Inside: OM's happy hour

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OM is a peaceful new post-work, pre-party hub that opened this fall in Downtown Minneapolis. We stopped in for happy hour at this decadently dressed establishment last week to sample a few of their specialty drinks and snacks.

The goods: The owners did not pinch pennies on the east-meets-west décor. Everything about the design is sleek, sexy and modern, from the flickering votive candles floating in the downstairs dining room "pond" to the intricate glass chandelier hanging above it through the two levels like suspended raindrops. The vibe upstairs in the bar and lounge area was relaxed at 5 p.m.—perfect for powering down on a Friday evening (before charging up later, of course). The cocktail list lubricating the patrons is inventive and fun too. The Kamasutra (Tanqueray Rangpur and Chambord over muddled basil leaves and lemon) was sweet but not overly fruity. The Slumdog (Grey Goose Citron with ginger, lime, cilantro and lemonade served on the rocks with a lemon twist) was a sort of twist on a vodka mojito, with the flavor of the cilantro complementing the citrus and ginger. The Agni also went over well, featuring muddled limes and Thai chiles shaken with Grey Goose Citron and a splash of simple syrup. It would have been too much to have with dinner and for heaven's sake do not start a long Friday night out with an Agni if you care anything about your esophagus, but wow is it good. We thought the Karma (Jameson and Tuaca shaken with a splash of half & half and simple syrup, topped with finely ground cardamom) would be a creamy comfort-drink for the cold and rainy weather but the cardamom was not strong enough to balance the whiskey base. Order one of the many others instead, like the drink that's next on our list, the Amber (Bombay Sapphire, ripe Alphonso mangos and lemon juice, shaken and layered over crème de cassis) or the OM-ito, a traditional mojito with ginger simple syrup that added a spicy sweetness we adored.

The gripes: As with any contemporary world cuisine, the portions might only seem tiny because we are used to getting our Indian fix buffet-style.That is how it might stay too, after a taste of the small-plate fare at OM. While all of the appetizers delivered on presentation, only a few of them backed it up with flavor. We enjoyed the Aloo Tikka (spiced potato cakes), Aloo Pundhina Chaat (mint and potato tartlets) and the Sev Pooris (mango, potato and onion topped crackers with two chutneys)—it seemed like everything with potatoes was decent. Everything without potatoes was, well, meh. The lamb was overcooked and came with a bland fenugreek cream sauce and the coconut shrimp wasn't any better. The rest of the menu was intriguing, so we will just have to bring you some more research on the subject via Katie Cannon dinner review of OM.

The GREAT deals: Their happy hour specials are comparable to other bars in the area. You can order Summit beer, rail drinks or house wine for just $2 every day from 4:30 p.m. until 7 p.m., which is a generous extension for those of us who don't work downtown but still like to drink downtown. At first we were disappointed that their big bad drink list was not included in the deal but they have additional specials like Martini Mondays and Tequila Tuesdays that feature a special cocktail for $5 during happy hour.

The gist: Because its so new, the late-night atmosphere at OM is TBD, but it's fair to assume it will stay tame compared to the neighboring night clubs and bars. It's a gorgeous grown-up bar and that's how it should stay. We are looking forward to reprising happy hour to take advantage of the $2 specials again but we hope that they ramp up the food. Then we can fully get behind a place with comfortable couches as an alternative to bar stools and friendly bartenders who aren't afraid to put cilantro in a drink.

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