Years ago, I was with my older brother at an Italian restaurant. We both sat at a booth, not knowing where to begin the ordering process. After pondering for quite some time, we decided to just order up an awesome arrangement of appetizers. I know, we didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, but we learned you can sample a lot for your buck by ordering several appetizers as opposed to settling on one single dish.
But, even ordering four rounds of appetizers can get expensive. They can be just as much as a burger with French fries or a gourmet salad. That’s when you schedule your time accordingly and learn the true experience of the Happy Hour.
Monday through Friday, 5 to 7 p.m., at Bistro on Bridge, is a prime example of stellar Happy Hour specials. They offer a dollar off all their drinks (draft beers, cocktails and bottles), $1 Half Shell Raw Oysters and finally, half-off Appetizers. You can check out the full list of half-priced appetizers on Bistro on Bridge’s website.
Even the list on their Happy Hour menu is vast, but when you have a partner-in-crime to help you in the variety factor, it’s fairly easy to get the order moving along. To enhance the experience, I ordered a pint of their latest on tap (and my personal favorite), Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, a craft beer that allotted another stamp on the good ole’ Craft Beer Club Card. I highly recommend if you frequent Bistro on Bridge enough for their craft beer selection, pick up your own club card.
Normally, I place an order for Bistro’s Buffalo Wings. In my opinion, they’re the best in town. The list of flavors from which to choose offers a little something for everyone. You like your wings spicy? Hot? Sweet? Well, it’s all on their flavor list. If that’s not enough, you can mix and match any number of flavor combinations. Order them any way you like: Hot Honey Mustard, Buffalo Cajun or even BBQ Bee Sting. The kitchen staff at Bistro serves to please. Tonight, though, I was in the mood for something else. I’ve ordered the wings countless times. They’ll always be my number one choice, but this evening called for my other personal favorites: Caprese Appetizers & Asparagus and Pepper Salad.
My friend Shawn joined me and ordered his personal appetizer favorites — Chicken Fingers, lightly breaded Tenders with a side of BBQ sauce accompanied by a plate of crispy French Fries and ketchup.
Again, I can’t stress enough just how awesome these Caprese Appetizers truly are. I know, a lot of customers at Bistro on Bridge rave about the Risotto Balls and the Cubano Egg Rolls (again, awesome), but for me, especially being the cheese lover that I am, it’s all about the Caprese. The thick layer of Mozzarella Cheese sandwiched between tomatoes, olives and grilled rustic bread, is already a winning assortment, but drizzled with garlic infused olive oil takes the flavor over the edge for true perfection.
The Asparagus and Pepper Salad is another great choice, especially if you’re looking for something lighter and a tad healthier. And hey, it is also great for Vegetarians! This plate is piled with grilled asparagus, red onion, yellow & red peppers, toasted sesame seeds & crispy rice noodles served with ginger soy dressing. These leave you satisfied without being overall stuffed.
Three craft beers and two Appetizers later, minus the free round of appetizers I received from my club card, the bill came to roughly $20. Not too shabby if I do say so myself! Shawn and I had separate checks, but I’m pretty sure he was in the same ballpark — if not less.
All in all, Bistro on Bridge makes for a great Happy Hour Spot with their vast selection of awesome craft ales, both draft and bottles, as well as their extensive list of menu items. Throw half-priced appetizers in the equation as well, and when it’s time to get the bill, you’ll know the true meaning of Happy Hours.
Find Bistro on Bridge at 210 Bridge Street in Phoenixville, or online at bistroonbridge.com.
Photographs credited to Kevin Dragone.
