Bevy adds spice with cocktails, new chef in kitchen

This weekend brings the culmination of Pow! Wow! Hawaii frenzy in Kakaako, and Bevy is right in the middle of the action.

Check out the closing party for “Quintessence — Five Years of Bevy Murals,” a Pow! Wow! exhibit showcasing diverse, wall-sized paintings created for the bar and eatery, from 6 to 10 p.m. today inside the Salt Barn (Building 5), at 333 Keawe St. Bevy partner and New York-based DJ Timo Lee and Honolulu’s DJ Bradley will create the soundscape.

Art from Cara Toes, Jesse Smith, Mayonaize, Richard Ralya, Wooden Wave, Stargaze (Nanci Amaka and Andrew Binkley), Sergio Garzon and Boy Kong is on view at the barn from noon until 10 p.m. today, along with a new painting from Solomon Enos, created in the last week. See Aaron De La Cruz’s Pow! Wow! painting inside Bevy.

Another good reason to get to Bevy is the newly revised menu and happy hour, which hits the bull’s-eye.

Chef Don Boucher, who recently joined the staff, has revamped Bevy’s happy hour offerings with a welcome attention to classic bar food — delicious, filling plates, suitable for sharing, that go really well with a tangy cocktail or cold beer.

“It’s just what we’ve been wanting,” says co-owner and chief bartender Christian Self.

THE EXPERIENCE

There are many great choices here. Inside or out? Spiked or alcohol-free? Meaty or vegetarian? Bevy has you covered, with a truly satisfying range of choices now being made with Boucher’s oversight.

Inside, the former dive bar is atmospheric and arty, and you are in a bohemian hideaway, with a choice of bar seating, high tops or a line of tables against one wall that also provide a good view of Bevy’s wall art and DJ station.

On the outside patio, in red chairs at the cafe tables, you are part of the new Kakaako, ready to see and be seen.

The drink menu is an adventure, and the food will leave you satisfied.

THE FOOD

My Pau Hana Patrol visit this week marked the third time I dropped in on Bevy to graze through the happy hour menu. It keeps drawing me back. And there are different ways you can go with this small-plates menu, each item discounted by $2 during happy hour.

Boucher drew acclaim for his Fried Avocado when served at a previous establishment, and it is every bit as awesome now. The fried half-avocado in panko and served with chipotle sauce and Mexican slaw is a main attraction; $11 during pau hana.

I predict hall-of-fame status for Bevy’s Mac Bites: fried, jalapeno-spiced mac ‘n’ cheese balls, served with a buttermilk ranch dressing. Even if you think you won’t like this, you probably will.

Go for the meaty Lenguas Fries (made with beef tongue) if you crave bar snacks with deep taste; $7 during pau hana. Potato puffs are an option if you’d rather forgo meat, at a discounted $6.

There’s also a very fresh hummus option, $8 during happy hour.

On Taco Tuesday, in addition to the daily menu, Bevy offers a three-taco sampler for $10 throughout the evening. Taco ingredients may vary, but on my visit they included tako (octopus) served with salsa rojo, pomegranate pico and lime; lengua (beef tongue) with salsa verde, onion and cilantro; and spicy battered shrimp with avocado, Korean hot sauce, Ho Farms tomatoes and fried shallots. My dining companion inhaled one sampler so quickly that we needed to get another.

One dish I highly recommend is not on the small-plates menu, but just get it anyway. Slide Baby Slide, a set of three vegetarian sliders, is served on gluten-free pao de queijo, a cheesy bread that is irresistible, and filled with savory, warm red pepper, squash, zucchini and eggplant. This was a fantastic appetizer, at $13, and will make your meal feel healthy.

THE DRINK

Self, a prize-winning cocktail specialist and longtime bartender in Honolulu, has made fine, artisan cocktails a centerpiece of the Bevy experience since it first opened in 2013. If you’re a connoisseur, ask him or any one of the Bevy bartenders to show you what they can do.

On my visit, I was wowed by the cocktail of the day that was whipped up by bartender Gordon Edwards, made with Avua cachaca (a Brazilian liquor), Campari, Angostura bitters and watermelon juice, along with other flavors. Edwards modestly downplayed his creation, but I found it an intriguing mix of tang, intoxicant and fruit.

During the daily happy hour, the cocktail of the day is just $6, as are the “classic cocktails” on a revolving menu. These may include fab concoctions such as the Brown Derby (made with whiskey, grapefruit and honey), Mint Julep, Grasshopper or Sidecar, as well as a daquiri and gin and tonic. These drinks are offered at $8 to $10 later in the evening.

THE VERDICT

Bevy, one of the early adopters in Kakaako, celebrated four years at its location in September. Throughout its time in the district, this spot has provided a home for artists, creatives and discriminating bar-hoppers.

Get to Bevy for drinks that will wake up your taste buds, a music-loving atmosphere and, now, a menu that will fill the desires of those who want a drink-friendly bite or something more sophisticated.