We’re still happy. Sushi Roku, one of a number of excellent restaurants at Old Pasadena’s One Colorado, has wowed lovers of sushi and cocktails with unique and delicious flavor combinations from Japan, California and Latin America, since 2001. Add them to the Old Pasadena “Get Happy” libation celebration, and you have some serious entertainment going on in your head.
Sushi Roku is extending their special happy hour menu every day from 5pm – 10pm and all day Saturday and Sunday, from their normal 5pm-7pm most weekdays, and all evening Sundays and Mondays.
Large cushioned benches with embroidered silk pillows in vibrant colors line the walls and sleek black tables with black ceramic soy sauce decanters dot the room. Our hostess Talin invited us to select our own seats, either indoors under large rectangular tea lamps or outside on the patio. (The happy hour special here has become so popular that on busy nights, the restaurant asks patrons to consider a two-hour limit on seating to provide space for everyone.)
So, let’s drink. And eat.
Fresh Sapporo beer ($4 happy hour pricing) and a tall pineapple juice ($3) in hand, we checked out the happy hour-specific menu, then started with a selection of hand rolls including shrimp tempura, salmon skin, rock shrimp and jalapeno and the classic California roll. During happy hour, all hand rolls are $3 at Happy Hour, and come rolled in a tight cone of deliciousness. Cut rolls are larger and arrived sliced into bite size pieces at $5 per roll.
We added some shitake mushroom skewers served with a rich sauce of mayonnaise, tonkatsu sauce and sesame seeds. An order of shrimp skewers came piping hot on a colorful and unique ovoid ceramic plate. All skewers are $5 for meats and $3 for vegetables. We then took a deeper look at the specialty cocktail menu and ordered a Roku Bombay sapphire mule with Bombay Sapphire East gin, mixed with a touch of simple syrup, lime juice, and ginger beer, and muddled with Thai basil and cucumber. Arriving with a cucumber garnish and sprig of basil, this refreshing drink is sure to be a hit as our temperatures begin to peak in the coming summer months. During happy hour, all specialty drinks are discounted $3.
Our new best friend, Eunice, then arrived shortly after the cocktails with their famous banana bread pudding—a large piece of warm banana bread with caramelized slices of banana on top garnished with a small scoop of rich vanilla ice cream, and an assortment of fresh blackberries, blueberries and strawberries. Talk about happy.
Drink up, always eat dessert, and pick a driver. And, oh yes, Get Happy.
Here are the complete gory details:
- Roku fusion martini ($5)
- Hot sake ($4)
- Roku Bombay sapphire mule ($9)
- Salmon kin, spicy yellowtail and rock shrimp tempura with jalapeno hand rolls ($3 each)
- Albacore tataki with crispy onions ($5)
- Baked pink scallop ($4)
- Shitake mushroom skewers ($3)
- Banana Bread pudding ($7 and big enough to share)
Drink up, always eat dessert, and pick a driver. Sushi Roku’s “Get Happy” menu runs daily through March 15.
Sushi Roku is at 33 Miller alley in One Colorado. Happy hour specials every evening until 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. weekends. Valet parking available on Union Street.
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Here’s what’s on tap for the rest of the “Get Happy” libation celebration:
Tuesday, March 11 from 6-8 pm
The Blind Donkey – Glenfiddich Distillery Guided Tour $13 per flight
Brian Summers of Glenfiddich will provide a guided tour of their whiskeys to groups of 8 at a time. Enjoy tasting a flight at a special pricing.
Tuesday, March 11 – Sunday, March 16
Lucky Baldwins Pub – Gearing Up for Green
West Coast kick-off of Piraat Triple Hop – 1st tapping exclusively at Lucky Baldwins! What better way to gear up for St. Patrick’s Day!
Thursday, March 13 from 6 -9 pm
Slater’s 50/50 – Brewery Night with Angel City $10.00
Join our Beermonger and Angel City with a celebration of Old Pasadena’s Get Happy!
4 brews available in a flight. Receive a pint glass with the purchase of flight (while supplies last): Angeleno IPA – Eureka WIT – White Nite – Schwartzbier
Thursday, March 13 from 7:00-8:00pm
Kings Row Gastropub – Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey Tasting Complimentary
Come in and try the entire lineup of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskeys and listen to the history, and method behind each variety they make at this pre-St. Patty’s Day tasting.
Thursday, March 13 from 7:00pm
Dog Haus Biergarten – Brew Haus Thursday $10 per person
Hangar 24 from Redlands, CA will be the dedicated Craft Brewery in the Haus! Special Edition Craft Beer, along with flagship beers from the Brewery. Raffles for brewery tours, swag, and more! Live DJ to set the mood. Come out and play Giant Jenga and a variety of other board games.
Link up:
http://www.oldpasadena.org/happyhourweek/getHappy_events.asp
http://www.innovativedining.com/restaurants/sushiroku
http://www.innovativedining.com/download/pasadena-hh-menu-for-web-6.13.13.pdf
