I recently ventured to Kincaid’s for happy hour with some friends from my former workplace from left: Bruce watson, Tannille Plunkett, Richelle Abiang, and Kevin Batungbacal.

Kevin, Bruce and I got there first, and to our surprise, at 4:45 the place was already packed! Don't these people have jobs?! The staff was pretty unapologetic about the lack of seating, and I guess they do so well that they were quick to send us to their sister restaurant, Ryan’s. For some odd reason, Ryan’s is not as crowded as Kincaid’s for Happy Hour (possibly because Kincaid's goes till 7).

Ryan’s, as most of you know, is a good stand-by for good food. You can’t really go wrong eating here, and it helps that their happy hour is daily from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. My only beef is that the happy hour drink menu is a little limited.  (And NO, this is not a drinking contest!)

Of course, we ordered the king crab artichoke dip, kalua pig quesadillas, potstickers, and soy beans. Tannille seemed to have a thing for the Jamaican jerk fries, which were actually quite good. A little sweet, a little spicy.

Most of our group enjoyed the li hing mui margaritas ($4)—if you order them blended, they are not as strong! Also blended margaritas look much more feminine. Kevin and I opted for the lychee martinis ($4), which were not bad.

This is probably a good spot for larger groups, so you can try more pupus. I’m still a little bitter about Kincaid’s, but….eeeeeh…..the company was good. All right, the company was fabulous. And really, that’s what happy hour is all about!

Ryan’s Bar & Grill

Ward Centre, second floor

591-9132

www.r-u-i.com/rya/  

p.s. If you like Ryan's soy beans, try this. I literally made this recipe up after eating their soy beans several years ago. You will need to adjust the sugar and chili flakes to your own personal liking. Three pounds may seem like a lot of soy beans, but I guarantee you will need to cook another three more before your party is done!

3 1-lb. bags of frozen soy beans
1 C soy sauce
1/2 C brown or white sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
1 oz. piece of fresh ginger (optional)
1 packet chili flakes (I use a packet from Pizza Hut!)

Cook soy beans according to package directions; drain.
In a large pot, combine all remaining ingredients over high heat, stirring often, until mixture reduces & thickens. Turn off heat. Throw in your cooked soy beans and toss to coat. Serve warm.