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| Erica O'Neil |
| Crispy, cornmeal-crusted calamari tossed in Asian slaw with Thai peanuts and a miso caramel sauce. Oddly addicting, and it managed to remain crispy from beginning to end. |
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| Erica O'Neil |
| Steamed edamame, tossed with chili flakes, oyster sauce, and salty soy. Much better than a simple sprinkle of sea salt. |
Kitchen 56, formerly
Vatra Grill,
opened back in February but decided to work out all the kinks before rolling out an official preview. Last night they featured a variety of appetizers, highlighting their new menu of
upscale comfort food in the Arcadia corridor. The Asian flair on some dishes was pleasantly surprising, with miso and oyster sauce adding umami to well-executed all-American eats, which was surprising given that Italian pizzas, pastas and charcuterie shared the same menu space.
While bar bites aren't included as a happy hour feature, between the hours of 3 and 6 Tuesday through Sunday, guests can enjoy relaxed pricing on their afternoon pick me ups. All drafts are priced at a buck off, like local
Four Peaks Peach Ale and
Left Hand Milk Stout,
apparently an excellent alternative for the pussy beer drinker (i.e. think outside the Bud box). Winos will be pleased to know that their by-the-glass choice is discounted two bucks, averaging about $5 for a pretty substantial pour, and specialty cocktails are a flat fiver.
Plus, there's a bonus to get you walking and rolling from the neighborhood down to try out Kitchen 56. Through April, Stroll or Roll your way into Kitchen 56 on bike or hoofing it, and receive a 10% discount on the bill. Seems like a pretty good way to lure in the neighbors.
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| Erica O'Neil |
| Tender corn cakes finished on the griddle and topped with a sweet and savory pulled pork. A solid starter. |