Happy Kisses

I don't hide the fact that I am a Happy Hour junkie. Why pay twice as much for the same food and drink if you don't have to? We've been searching the Scottsdale area for the best happy hours, and have identified a few contenders. At the top of our list right now is Un Bacio, a beautiful Italian restaurant in the Gainey Ranch area (down the road from The Kitchen, see earlier post). Un Bacio means "a kiss" in Italian, and I think most of you are just now figuring out the title of this post...

Un Bacio has a special menu for its happy hour, which runs from 4:30 to 7 pm, Tuesday through Friday. There are half price drink specials - wine, beer and cocktails - and "small plates" of food. These plates are definitely not small - you will probably have left overs (I guess you could call them small if you were Brobdingnagian). A few of our favorite "small plates" are the Capellini with Baby Clams ($7.50) and the Stuffed Eggplant ($7). The Capellini is an incredible dish with plenty of fresh clams, more than enough for dinner. The Stuffed Eggplant is deliciously cheesy with a wonderful red sauce. Also try the Antipasto Plate ($8) and the Margherita Pizza ($9). In fact, the whole menu is a culinary masterpiece at unbelievable prices.

This is one of those places that understands the value of a good happy hour. Un Bacio will suck you in with a chance to taste the menu on the cheap, but they know you'll be back for the complete dinner soon. Cucina di Campo ranks it the "Best Happy Hour in Scottsdale" for now. You didn't think we would stop looking for great deals, did you?