More than just happy hour — fine dining with killer drink specials.

If you are strong enough to open the large, steel door that leads to MistralKitchen’s dining room, you’ve earned a meal and a drink. Located on Westlake Avenue, this ever-changing eatery is owned by Chef William Belickis, whose love of seasonal dishes is represented by the ever-morphing menu. MistralKitchen’s happy hour menu serves as a nice embodiment of Belickis’ culinary mission, and — unlike some of the other top restaurants in town — provides what could rightly be considered a formal dining experience.

Must-Have Grub: Put your seabar shucker to work because oysters on the half shell are only $1 each. Other classy starters include the Pizza Margherita ($5) and Charcuterie plate ($5), as well as a Foie Gras Mousse ($4) that melts on the tongue. Throw in a serving of Thai Spiced Popcorn ($2) to nibble while you admire the rest of the spread. If you visit on Friday or Saturday, you can munch a House-made Soft Pretzle.

Must-Have Libations: Affordable prices for house wine ($5 per glass) and draft beer (50 percent off pints of Maritime Jolly Roger, Alpine Lager, Pike Weiss and St Bernardus Abt) are great, but the real steal is the liquor. In addition to the four Featured Classic Cocktails ($6 each), Mistral’s House Cocktails are available for $8. The Starboard Light features a finger of Auchentoshan Single Malt, though the bite is neutralized by passion fruit syrup, pomegranate and a chunked lemon twist. Mistral’s barkeeps also seem to have fun with traditional recipes – they make a dandy Mint Julep or Singapore Sling.

Happy Times: Daily, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

MistralKitchen  |  2020 Westlake Ave., Seattle  |  (206) 623-1922