Happy Hour at DBGB

I love date night with the hubby.  It gives us a chance to chat and enjoy a meal without doing the dishes.  We wanted to take advantage of a Happy Hour deal (or Early Bird Special), so I met him early one evening at DBGB Kitchen & Bar   

The last time we were at DBGB, it was Lent, so I had to watch my husband enjoy his pork belly burger while I opted for a salad (albeit a very tasty crab salad).  This time, I was eager and ready to try my first Daniel Boulud burger!

On the menu, there were 2 wines on tap (never had a wine on draft before!): a riesling and a lambrusco from Red Hook winery.  Unfortunately, the riesling ran out and we thought the lambrusco was a little funky, fruity, sour, and almost fizzy.  Instead, I opted for a glass of French white wine while my hubby chose a $5 pint of McNeill's Extra Special Bitter, a malty English-style ale from Vermont. 

My hubby then picked a beer which turned out to be one of the best beers he's ever had, aptly titled Of Love and Regret.  It's a saison beer from Stillwater Artisanal Ale's Brian Strumke, a gypsy brewer from Maryland but brewed in Belgium.  This seasonal beer (above in tulip glass) had an herbal and grassy focus but was so smooth and easy drinking that he hopes this one-off beer is bottled and distributed everywhere (instead of the few kegs floating around NY and DC).

A dozen fresh, balanced Blue Points ($15):  We could have used some horseradish on these plain oysters, but these meaty bivalves (my hubby's word) were only $1.25 each. 

Mixed Charcuterie ($10) In-house headcheese (fromage de tete), pate, pork terrine (rillette), and salumi (saucisson sec) with cornichons, pearl onions and frisee.  By far, the best "bar snack" we've ever eaten during happy hour!

The Yankee Burger with Vermont cheddar and crispy bacon ($11 normally $18):  Yes, it tasted as good as it looks! We enjoyed our perfectly-cooked (medium rare), juicy 8-oz beef burger.  I find most French fries addictive, and these thin, crisp ones were no exception.  Overall, my hubby preferred The Frenchie burger he had the last time (can't beat pork belly), but he had no trouble sharing this burger with me!

Raspberry Fromage-Blanc Ice Cream Sundae ($6, regularly $9):  It looks almost too pretty to eat! I loved the fresh raspberries, house-made whipped cream, speculoos cookies on top.  But my favorite part were the anise marshmallows that had a faint licorice-flavor.  I was at first concerned about the white cheese ice cream, but it was very subtle in flavor.

Happy Hour specials are currently available every weekday from 3-6pm

DBGB Kitchen & Bar is located at 299 Bowery (btwn Houston and 1st Aves) in NYC.