When your wallet isn’t feeling too hot, your options for dining out quickly diminish. So when we got the offer to try Ruth’s Chris’ new happy hour menu for seven dollars or less, they had our interest. Named the “Sizzle Swizzle Swirl” (say that three times fast), the items range from smoked salmon to crab BLT sandwiches with zucchini fries (yum). We were also able to try out “Sides-To-Go,” classic holiday options for a potluck or family dinner and available for $30 each until the end of December. Check out the eats below. 

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Smoked Salmon

The first thing up was a salmon dish paired with bread — a tasty combination that satisfied. The salmon was tastier than expected and when paired with the bread, made for an addicting combo. Among all the items, this one has the most “can’t put down” factor.

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Crab BLT with Zucchini Fries

This fresh BLT adds a hefty serving of crab to your typical BLT. The sandwich contrasted well with the zucchini fries and dip so sweet that if nobody was there to judge us, we would have downed an entire bottle of it. Zucchini, while not my favorite vegetable (because vegetables), was exactly what was needed at the center of these fries. Warm and crunchy, these fries stuff you quick. Ruth’s Chris wasn’t playing around.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

I was previously told that  the Sweet Potato Casserole tasted like candy. One bite in and the decadently sweet flavor took over my palate. The top crust featured a cinnamon taste, while the inside sweet potato packed the claimed candy flavor.

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Creamed Spinach

The second of the Sides to Go, the cream spinach gives you that “mothers specialty” vibe. Eating it conjures images of childhood meals, home and warmth.

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Night Cap

The evening was concluded by a tall glass of Grand Marnier Cognac Brandy, a solid, clean taste to end the night’s festivities.