A couple of Fridays ago we had one of those enviable L.A. days that is only good for one thing…Spring Fever! My girlfriend and I decided to ditch work early and head downtown to happy hour at Blue Cow Kitchen. This is the new restaurant from the folks that brought us the Mendocino Sandwich Market and they collaborated on a menu with executive chef Joshua Smith (Church & State, Anisette). This place is hopping for happy hour, so I highly recommend a reservation (which we did not have). Luckily, my friend was able to work her magic and score us two seats at the outdoor communal table. The outdoor seating is especially fun because you are surrounded by tall buildings and feel like you are actually in a city.
At $5, the CASA Margarita was an easy choice, as were the Baked then Fried Potatoes—as good as they looked. I was starving, so I decided to dig into the dinner menu because I can never turn down a Cuban sandwich. That’s it above and apologies for the messiness of it all—I couldn’t resist a bite before I remembered to take a photo! Using ingredients from sustainable farms, they have really elevated the American restaurant experience.
We were thrilled to make new friends, which is so un-L.A. by the way, to actually speak to anyone around you. The guy next to me was more than happy to share his favorite menu picks and I thought oh, how nice of him! Then, after about his 5th margarita, he proceeded to tell us how he is a serial online dater and has been on at least 50 blind dates and seemed to get really angry about the fact that he was still single. I was very happy I came here for the drinks and not the fellas!
The inside decor is an eclectic display of California locations and artifacts, with the focal point being a lit up sign in the back spelling out EAT HAPPY. That alone put me in a good mood! On the way out, never missing an opportunity to check out the loo (TMI?), I loved this fun wall, a clever way to disguise an unpleasant necessity (that “W” on the right is the ladies’ room entrance).
Happy Friday! What are your favorite happy hour spots??
Blue Cow Kitchen. 350 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA. 213-621-2249
