Flagstaff House whoops it up with tastes on the terrace, aka happy hour

Lori Midson

Boulder foodniks and lushes whose wallets run on empty aren't likely to fork over their beer or burger coinage at the Flagstaff House, Boulder's treasure in the sky, where the average check is well over a hundred bucks per person, the extraordinarily wide-reaching wine list is dictionary-thick and the coffee service trumpets no less than a dozen accouterments for your French-pressed Kona java.

So it's with some fanfare that one of the most expensive restaurants in the state has introduced a happy hour menu, only they're calling it "Tastes on the Terrace," because, well, it's the Flagstaff House, and calling it "happy hour" just wouldn't cut it.

In any case, here's the deal:

From now until the end of September, the restaurant that serves blue fin crab with sea urchin roe (one of the best dishes I've had all year), is offering a selection of small plates and Hawaiian-themed cocktails from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday on the terrace. It's all part of marking the one-year anniversary of Monettes, the Big Island restaurant Flagstaff House executive chef Mark Monette runs with his brother, and Flagstaff House general manager, Scott. "The terrace menu is a great way to experience the causal side of the Flagstaff House, while enjoying tastes of our Hawaiian-influenced cuisine," says Mark.

The small plates, priced between $10 and $15 each, include everything from duck liver pate with grilled figs and coconut-crusted oysters to ahi tuna sashimi with mango and pineapple compote and braised short ribs with a yolky quail egg.

True, it's still not a cheap date, but the views, which are worth the price of admission, are free, and, who knows, you just might get leid.

For more details, call 303-442-4640.