Love Happy Hour - Monsieur Marcel Happy Hour - The Grove

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Monsieur Marcel

By Maren Swanson

Dear Love,

I’ve recently started dating someone and we have been spending a lot of time together. Most of my friends are disgusted with our PDA. WHATEVER. He understands that each time we go out to eat I have to take a picture of every drink and dish we are about to consume, but he seems to enjoy it so major points for him. However, the other night he and my friend (bro date) were going to the 3D premiere of Transformers 3. Was I jealous? Absolutely. However, I was about to have some fun of my own. This was my movie setting...

EXT. FRENCH WINE BAR - THE GROVE, FARMERS MARKET - AFTERNOON

A petite server brings me a happy hour menu on the outside patio. Nearby, a man with a thick moustache and beret is playing the accordion version of, “La Vie en Rose.”

Monsieur Marcel has happy hour Monday through Friday, 3pm until 7pm. The wine list offers a variety of international wines including a few glasses produced exclusively for the restaurant. I started with their French Rose. Rose combines elements of red and white wine so it’s a perfect choice for my indecisive nature. Did I mention that all glasses of wine are half off?! My server made some recommendations off the HH tapas menu, and I ended up ordering the chorizo d’espana from the charcuterie section and the tapenade sampler off the les crostinis page.

I am a huge fan of Chorizo. Sure it’s easy to prepare, but the best quality chorizo is like chocolate to a woman (F.I.O. - Food Induced Orgasm). The plate of Spanish dry cured sausage was spicy, smoky and oh so sexy. If you hadn’t noticed, food really turns me on. If I had written my own version of “Eat Pray Love,” it might have been titled, “Eat, Play, Love, Eat, Diet and then Eat Some More.”

The second dish that arrived was a sampler that included a sun-dried tomato pesto, artichoke lemon and roasted red pepper tapenade. I enjoyed the variety of the dish, but next time I will definitely go for the goat cheese and tomato preserves crostini option. Next, I decided to try the Monsieur Marcel red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot; it tasted full-bodied and like chewy dark cherries. About an hour later, a gorgeous plate of mixed olives appeared. Was this a mistake? I didn’t order these, and I already received free bread. “Complimentary,” remarked the server. Awesome, considering a grip of these would have cost me close to $8 at the Gelson’s olive bar!

Happy Hour was almost up, and I had been having too much fun for it to be over. Who needed Transformers 3D - certainly not the lady ordering a fresh glass of the house Merlot! Monsieur Marcel provided an ideal substitution for the movie premiere and a fabulous happy hour. The value was ideal and the service was great. Now I just have to explain to my boyfriend that I spent a amazing night with a French man. Trey bien, Monsieur Marcel!