30 | May 4, 2017 | The Mokena Messenger mokena mokenamessenger.com
mokenamessenger.com DINING OUT the Mokena Messenger | May 4, 2017 | 31 The Dish Happy Hour taps into hunger, too, with new menu at Bonefish Grill Bill Jones, Managing Editor Stop into most bars between 4-6 p.m., and one will quickly find that a strange thing happens. Two hours magically become one Happy Hour, where the drinks tend to flow freely thanks to discounted prices. But usually by the end of those two hours, guests are starting to recall that they have not eaten since lunchtime, should maybe get something in their bellies. But dinner is waiting at home, so the $30 entrées are out of the question. And no one can seem to agree on which apps to order. Enter Bonefish Grill’s new Hand-Crafted Happy Hour menu, which alongside four new cocktails offers a smattering of food choices in smaller portions, with the $5 drink specials complemented by $6 dining options that hark back to Bonefish’s former Bar Bites offerings, but with a new collection of flavors. “We’ve had the drinks side for quite some time, but we finally brought back the small plate platform,” managing partner Nicholas Kapellas said. “Guests were asking for it, really. Maybe they don’t want to have a full meal but just want to sit down and try a few new plates.” The crispy calamari and mussels Josephine already were on the appetizer menu, though in bigger portions, but everything else is new. When asked about favorites, Kapellas said the ahi tuna poke is a must-try because of its fresh avocado purée, the wonton crisps and, of course, the fresh tuna. “You can’t get sushigrade tuna in Orland in too many places,” Kapellas said of the appeal. Bonefish Grill’s new Happy Hour menu includes (left to right, top) wagyu beef sliders, crispy au gratin bites, the tropical tiki martini, crispy cod sliders, (bottom) ahi tuna poke, a fresh margarita, calamari and a raspberry vodka Collins. Photos by Bill Jones/22nd Century Media, Illustration by Nancy Burgan/22nd Century Media Bonefish Grill 15537 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park Hours • 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday • 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday • 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday For more information ... Web: www.bonefishgrill.com Phone: (708) 873-5170 But his go-to has become the crispy au gratin bites — or as the kids are calling them, nowadays, “grat tots.” The blend of potatoes au gratin, cheese, bacon and green onion is served alongside two sauces: a smoky ranch and sour cream. “They have such great flavor,” he opined. But tastes, of course, vary. And overhearing our conversation, bartender Angela DeMarco slyly pointed toward the crispy cod sliders, which she said she likes even more than the special menu’s wagyu beef sliders. “This has the Bang Bang shrimp sauce on it,” she said. “They’re so popular. They’re not heavy; they’re not burgers.” The following is a breakdown of all of the offerings on Bonefish Grill’s new Hand-Crafted Happy Hour menu. The selections and the special price points are only available during the hours of 4-6 p.m., for dinein only, but Bonefish offers the menu seven days a week. And the Orland Park restaurant’s 40-seat patio is open for the season. The Drinks ($5) • Blueberry Lemon Drop: Absolut Citron, blueberry purée, fresh sour mix, sugar rim (pictured with Life & Arts cover teaser) • Tropical Tiki Martini: Pineapple and Absolut infusion; Captain Morgan; flavors of mango and pomegranate; and a hint of lime • Raspberry Vodka Collins: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, fresh raspberries, fresh sour mix, topped with soda water • Fresh Margarita: Olmeca Altos Tequila, Cointreau, fresh lime simple syrup • Select spirits singleliquor mixed drinks (Tito’s, Bombay, Bacardi, Dewar’s, Maker’s Mark and Jack Daniel’s) are $5 during the Happy Hour. House wines are $4. And draft beers are $1 off, including Metal Monkey, a Romeovillebased local brew that has been on rotating tap for the past six months. The Food ($6) • Crispy Cod Sliders (2): Alaskan cod on a savory potato bun, with Bonefish’s signature sauce, tomato and lettuce • Wagyu Beef Sliders (2): Served on a savory potato bun, dressed with Bonefish’s signature sauce, tomato and lettuce • Crispy Au Gratin Bites: Blend of potatoes au gratin, cheese, bacon and green onion • Ahi Tuna Poke: Cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, scallion and sesame seeds, over avocado purée, served with wonton chips • Calamari (small): Flash-fried with peppers and served with crispy noodles and a sweet, spicy Asian sauce • Mussels Josephine (small): Served with tomato, red onion, garlic and basil in a lemon wine sauce (not pictured)
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