Earning its stripes with inventive drinks and nibbles

It's hard to miss Tigertail's bright orange sign on this quasi commercial stretch of 65th. The cartoonish tiger whose tail dangles above the bar's front door could be the grandson of that roaring Frosted Flake freak, Tony.

Orange illuminates the teak-accented interior, too, a glow that suits the sultry Southeast Asian vibe of this laid-back neighborhood spot with its suede-cushioned banquettes and bamboo-topped bar.

Booze rules, if only because the drinks list is longer than the brief, appealing menu of Asian-inspired small plates.

The roster of eats numbers fewer than a dozen choices, though plans are afoot to expand the happy-hour offerings and add desserts. Start with nibbles such as edamame ($3) or sweet and spicy mixed nuts ($4). Move on to heftier bites — potstickers ($8), steamed clams ($9) or braised pork belly with vegetables ($12). Assemble enough, and they add up to an inexpensive, light meal, suitable for sharing.

To drink, there's a handful of house wines by the glass, 15 sakes and nearly two dozen beers (eight on tap) in a range of styles that embraces the everyday (PBR, Sapporo) and the exotic (Hitachino ales, Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale). Inventive cocktails with names like Saigon 66 and Pacific Rim Job are $7, lower by a dollar or three than at many other lounges.

Tigertail, which opened in November, attracts a cross-section of the diverse demographic that defines Ballard and Phinney — laborers, professionals, artists, musicians, moms — whose ages range from the top rung of boomers down to the mandatory 21.

In an area not lacking for watering holes, Tigertail's savvy blend of food, mood and booze puts it at the front of the pack. Or as Tony might growl, "It's Grrrrrrrreat!"

Check please

Edamame: Soy beans gone sexy with a smoky sprinkling of red Hawaiian sea salt.

Green salad: Arugula and watercress are the peppery pair anchoring this salad, their bitterness offset by sweet cara cara orange segments, toasted almonds and citrusy yuzu dressing.

Swiss chard potstickers: Creamed swiss chard lies at the rich, soft heart of these delicious fried dumplings (six in all). Sesame oil and Thai chilies enliven the soy and mirin dipping sauce.

Steamed Manila clams: Shards of pink-fleshed orange sweeten a cupful of tiny, succulent shellfish. Two slices of bread facilitate sopping up a sake-stoked broth that balances briny with bitter.

Chinese braised pork belly: Chopsticks and a fork are all the utensils you get here, so this meat needs to be tender, and it is. Soft and pliant underneath its thick layer of fat, the rectangular slab squats in a braising liquid fragrant with five-spice, joined by tiny carrots, bits of sunchoke and Brussels sprouts.

Saigon 66: Looks like a wine cooler but tastes so much more complex, thanks to a base of gin, a touch of lemon-grass syrup and a spritz of champagne.

Ginger Lemon Drop: Ginger gets the upper hand in this bracing cocktail, nicely poised between sweet and tart.

Providence Cicero: providencecicero@aol.com