Roaring Fork's happy hour eases economic woes

Roaring Fork's Big Ass Burger, $9 during happy hour. (Credit: Jill Richards/azcentral.com)

The other night, I needed to find a good place to have dinner and drinks with girlfriends.

It had to be nice enough to be festive, but cheap enough for people who've had their financial situations dramatically impacted by both the housing crisis and job loss.

So we were looking for inexpensive food, preferably with good, inexpensive liquor and in a setting that didn't remind us of our economic woes.

We chose Roaring Fork's all night, all-summer happy hour. Starting at 4 p.m. daily, a selection of appetizers, salads and entrees are reduced, some up to half-off, all night long.

The Caesar and several other salads are $6, the 12-ounce burger is $9, and the stupendous, obsession-inducing green chile pork stew is only $7. Domestic bottles are $3, with $4 well drinks, and $5 mojitos, margaritas and martinis.

The three of us indulged in the chips and guacamole, the chicken and pepper jack cheese flatbread and the classic iceberg wedge salad, all of which are on the lower-priced menu, and all of which were good enough that we felt tempted to lick the plates clean.

We loved that we could lounge in the low-lit, rustic setting, enjoy the smell of the wood-fueled cooking fire and feel like we were living in high style while paying fast-casual prices. I have spent more at Pei Wei.

And while a girls night out didn't mitigate the bum-trip of penny-pinching, we were able to brainstorm some job opportunities for my friends and money-saving ideas for all of us, an activity made all the more pleasant when fueled with tasty food and icy cold beers.

Details: 4800 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480-947-0795, eddiev.com