City Range happy hour da' bomb-diggety

Next Wednesday, stop whatever you are doing at 4:30 p.m., jump in your car, and head down to CityRange Steakhouse Grill in Ballantyne.
I know: You’re thinking, Heck noooo -- Ballantyne is too far away! But I promise CityRange is worth the drive.

My friends and I met there yesterday as part of Tonya’s May Madness. Each week, my friends and I have met at a different restaurant to celebrate my birthday, which is May 26.
I’ve picked spots that I’ve either never been to or have only visited once.

This was my first time at CityRange, but its Wednesday happy hour is my newest fave. It’s $5 for a pork ribs and peel-n-eat shrimp buffet from 5-7 p.m. All draught beers are $2 and it's the good stuff, such as Bass Ale. The restaurant's microbrew -- City Brew -- isn’t bad either.
For me, those types of specials are enough to get me in the door.

But get this: They have a special-priced bar appetizer menu Monday through Friday from 4-7 p.m. Items range from fried calamari (yummy) to crab and onion souffle (OMG!) to grilled brie (delicious) for $4 or $5.

The serving sizes were respectable, and did I mention the food was yummy already?

Of course, all of these specials are only in the bar area, which has bistro tables and a lounge with sofas, chairs and coffee tables. There also are flat-screen TVs.

I have a few warnings if you go. Our server was a tad disorganized and slow. For example, he would bring a beer for one person in our group, but not the other. The manager, however, chipped in to speed things up.

And don’t do what Larken did, which is eat so much so fast that your tummy hurts. Poor baby.