Happy hours present a wonderful opportunity to relax, unwind and sample new cocktails at discounted rates. However, they mostly occur mid to late afternoon during our busy workweeks and thus lend themselves more easily to vacationers and tourists than to locals. But beginning this month, Madame Butterfly, the upscale Korean steakhouse and KBBQ restaurant on East Congress Street is switching that up by launching a Friday, Saturday and Sunday Happy Hour from 3p.m. to 5 pm. Locals rejoice!
Since 2001, Savannah entrepreneur Ele Tran of Rhino Hospitality Group (formerly Ele & The Chef) has built an impressive portfolio of 12 Asian-American fusion style restaurants which include such favorites as Starland’s The Vault Kitchen & Market, Little Duck Diner on Ellis Square, and Broughton Street’s Chive Sea Bar & Lounge. Despite variations in the food and drink menus, Tran offers her delicious Blood Orange Martini at all locations. The exact proportions of Absolute Peach Vodka, blood orange Monin syrup, and lemon juice in this famed libation are a closely guarded secret. Try it for yourself during Madame Butterfly’s Happy Hour for just $9.
I met with the vivacious and friendly bartender and shift leader Olivia Jackson to discuss the four other cocktails specially created by the bar staff for their new Happy Hour menu. Priced at a reasonable $10, they are the Tai Sinh (Vietnamese Song Cai Gin, Soju – a clear Korean spirit similar to Vodka, Cointreau, and lemon); Li’s Paradise (New Amsterdam Vodka and Gin, lychee fruit, simple syrup, Green Chartreuse, and lemon juice); the Martino (Bombay Dry Gin, Dry Vermouth, Sweet Vermouth, Amaro Nonino and orange bitters); and Jackson’s very own creation, the Jaffatini. …