The Spot: Grassroots Kitchen & Tap 2119 East Camelback Road, Suite A21 602-368-8766 www.grassrootsaz.com
See Also: Grassroots Kitchen & Tap at Town & Country Plaza to Open Monday
The Hours: Happy Hour is offered daily from 3 until 6 p.m.
The Interior: Walking into Grassroots' newest location in Town & Country, you pretty much would never believe it was the same space in which Baby Kay's used to operate. The previously dark, dingy Cajun joint has been completely transformed into a bright open space with a beautiful bar and large, comfy booths. Though some of the wall art verges on cheesy store-bought slices of kitschy Americana, the light green and brick walls make for a relaxing atmosphere with fast, friendly service.
The Food: With several options from $5 to $10 on the happy hour menu, you'll likely find something that catches your eye to snack on. The Wisconsin burrata ($8) plate was an interesting take on classic Caprese flavors, with toasted bread, creamy burrata, sweet tomato jam, and peppery arugula. We quickly noticed we preferred the acidity and heat of the Louisiana hot sauce with our burrata and arugula instead of the jam, but to each his own.
The menu also features smoked salmon dip ($6), sliders ($7), and a charcuterie plate ($10), but we instantly were drawn to the pork-centric Piggly Wiggly ($9) sampler plate. With a few bites of barbecue baby back ribs, pork belly, and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, there's just enough meaty goodness to go around, without completely pigging out. (Yeah, we know that was bad.) Though we weren't wild about the chewy texture of the pork belly or the very standard flavor in the barbecue sauce, it certainly wasn't a disappointing offering.
The Drink: Whether you want beer, wine, or spirits, Grassroots has discounted options for you during happy hour. With eight total wine on tap options at $7, you can explore the West Coast's wineries on the cheap from California to Oregon. You can also get 50 ounces of Ommegang's Belgian white beer for just $10, which is a steal in our book, considering that Ommegang is one of our favorites.
For cocktail lovers, you can go the specialty route for $6 with a refreshing Grassroots Gimlet or the tart, grapefruit-y Pink Cougar. However, for simpler drinks, you can get a $5 first-shelf spirit drink with options like Bombay gin, Dewar's scotch, and 360 vodka.
The Conclusion: With great drink prices and tasty plates, Grassroots is certainly an upgrade in this spot, although it definitely doesn't have the same flair as the previous tenants. Though the prices were a little higher for food than we expected, the portions pretty large, and the quality was better than average. We definitely can see Grassroots fitting into the Town & Country scene already, which is fine with us.
Grade: B+
