When deprived of flavorful sustenance, the mouth will often retaliate by shouting your bank-account number at sporting events or turning every sentence into a high-pitched jingle. Tame an unruly tongue with today’s Groupon: for $20, you get $40 worth of gastropub fare at Kings Row Gastropub in Pasadena.
Kings Row Gastropub ups the ante on typical pub fare with gourmet cuisine and craft beers. Begin menu endeavors with a starter of crunchy tacos barbacoa, complete with avocado salsa, cojita cheese, and grilled jalapenos ($11). The wood-grilled, dry-aged burger, smothered in onion confit, blue cheese, white cheddar, and thick bacon, recalls the days when every burger had a wood-burning stove ($15), and the duck sliders accent exotic patties with hoisin-shiitake mushrooms ($14). Sumptuous versions of hearty Old World classics abound as well, including oxtail osso bucco with turned potatoes and carrots in a red-wine bourguignonne ($19), and tagliatelle tossed with house-cured pancetta, fresh peas, parmesan, and a fried duck egg ($15).
Kings Row also supplies liquid sustenance with a full bar, draft beers, and specialty cocktails. Entertain tongues with a Fig in the City martini, featuring Kleiner Feigling fig vodka, citrónge, and lychee ($12). Servers can also recommend the perfect pairing of red or white wine for dinner dishes or give tips on tasting notes of craft beers, such as the Chimay Triple ($9) or the Telegraph Stock Porter ($7).
