There are two words that every 9-5 employee loves to hear: Happy. Hour. Although I’m technically no longer a 9-5er, I still get uncontrollably giddy at the thought of dropping all work and and cheers-ing to it being 5 o’clock somewhere. Happy Hour used to be just about great drink specials, but these days, most restaurants also offer discounts on some of their appetizers and light bites, which is perfect for a starving food blogger like myself who wants to sample the menu. One place that is nailing their Happy Hour is Table 26 Palm Beach, where I was invited in to eat, drink, and be merry.
Right off the bat, I noted that Table 26’s Happy Hour has a YOLO attitude, and starts at 4:30pm. Which is awesome, because honestly, by 4:30pm you know you’re just watching the clock count down and trolling Facebook only to find yourself on your current crush’s ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend’s page. Or maybe that’s just me? Anyways, I just wanted to note that it was a crisp November day in Florida when we went, so since the temp had dropped below room temperature, a cute fall ensemble was needed. For reference, the jacket is Forever 21, the necklace and top are Design Lab by Lord & Taylor, the shorts are Celebrity Pink and the boots are Nine West. Attitude by yours truly.
Table 26’s Happy Hour is available every day at the bar from 4:30pm-6:30pm and features $4 Beers, 1/2 off Wine by the glass, $8 Mixed Drinks, $10 Handcrafted Cocktails, Small Plates, and free valet parking, although I certainly recommend Uber if your Happy Hour gets as happy as mine typically does. For my first drink of the night, I chose the Winter White Cosmo, made with Belvedere Vodka, Cointreau, St. Germain, and White Cranberry. I’m not 100% certain why I chose this since I’m not a huge Cosmo fan, but I really did like the seasonal flavors, plus, it matched my outfit, which is clearly just as, if not more, important.
And then, just like that, Happy Hour got real. And by that I mean plates and drinks kept coming out more quickly than Kim K.’s cleavage for a selfie. We were served Drunken Clams, made with venison sausage, preserved lemon, and beer broth. Disclaimer: I love deer. I love them so much. Even though there have been plenty of times up north when they have almost destroyed my car, I love them. In college, I used to name them as I came across their path. Seriously. Johnny Riversrun was my favorite. Anyways, I tried to eat venison one time in my life and I couldn’t stomach it. But that was over 10 years ago, so I tried to be adventurous when the dish came out. But I couldn’t do it. I mean, what if that deer had been Johnny? So venison lovers, I can’t rate this part of this dish, but I will say that the broth is absolutely to die for, I mean, if you’re like me and have no shame you will definitely want to take the bowl and pour it straight in to your mouth like a savage. Also, the clams are super fresh.
On to cocktail number two, the Lavendar 75, a mix of Noletʼs Gin, Fresh Lemon, Lavender Infused Simple Syrup, and Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. IDK what that last ingredient is, but this was definitely my FAVORITE cocktail of the night. I’m not always a gin girl, but when I am, that cocktail better be bursting with flavor, and this surely was. A must- try.
As for favorite food of the night, my top spot goes to the Ginger Glazed Calamari, served with Spicy Asian Aioli. I’m pretty sick of going to Italian restaurants and getting the same boring calamari with marinara, so the Asian take on this dish was a welcome twist. This picture doesn’t do the taste justice, but hey, I was two drinks in when I took it – maybe the lighting isn’t perfect, but at least it’s not blurry!
We got to sample the Grilled Wings, with Jerk Seasoning and Escovitch Sauce. I typically do not like to eat wings in public because and if you’ve ever seen me eat wings, you know why – being a klutz along with being a savage doesn’t make for a very pretty sight. But when you get wings as good as these, all rules are out the door. The jerk seasoning gave a huge kick – these wings are a definite eye opener! You might never want buffalo sauce again.
We also got to try an off-the-menu item, Crab Cakes. You can see in the picture how deliciously crisp they were on the outside – just like my fries, I love when items are crisp on the outside and mushy on the inside. The few bites I had were delicious and show that the Chef knows what he is doing, even on the fly!
Having lived in Texas, I put BBQ as one of my top 3 cuisines, and these BBQ Pork Sliders certainly did not disappoint. Made with Fig BBQ Sauce and topped with House Slaw and Pickles – yes, I said FIG BBQ SAUCE, out of this world – the fluffy potato bun was a perfect vehicle for the tender pork, so good it had me screaming “YEE HAW,” especially because I was about to indulge in my next and third drink….
The Basic White Girls’ Dream. Okay, that’s not what it’s called, clearly Table 26 has more couth than I do. This is the Pumpkin Pie Martini, made with Crop “Organic” Spiced Pumpkin Vodka, Rum Chata, and Pumpkin Puree. As soon as it arrived, everyone wanted to sample my drink (I guess something about Pumpkin Spice turns us all into basic bitches). This is definitely a dessert martini, and a delicious and indulgent one at that. It was a great way to end the night, even though it was only like 6pm but felt like 10pm.
You can see by the smile on our faces that Table 26 makes Happy Hour more than just about the food and the drinks, it’s about the experience. The bartenders are friendly and knowledgable, the spot is trendy but cozy, and the vibe is ultra cool. As we merrily and somewhat drunkenly stumbled for pizza (I’m sorry, I don’t care how much I eat, a night with alcohol must ALWAYS end with pizza), we all vowed to come back soon for Happy Hours that pass too quickly, but will forever be ingrained in our memories (until we kill too many brain cells at Happy Hour, then all we have are the pictures.)
***I received complimentary noms in exchange for this post, however, you cannot bribe me with food, so all opinions are my own.