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Pomegranate cosmo (foreground), Berry belini

Like any smart hotel, Le Merigot’s Le Troquet bar in Santa Monica is now offering a happy hour deal, but it’s slightly different: it’s a late-night happy hour, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Food on the bar menu is 30 percent off, and well drinks are 50 percent off.

I had never been to Le Merigot, so when the hotel invited me in to experience the new happy hour deal, I accepted the offer. The hotel is on Ocean Avenue near the Viceroy and Loews hotels, so I figured it would be a nice property and possibly a place I’d go to when I’m in the area.

Le Merigot is a J.W. Marriott property, so it is a nice hotel even if it’s a bit outdated in its decor. It’s more my parents’ style and not mine, which is decidedly more like the Viceroy’s. That said, there’s nothing wrong with Le Merigot’s. Le Troquet bar has indoor and outdoor seating (I’d go with the outdoor area, which is larger and more comfortable, even though the ocean view is obstructed by a wing of the hotel).

But the hotel’s decor isn’t the only thing that’s outdated: the bar’s menu could use a revamp, too. I was given a sampler platter of shrimp cocktail (regular price $12), spicy tuna tartare ($13), vegetable spring rolls ($10) and chicken quesadilla ($16), and while none of it was bad, none of it stood out, either. The most creative item is the tuna tartare, served with avocado and wonton crisps, and even that has become pretty much ubiquitous in Southern California. The cocktail menu, which isn’t part of the happy hour deal (neither is beer or wine), could use some new drinks, too. I tried the pomegranate cosmopolitan and the berry bellini (which is really a champagne cocktail made with St. Germain Elderflower and sparkling wine), both of which were two of the least sweet-sounding drinks (all cocktails on the menu are $12). Neither drink stood out to me. I mean, it’s no Copa d’Oro, but I don’t think Le Troquet is trying to be Copa, either.

From top left: shrimp cocktail, tuna tartare, chicken quesadilla and vegetable spring roll

tuna tartare

Where Le Troquet’s menu does shine is in its entrees. The Cesar salad, which I had with salmon instead of shrimp ($18), was great. It’s served unchopped, which is a nice change. I also had the Tuscan Turkey Sandwich ($15), which is a basic sandwich with turkey, swiss cheese, applewood smoked bacon and dijon mayo, but the flavors were great here, too. The bread was my favorite part: not so big that I had trouble biting into it, not too flimsy that it wouldn’t hold its contents, and perfectly chewy. The french fries were also respectable. Portions were large; even half of the Cesar salad was a lot!

Cesar salad with salmon

Tuscan turkey sandwich