Happy Hour | Pair keeps it simple, with flair

Happy hour |

Pair seemed hard to ignore when it debuted in Ravenna five years ago. The splendid French-New American restaurant hit all the right notes, serving small plates just before the crest of the tapas craze, and introducing communal dining before that became cool.

Pair may not generate the buzz that it once did — at least not among the media and foodies in the blogosphere — but now that it has started a happy hour, it's the perfect time to get reacquainted with one of the city's most impressive debuts of 2004.

With just six dishes, its bar menu is short and simple. But each one — from Gruyere mac-and-cheese to the frisee salad with poached egg and bacon — falls in line with Pair's penchant for making simple dishes elegant.

Take its sliders (3 for $5), with toasted buns, which have the taste and texture of a soft pretzel. The mini sandwiches are filled with succulent beef brisket and topped with sweet, pickled onions to balance the heat from the fresh horseradish cream.

It's a nuanced take on a popular bar food that can be treated as an afterthought by other chefs.

Pair, 5501 30th Ave. N.E., Seattle, offers happy hour 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, when food costs $2-$5, beer $2-$3, wine $5-$6, and cocktail and sparkling wine $6 (206-526-7655 or www.pairseattle.com).

Tan Vinh: 206-515-5656 or tvinh@seattletimes.com