The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

Being that my dining out budget is somewhat less than it was when I was reviewing for the Star Tribune, I have gotten pickier about where I eat, and how much I spend. Seems like I am not the only one who feels that way - with the economy going south and food prices going up, restaurants have had to hustle to get customers to come through their doors. The happy hour special is the time-honored way to fill the seats, always with the hope that after a drink or two, you'll decide to stick around for dinner and a few more drinks.

I bellied up to the bar at Vincent A Restaurant yesterday evening, and started to dig into what has to rate as the best happy hour deal in town: tap beers and wines by the glass for $3, appetizers for $3.50-$4, and the Vincent burger, stuffed with braised short rib for $8 (regularly $12.75). The happy hour, or heures joyeuses, runs Monday to Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

This is pretty short notice, but the Bedlam Theatre's Jim Bueche reports that today is Smyngus Dingus, a famous Polish holiday.

About the last thing I expected to see when I walked into Pi Bar & Restaurant on a Monday night was a table and a half of middle-aged guys playing 500. That’s the old-timey card game we play with Carol’s folks down on the farm in Iowa.