Hurricanes knows how to score

John Volo

My buddy Tony (a big Patriots fan), my buddy Kevin (a big eater),

four other friends and I decided to go to Hurricanes for Monday Night

Football. We were lured in by Hurricanes claim of having Huntington

Beach’s “ultimate” happy hour -- from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. all

appetizers and cocktails are half price.

We settled in at a high table centered right in front of the

big-screen television. They also have an even larger television (110

inches) and 26 smaller sets scattered about so you never miss any of

the action.

We began by quenching our thirst with 28 oz. Sam Adams drafts for

only $2.50 (remember, half price). The cold amber lager was a good

match for the tri-colored chips and smooth, spicy salsa from the

complimentary nacho bar. There’s also free popcorn.

We decided to take full advantage of the happy hour pricing by

making the appetizers our dinner. The large portions and vast number

of appetizers on the menu made this an easy task. The Key West

calamari (normally $6.95), onion strings ($5.95) and devil smoked

mozzarella ($6.95) were all tasty football watching fare.

Several other items, however, totally impressed us. The satay

combo ($8.95) is made up of marinated steak and chicken skewers. They

were perfectly char-grilled on the outside. Inside, the steak stayed

tender and the chicken moist. The steak is good to go, while the

chicken works best when dipped in the warm chili peanut sauce that

accompanies it.

The Anguilla skins ($7.95) are souped-up potato skins. Most skins

are topped with the requisite cheddar cheese, bacon and a touch of

blandness. What sets these apart are the additional toppings of jerk

chicken and pepper sauce. They’ve got a nice little kick to them. The

skins are served with ranch dip, in case you need to cool them down.

The seared Ahi sashimi ($10.95) was a real table pleaser. Seared,

thin slices of Ahi tuna are coated with sesame seeds, cracked black

pepper and cilantro. The Ahi comes with wasabi, pickled ginger, mango

salsa and fried wontons. Whether you’re using chopsticks or a fork,

these tasty morsels can’t find your mouth fast enough.

For sure, it won’t be long before I head back to Hurricanes for

lunch. Their eclectic sandwich menu has several items I’m anxious to

try: the jerk chicken sandwich on thick-cut squaw bread, the pastrami

melt on toasted rye, and the grilled Thresher shark with

habanero-mango aioli on a French roll. Although I have the option to

choose potato salad, fresh fruit, or a small green salad as an

accompaniment, I’m sure to choose the “fire” fries.

Post-game analysis: our server Laura was friendly and attentive;

the food tasty; the prices reasonable; and the atmosphere energized.

Hurricanes, much like the Patriots, was victorious.

* JOHN VOLO is the Independent restaurant critic. If you have

comments or suggestions, e-mail [email protected]