Happy Hour: Thai Fusion brings street food to the bar

Lately, street food has gained some cred among chefs who craft much fussier fare. But you know when it really belongs on the table? Happy hour.

The intrinsic charms of street food — cheap, casual, the communal atmosphere — translate well to the bar; the bar at Thai Fusion in Queen Anne, for instance.

Here, it's about the $1 pork, beef and chicken satays and skewers, washed down with a $1 PBR Tallboy (16-ounce can), a blissful union of street food and happy hour.

The $1 happy hour runs Mondays through Wednesdays at Thai Fusion.

Often, Asian street-cart foods are as much about the condiments, secret sauces and the smoky flavor as they are about the meat.

That also rings true at Thai Fusion, which features chicken satay, chicken sweet-garlic skewer, Beef Panang Curry skewer and Bangkok Street Pork skewer. The last, pieces of garlic-and-coconut-milk-marinated pork, is the best of the bunch.

Thai Fusion grills its meat-on-a-stick on an open flame, but it isn't always consistent in delivering that caramelized or charred flavor associated with Asian street fare.

Thai Fusion, 15 Nickerson St., offers happy hour daily from 3-6 p.m. and again at night on Mondays-Saturdays from 10 p.m.-midnight. But the $1 skewers and $1 PBR tallboys are offered only during happy hour on Mondays-Wednesdays. Other bar food ($4.95) and drafts ($2 and $3) and wine ($2 off) are offered during happy hour (206-285-1020 or thaifusionseattle.com).

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