Tinkering pays off for Latitude 41’s happy hour

Good restaurants stay good by consistently delivering the goods that regulars have come to crave.

Better restaurants are restless and will address shortcomings as well as tinker with success. Latitude 41 exists in that latter category.

Leading Latitude’s current (gradually progressing) tinkering team are sous chef Andrew Bell and new mixologist Nicolene Schwartz. I like their enthusiasm, style and new-fashioned offerings.

And I like attending an improvised Latitude food party created by rounding up eager tablemates along with a smorgasbord of nicely priced small plates ($3 to $10). This feasting fiesta is thoughtfully enabled — and delightfully discounted — during Latitude’s two-for-one happy hour (Monday through Friday, 5 to 6:30 p.m.).

How does that two-fer work? That’s a good question and one sometimes met with befuddled expressions by Latitude’s staff. But recent — and delectable — research proved that if you order an even number of selections from the “Artisan Flatbreads” and “Share and Small Plates” menu sections, they’ll appear on your bill in descending order of cost — and every other item will be free.

Of course, you’ll need to get your drink on, too, and some beverages — like 312 beers ($2 during happy hour) — are temporarily cheap.

Nonetheless, I recommend slurping on the provocative fruits of Schwartz’s shaker (the force behind The Rossi’s libation revival) listed under “Inspired Cocktails.” From these, I was especially fond of the citrusy Beet Down No. 2 ($7) and the refreshing and food-friendly Juniper Ale ($9). Made with gin, CBC Pale Ale and lemon, it’s a beer cocktail that really works.

Latitude’s food mostly consists of witty and cheffed-up takes on canonical favorites. For instance, wings get a confit treatment, meaning crispy skins and deeply flavorful meat that releases from the bone with near magical ease. These come either Buffaloed (with a neat, full-sized wedge salad) or slathered in a sweet and spicy Korean chili paste (with gingery, homemade kimchi).

“Frenchie” fries also rise to the stylish occasion. Giant crispy wedges were topped with a luscious gravy populated with falling-apart beef chunks. Gilding the lilies was a perfectly poached egg. Sure, these were a bit of a mess but they were still so addictively good they should be illegal in most states.

Sweet, smoky, salty and sharp rode together harmoniously in the Devils on Horseback. Those bacon-wrapped dates packed with molten blue cheese also had a great roasted red pepper and almond romesco sauce.

The flatbread pizzas also rate high. Made on crispy, thin crusts with an appealing whiff of singe, they’re all good, but try the feta-flecked Tunisian Spiced Shrimp. Assembled with clumps of good, citrusy shellfish, cilantro and carrot, they tasted as Asian as they did Tunisian.

Asian influences also abounded in the excellent Spicy Bouchot Mussels. Those plump and commendably fresh shellfish were treated to a pretty lemongrass broth (sprinkled with cilantro, garlic and ginger) that delivered a nifty, back-of-the-throat chili tingle.

On the new-item front — though not happy-hour discounted (but still inexpensive) — are a subtle and elegant Fish Pho ($8) with a lovely chicken broth; crafty, lightly cinnamon Sweet Potato Tots ($3.50), with a threateningly hot curry yogurt sauce; and irresistible, darkly caramelized and crispy Brussels Sprouts ($4) aroused by garlic and bright lemon aioli.

You might think that all sounds good. I’d suggest it all sounds better.