By Dr. Ink

Thankfully we don’t live in Utah, where as of Jan. 1, happy hours became essentially banned through a state law that prohibits price promotions on booze. In Dr. Ink’s world of well being, that’s no way to start the New Year.

Safely removed from the teetotalers is Alchemy, a cozy bar and restaurant situated in the charming nub of South Park. Here, we find happy hour offered twice in one day, in late afternoons and then resuming at 10 p.m. until the place decides to close. And whether you perch your caboose at the roomy bar or a warmly lit table, the alcohol and international “street food” deals are for the taking.

Well drinks and pints of local draft beers will set you back at only $3 apiece while wines by the glass are discounted by $2. On this particular day, Eel River Organic Blonde Ale made the beer list, a golden brew that’s light enough to drink in multiple servings without putting pressure on your stomach.

From there my drinking chum proceeded to Lightening Amber Ale, which offers a nuttier, drier snap in comparison. Its flavors were familiar and welcoming given that the beer ranked among our favorite when paying a recent visit to Lightning’s headquarters in Poway (Tastings are held at the facility on Fridays and Saturdays).

While my friend soaked in suds, I indulged in a couple of clear-liquor drinks, starting with lip-puckering vodka gimlet. Much to my liking the lime juice tasted fresh rather than syrupy. If the bartender indeed used a sugar-based commercial brand in the recipe, it was pleasantly offset by the fat slice of lime floating on top.

My brain buzz wasn’t achieved, however, until hitting the halfway mark on a good old-fashion gin and tonic made with Seagram’s. As any gin aficionado knows, there’s something rather aggressive about distilled juniper berries as it enters your system. It’s a different, more powerful kind of high that demands you tread lightly – certainly not what I’d serve to participants in a roundtable discussion on religion and politics.

Alchemy’s food options during happy hour are cheap and delicious. From Chef Ricardo Heredia’s international “street foods” menu, you’ll find five different small plates slashed 50 percent in price. We’re talking two taro tacos stuffed with braised pork belly and spicy cucumbers for only $3 or a pair of Greek-inspired chicken skewers with minted yogurt for a buck more. We also aimed our tongues to that of a cow’s, with lengua tacos ($3) enhanced with chili guajillo and red onions. The most substantive dish in the lineup was Aloo Tikka ($3), a sizable potato croquette incorporating peas and pear-tamarind chutney.

“It tastes like a Himalayan version of apple pie,” my friend commented with utter approval as we delighted also in the ultra-robust micro cilantro adorning our plates.

While Utah holds claim to five national parks and destination ski resorts, we can proudly flaunt places like Alchemy, which affords us good, inexpensive drinks with two happy hours a day.

Alchemy
1503 30th St. (South Park)
619-255-0616
Happy Hour: 4 to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 p.m. to close, daily

RATINGS:

Drinks: 5/5
The beer and wine choices are succinct, though offering quality and intelligent selections suited to a wide range of palates. Well drinks are kicky and run the gamut.

Food: 5/5
From a short list of international “street foods,” you can hopscotch between Greece, Mexico and India in one sitting. The dishes are generally small in portion, but offer exquisite flavors and presentations.

Value: 5/5
Drinks and food plates average $3 apiece, which isn’t bad considering that anything you put into your mouth here isn’t of generic quality.

Service: 5/5
The relaxed atmosphere lends toward cheerful, attentive service and the servers are adept at properly staggering your food plates if you order multiple items.

Duration: 5/5
If you get held up at the office at the end of the day, Alchemy obliges with a second happy hour that resumes at 10 p.m.