Review: A Santa Monica Restaurant’s New Happy Hour is Top-Notch

By Dolores Quintana

Birdie G’s in Santa Monica has a new Happy Hour and it is something special. For one thing, it really is only an hour. It lasts from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the “Bird’s Nest” portion of the restaurant. What’s really special about it is that the restaurant is serving some really super appetizers and drink specials for reasonable prices as well as offering some more substantial dishes for a bit more. 

I did sample some of the dishes at the restaurant and I was amazed by how good they really were. They range between $5 and $15 but they are nothing like what you would expect at your typical happy hour. I tried the Vernors-Baked Ham & Pickled Melon and it was wonderful. What made it so good was the fact that the melon was pickled which gave the dish a sour flavor that enhanced the taste of Vernor’s ham. I am not a melon person, but when I tried the ham and melon snack, I was hooked. It is like the traditional prosciutto e melone, but with a twist of pickling the melon which raised it to another level. On the menu, you can also find Whipped Avocado with Fried Matzo, Kippered Sable Terrine with Crispy Potato Waffles, three kinds of fries (Reuben Fries, Caesar Fries and Fries & Aioli) and Lavender Almonds, I didn’t try any of those, but I definitely would like to visit again so I could. 

At the same time, I was treated to Bar Manager Stephanie Reading’s creation Staycation Summer with lime, kumquat, strawberry brandy and tequila which will only set you back about $12.00, its one of the drink specials, and it’s a really solid drink. Light with fruit accents and a little tequila punch with a crust of Tajin and salt on the outside of the glass which makes it look great. You can also find Reading’s Chamomile Lavender Lemonade Mocktail for $4, if you want to stay sober and $6.00 glasses of craft beer. But there’s more, Sommelier Kobi Tsesarsky has assembled a variety of planet-friendly, $12 glasses of wine. 

The next dish was the ACG Caesar salad and it was a treat. It is gem lettuce, anchovy, garlic, capers, and an egg yolk bottarga which will cost about $19.00. While eating the salad, I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, but suddenly the salad came together and I realized that the reason my taste buds didn’t know how to cope with the salad was that this was a genuine Caesar, not the faux version that you so often find in grocery stores or grab and go. It had little crispy anchovies which lent that true Caesar dressing flavor. The croutons were fantastic. Usually, when you eat a crouton, you might want to be careful not to chip a tooth. These croutons were fresh and lightly crispy on the outside. Perfect.

Next up was the Weiser Farms Potatoes, priced at $15, with Mt. Tam cheese sauce and truffle butter layered with basil leaves, I think. This was another decadent choice that really hit the spot. The delicate cheese sauce hit the truffle butter with the velvety soft potatoes and the greens. Absolutely dynamite. So simple, but so comforting. 

The most amazing dish to me was the corned beef tongue. Yes, I know what you are thinking, ew tongue. I had a bad experience as a child where I was tricked into eating some really chewy, boiled beef tongue which wasn’t very appetizing and put me off of tongue for most of my life. This dish is corned beef tongue, delicately sliced extremely thin and cooked lightly, with cornichon de bourbonne, clusters of mustard seeds and lovage. One of the hallmarks of the snacks during this happy hour that I tried is that they are all very light, but extremely flavorful, comforting but still satisfying. I was on my fourth dish, but I wasn’t feeling weighed down or overly full. The corned beef tongue was the lightest dish of them all. With the tenderness of corned beef tongue together with the gentle flavors of the accent ingredients, I was wowed. I never wanted to eat tongue again after that chewy nightmare, but I would eat this dish at Birdie G’s again in a heartbeat. 

Finally, I had dessert, and once again, I was won over by what is called the World Famous Rose Petal Pie. I think that these menu options are outside of the Happy Hour menu, but only the drinks are bit more expensive than the Happy Hour options. The other desserts are the malted chocolate layer cake, the empress date bundt cake, the peach and basil rice pudding, and their homemade ice cream, but I really felt that I needed to go with the ultimate favorite dessert and what they are known for. It was the right choice. The Rose Petal Pie is like an aspic suspension, but the consistency is very soft and the flavors are delightful, a fruity combination of raspberry, rose and hibiscus with a slightly salty pretzel crust that is highly complimentary. I would have to pronounce it a pie favorite of mine after enjoying it thoroughly. The dessert ranged in price from $7.00 to $14.00, for the Rose Petal pie.

Finally, I had a choice of two after-dinner drinks and I had to complement the bar director personally because the imagination and taste combinations in the bar drinks were truly on point and in harmony with the overall theme of light and flavorful that the happy hour was working. The choices were Not Your Mother’s Grandmother’s Grasshopper, which I found highly interesting as a bit of a connoisseur of classic cocktails and the nitro average brew. I had to go for the coffee-based cocktail though. I will save the grasshopper for another visit. The nitro average brew is cafe luxxe coffee, St. George coffee liqueur, creme de cacao la Vanille, creme de banana, Anejo tequila and mezcal. It comes covered and when you are ready, the server whips the top off and a cloud of smoke rises from the drink. Very impressive and Instagrammable. It’s also light and delicious which is a difficult feat to achieve with mezcal, but Reading managed to do that somehow. Mezcal is a very distinctly smoky spirit, but Reading managed to merge the flavors in the drink so that no one flavor outshined the other.

Birdie G’s new Happy Hour comes with a high recommendation from this reviewer. Light delicate flavors that satisfy and are so comforting in a really welcoming atmosphere. Don’t miss out. You can peruse their menu here. The happy hour menu has a lot of really delicious options and you could visit multiple times and not get bored. Certainly, you would be dining at a Happy Hour that is a cut above most in the city.

Related Posts

Pandemic-Induced Rent Debt Crisis Threatens Housing Stability

May 28, 2023

May 28, 2023

Low-Wage Workers and Communities of Color Disproportionately Affected By Dolores Quintana  Rental debt is an out-of-control problem that has worsened...

(Video) What’s It Like To Buy a Home In Palisades Right Now?

May 26, 2023

May 26, 2023

We spoke with James Respondek of Rodeo Realty on the current state of Palisades real estate market. @palisadesnews Local realtor...

Community Council Could Support Reducing Light Pollution From Buildings, Private Development

May 26, 2023

May 26, 2023

Under a Motion, the PCC Would Request the City Implement Five Principles. By Zach Armstrong The Palisades Community Council might...

Beyonce and Jay-Z Break California Record With Malibu Purchase

May 26, 2023

May 26, 2023

The Previous Record-Holder Was Billionaire Venture Capitalist Marc Andreessen. Jay-Z and Beyoncé have set a new record in California’s real...

(Video) Homelessness Exacerbated by Santa Monica Rail and Bus System

May 26, 2023

May 26, 2023

The METRO and public bus system has reportedly been a large factor in Santa Monica’s homeless population. @palisadesnews Homelessness in...

(Video) This Is Where Palisades Was Found

May 26, 2023

May 26, 2023

Founders Oak Island is where the Pacific Palisades was found in 1922. @palisadesnews Founders Oak Island is where Pacific Palisades...

Public Workshop to Focus on Malibu Creek Restoration Project

May 25, 2023

May 25, 2023

Objectives of the Project Involve Removing the Rindge Dam and Modifying Eight Upstream Barriers. California State Parks will hold a...

Unsafe Bacteria Levels Found in Palisades Beach

May 25, 2023

May 25, 2023

The Local Health Department Released an Advisory for a Dozen Locations. Individuals are advised to avoid some Los Angeles beaches,...

Everytable Opens New Westside Location

May 25, 2023

May 25, 2023

Everytable opens second new location in Culver City.

Cookie Tasting Event Aims to Help Pets in Need

May 25, 2023

May 25, 2023

The Event Will Feature Over 50 Bakers Offering A Variety Of Homemade Cookies For Participants To Enjoy. The Pacific Palisades...

What’s On The Menu at Noah’s Bagels in Palisades?

May 24, 2023

May 24, 2023

The Store Caters, And Has Locations At 15270 Antioch St In Palisades, Along With Locations In Santa Monica, West Hollywood...

Italian Restaurant Reopens After Fires Leads To Two-Year Closure

May 24, 2023

May 24, 2023

In 2021, A Fire Broke Out At A Strip Mall Containing Casa Nostra Ristorante. By Zach Armstrong Casa Nostra has...

The Dodgers Reinstate LGBTQ+ Group’s Invitation and Honor At Dodger Pride Night

May 24, 2023

May 24, 2023

The Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence Accepted The Baseball Team’s Apology By Dolores Quintana This morning, The Los Angeles Dodgers issued...

(Video) Child Sings “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons at Palisades Library

May 24, 2023

May 24, 2023

At the Zine and Sing event at Palisades Branch Library, this child got up to show off his vocals. @palisadesnews...

Check Out Palisades Dolphins 2023-2024 Football Schedule

May 24, 2023

May 24, 2023

Palisades Dolphins Football Had An Impressive Run Last Season, And They Hope To Do It Again. By Zach Armstrong The...