Early birds’ special tricks
ROUNDUP. For an early (and sometimes late) evening cheapie bite, head straight to these bars. This ain’t your grandma’s early bird special. This is great food at silly prices, without sacrificing the nice digs.
More like ‘bright’ sum
At Pho Republique, the new spring $2 dim sum bar menu features slimmed down duos of Pho’s appetizers. Relax on big cushioned bar stools as The Smiths and Martin Denney play low, and create your own pu pu platter. Choose between, say, freshly steamed shrimp shu mai; crisped tofu, edamame and bok choy gyoza; chicken and rice pyramids steamed in banana leaf; and other pan-Asian delights. Each comes with its own dipping sauce — an excellent curry condiment for the samosa style potato pasties — and is available Monday through Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
1415 Washington St., Boston
MBTA: Silver Line to Worcester Square
617-262-0005
www.phorepublique.net
Great Bay expectations
Over at sleek’n’chic eatery Great Bay, settle in at the Island Bar, weekdays from 5 to 6 p.m., and enjoy superb fish and seafood bites for a dollar a pop. The “sand dollar menu” includes spicy fish tacos with mango salsa; chilled Duxbury oysters with a chive mignonette; lobster and shrimp dumplings with ginger; salmon sashimi slices with shiso sauce; and calamari with spicy aioli, all at a buck a piece. The entire menu is only $5!
500 Comm. Ave., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Kenmore
617-532-5300
www.greatbayrestaurant.com
Noir time, the right time
Super-sexy Noir recently extended the hours for its 5-4-3-2-1-0 menu, which now works from 5 to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday. That’s when everything is discounted — $5 flat breads, $4 sandwiches, $3 snacks, $2 salads, $1 sweets, $0 for an ample bowl of roasted nuts — but portion sizes stay the same. There’s a minimum $6 beverage purchase, but even so, the big focaccia sandwiches served with potato chips are a steal of a meal (normally $9). For the health conscious, there’s a balsamic dressing drizzled arugula salad flecked with cherry tomatoes and walnuts.
One Bennett St., Cambridge
MBTA: Red Line to Harvard
617-661-8010
www.charleshotel.com