Twoheys — right in front of my nose

I was pondering what restaurant to write about this week. New restaurant? Old favorite? Another taco, pizza or pastrami showdown? Then it hit me.

Sometimes the story is right in front of your nose.

After a Local News Pasadena record publishing blast last Thursday, and 17k views later, last Friday, our exhausted publisher Sheryl and I reconvened the editorial meeting to Twoheys for happy hour.

Yes, Twoheys – a restaurant that has been part of the San Gabriel Valley dining scene for generations and one that I’ve visited plenty of times. I’ve even written about Twoheys before.

Last year, my buddies Ron, Hans and I stopped in for breakfast for one of my “Three Amigos” columns. But breakfast with the guys is one thing. Happy hour with your publisher is another.

‘Cold glass, cold gin and made the way I asked for it.’

Sheryl started with a Johnnie Walker Black. Me? You know me and my martinis. The happy hour house martini was $8. Now, whether my martini costs $8 at happy hour or $44 — yes, Granville, I haven’t forgotten — I know what I like.

So I explained exactly how I wanted it. Some people might say, “Peter, it’s an $8 martini.” Doesn’t matter. If you’re going to drink a martini, drink the martini you want. Cold glass, cold gin and made the way I asked for it. Pretty simple.

Our server was Elva, and she paid attention to us. After telling her how I wanted this, that and the other — especially that martini — I think she figured out pretty quickly that Sheryl and I weren’t exactly the new kids on the block.

Then came the food. We ordered three fish tacos, Buffalo wings and Sheryl’s favorite, the fried calamari. This is where Twohey’s happy hour got my attention.

Sometimes restaurants treat happy hour food as an afterthought. Knock a couple bucks off a drink, throw something fried on a plate and call it a day.

Not here.

The fish tacos were tasty, the Buffalo wings did exactly what Buffalo wings are supposed to do, and the fried calamari was the winner at our table. At least according to Sheryl. And when your publisher likes the calamari, you make sure you mention the calamari.

I’ve said for years that restaurants don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Hot food hot, cold food cold, fair prices and somebody who acts like they’re happy you walked through the door. That’s a pretty good start.

‘Twoheys checks a lot of my other boxes, too.’

Happy hour? Check. Patio dining? Check. Dining with your dog? Check. Free parking? Check. These days, free parking is becoming almost as important as what’s on the menu.

Then there’s another box that has become increasingly important to me: Eat Local.

And if you happened to hear somebody on KNX 1070 over the weekend talking about Eat Local — yes, that was me.

I’ve been preaching the message that we need to support our local restaurants. Eating local doesn’t always mean chasing the newest restaurant in town or standing in line because somebody on social media discovered a place three days ago. Sometimes it means going back to a familiar restaurant that’s been serving the community for years.

Twoheys has something else you can’t manufacture: history.

There aren’t many restaurant names around the San Gabriel Valley that have been familiar to generations of diners. Some people remember going to Twoheys with their parents. Others remember the burgers, breakfasts and, of course, the famous Stinko.

Restaurants come and go so quickly these days that there’s something comforting about seeing a familiar name still doing business.

That’s probably why I almost overlooked it.

As a restaurant and hospitality writer, I’m always searching for the next place. What’s new? What’s opening? What’s everybody talking about?

Meanwhile, Twoheys was sitting there right in front of my nose.

An $8 martini, three fish tacos, a generous serving of Buffalo wings, and crispy fried calamari, a Johnnie Walker Black for Sheryl, happy hour, patio dining, dogs welcome and free parking.

Sometimes the column practically writes itself. And for the record, whether it’s an $8 happy hour martini or a $44 martini, I still want it made correctly. See you around the table. Leave me a comment.

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