LANDMARK STEAKHOUSE, Simply Fondue
320 MAIN
Seal Beach
320 Main St.
562.799.6246
320MainSealBeach.com
320 Main is like that kid in high school you always wanted to befriend because they were hip without even trying. You know the one who sat in the back row, played bass in a band, and always wore Chuck Taylors no matter what the occasion was. Yet, in this case, it’s the restaurant rocking exposed brick walls, funky booze offerings, and an eclectic menu. This is the just the type of establishment the sleepy town of Seal Beach needs!
Typically when I enter a restaurant or bar my first priority is a cocktail and then I go for the food. However, when we walked in the kitchen was emanating such delicious aromas that suddenly I felt like a kid who had just been released from fat camp and was being taunted with fast food. My attention was immediately diverted to the food offerings and I felt like I had won the lottery! Baby Back Ribs, Bleu Tenders, Calamari, Bruschetta, Duck Fries, and Chips & Dip all for only $4 each—is this for real? Not knowing which to try we ordered all of them of course.
Just when I thought this place couldn’t get any better, they give me an amazing selection of handcrafted cocktails, many of which are a throwback to Prohibition-era Cocktails. Plus a nice wine selection and draft beers to boot! I swiftly ordered a ‘Harvest Moon’, which has Ancient Aged Whiskey, maple syrup, lemon juice, bitters and a Maraca Cherry. This a great drink for everyone, men will believe the whiskey will help them grow hair on their chest and women will love the sweetness of the maple syrup.
Their bar is stocked with many unique and rare bottles of alcohol that they use for their signature cocktails. Our bartender Dave was eager to answer all of our many questions we had such as: “What the ‘bleep’ is Cynar?” Besides being an ingredient in their ‘Brown-Bitter-Stirred’ cocktail, it’s also an Italian aperitif made with 13 herbs including its most prominent flavor of artichoke. I bet you never knew drinking could be so educational? While their happy hour prices and choices are hard to resist, splurge and try one of their original recipes like the ‘Jaunty Angle.’ It’s made with El Dorado 12 year Rum, Rye Whiskey, Green Chartreuse, Bitters, Gomme syrup, and Orange Oils. Your taste buds will thank us!
When our food arrived we dove right in and our expectations were greatly exceeded....and then some! For the Bruschetta, they took what can often be an uninspiring dish and gave it a makeover by toasting the bread on the grill and spreading a thin layer of goat cheese on before the layer of tomatoes. The Calamari was lightly fried with pepperoncinis that gave it a kick but without being overpowering. The Baby Back Ribs were tender, fell off the bone and slathered in a tantalizing BBQ sauce. The Duck Fries are large steak fries served with caramelized onions, minced slow cooked duck and a horseradish aioli, but are best described as heavenly. Kudos to the chef for taking classic bar food and transforming it into a food lover’s paradise.
Happy Hour is offered Tuesday through Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Additionally, they also feature select cocktails for only $5 on Tuesdays, 50% off wines by the glass and $5 corkage on Wednesdays and locals receive happy hour prices all night on Sundays.
The next time you find yourself in Seal Beach just remember the name AND address, 320 Main, and you’ll be all set!
LANDMARK STEAKHOUSE
Corona Del Mar
3520 E. Coast Hwy.
949.675.5556
LandmarkNewport.com
The definition of ‘landmark’ is: an event marking a unique or important historical change of course. In this case, the event is Landmark’s Happy Hour and the course is appetizers! Lots and lots of appetizers - all are half-off during happy hour, which is offered everyday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. In addition they offer select wines, house cocktails, and $2 off beers to quench your thirst.
What impressed us about Landmark is that they have nailed the posh, classy and sophisticated ambiance with dark woods, rich leather booths, and dimly lit chandeliers without being stuffy or pretentious. We were greeted with genuine smiles, sounds of a crackling fireplace in the lounge, and the scent of steaks grilling wafting in from the kitchen.
The bartender must have seen the drool that was now running down our chins and made a few suggestions for Happy Hour. Wanting to feel swanky (well, as swanky as one can feel while drooling over delicious food aromas) in this gorgeous establishment we ordered two glasses of wine, raised our pinkies, and toasted. With so many appetizer choices, the hardest part is making a decision so we told our bartender to surprise us with his favorites.
It was love at first sight - and bite. The first suggestion was a Hawaiian Ahi Poke that was large enough to feed a family of four - or two hungry Happy Hour Aficionados. The large cubes of fresh Ahi were tossed in a spicy sesame sauce and served with avocado, cucumber and wontons. The next dish we lusted over was the Crab Tower, which must have been inspired by the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Picture layers of juicy heirloom tomatoes, thick slices of buffalo mozzarella cheese and succulent crab drizzled with a balsamic reduction just waiting to be devoured. Of course, it wouldn’t be a complete visit to a steakhouse without an order of Kobe Beef Sliders and let me tell you, these did not disappoint. We felt like we had died and gone to foodie heaven!
Our only disappointment was that we didn’t have enough room for dessert! Well, unless you count another cocktail…. The Pear Rickey Martini had been tempting me with its Absolut Pear Vodka, Elderflower Liqueur, freshly squeezed limes and splash of Sprite since we sat down. Although it isn’t offered on the Happy Hour specials, I justified it by arguing it is still reasonably priced at $10 and that my New Year’s Resolution is to eat more fruit. Mmmm…delicious AND healthy!
Landmark would be a great place for a first date as it’s stylish, yet reasonably priced, romantic, and has a great vibe. In fact, if all goes well stay for dinner (if you have room) and then dance the night away once the D.J.s start spinning on select evenings. For wine lovers it doesn’t get much better than this as they feature 50% off of wines by the glass on Mondays and 50% off of wines by the bottle on Wednesdays.
Make this place your next ‘Landmark’ for a Happy Hour outing!
Simply Fondue
San Juan Capistrano
31761 Camino Capistrano
949.240.0300
SimplyFondue.com
Simply Fondue should be renamed to Simply Amazing! This romantic, yet lively restaurant with two convenient locations in Orange County, one in Mission Viejo and another in San Juan Capistrano is “stirring up” some great happy hour specials. Everyday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and ALL day on Tuesday and Wednesday choose from $8 handcrafted martinis, $4 select wines by the glass, $4 well drinks, $4 bottled beers and select ‘two-for-one’ appetizers!
Of course, both locations are gorgeously decorated, but if you are looking for something to really stimulate your eyes check out the San Juan Capistrano spot. Each area of the restaurant is exquisitely designed, from the Hollywood Room with its tasteful pink and black color scheme to the Main Dining Room with dragons that serve as chairs to sit in. Funky and fun!
We arrived punctually to ensure a great seat during this hopping happy hour! The martini list is so extensive with over 100 choices that we almost wanted to just throw a dart to select one as it’s nearly impossible to decide. Our bartender pointed out a few of his favorites including the Bad Girl, the Chocolate Dipped Berry and the White Grape Martini. They all sounded amazing, but my heart was set on the Lollipop which is made with raspberry vodka, lemon, and pomegranate juice. My date chose a glass of house wine for only $4 from their award winning wine list!
After all those drink decisions we had worked up quite an appetite and chose a couple of appetizers that are ‘two-for-one’ during happy hour. We created our own ‘Surf & Turf’ with the Beef Kabobs and Coconut Shrimp! The Beef Kabobs were served on skewers with red onion, mushroom, green pepper and tomato with a delectable homemade ginger teriyaki sauce, while the large Coconut Shrimp were accompanied by a sweet Thai chili dipping sauce. We didn’t waste any time digging in when they arrived as they were beautifully presented and smelled divine. We couldn’t decide which flavorful, moist and tender appetizer was better! We can’t wait to come back and try the hummus trio, chicken satay, and crispy fried artichoke hearts as those sounded fantastic as well.
However, everyone knows why you go to a fondue restaurant—say cheese! We chose a half pot of Mediterranean Cheese Fondue created with sharp cheddar, beer, basil pesto, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes that is offered all the time for only $10 on their a la carte menu. We waited in anticipation as the process of melting the cheese was performed before our eyes and finally we were able to start dipping. We used the bread, fruit, and vegetables to scrape every last drop from the pot!
The friendly staff let us know about all the happenings at Simply Fondue including live music on Saturdays at both locations and Friday through Sunday at Mission Viejo. On Saturdays and Sundays they serve up an incredible brunch with bottomless $8 champagne. Recently they’ve added an option to their menu that is their best value yet: It’s a half salad, a half pot of cheese fondue, an entrée, and a half pot of chocolate fondue for only $29 a person!
So what are you waiting for? Come in and dip away!
