Looking for a way to kill some time before you hit the CF that is the 405? BLVD 16 at Hotel Palomar on the Wilshire Corridor in Westwood has a surprisingly budget-friendly “rush hour” happy hour for a swank-looking setting. The small plates range in price from $3 to $5 and you can even get a half-glass (2.5-ounce) wine pairing with it from $4-$6 during this brand-new happy hour, 4 to 7pm. Very noice compared to most happy hours with half-off $15 starters or $1 off well drinks.

Here, the good quality small plates created by Executive Chef Simon Dolinky offer a mix of Southern comfort food, pan-Asian fare and general American cuisine, all farmer’s market fresh.

I gorged myself on the unusual crunchy grit fries ($5), a Jazz Fest picnic classic in the South, which were more similar to hash brown bricks than fries but I wasn’t complaining. These were made with white corn grits, so hearty and especially tasty with the spicy creole mustard sauce.

But if you’re famished, pair them with the Carolina-style BBQ Pork “sliders.” They’re just $5 for two regular hamburger-size sliders. $5! A nice deal considering the lounge menu’s Tasty Burger of tomato preserves, jack cheese and crispy onions is $14.

Speaking of the lounge menu, there’s a mac and chevre ($10) that sounds awesome, with goat cheese and rosemary. Unfortunately that’s not part of the happy hour. Boo. But I have to try it soon.

The regular specialty cocktails aren’t discounted either and range in price from the $10 Sunset with Cruzan pineapple rum to the $14 Lady in Red with Ketel One Citroen, but there are a couple of “Kimpton Summer Fun Cocktails” that you can enjoy for just $8.

• Temptation: Grey Goose Poire, apple juice and ginger beer
• Honey Kiss: Leblon Cachaca, strawberries and fresh lime

Both refreshingly, light cocktails were created especially for the summer by mixologist Jacques Bezuidenhout for all the Kimpton boutique hotels and will be available through Labor Day.

BTW, if you’re not inclined to sit on your butt during the happy hour, a Wii game console and TV will keep you entertained in the lounge from 5 to 6pm. Mmm, Wii bowling and cocktails.

The only thing not so great about hh here is that there’s very limited street parking around the hotel what with all the permit-only side streets in Westwood. But you can get your valet parking validated and pay $5.

Oh, and if you’re in town for 4th of July Weekend, BLVD 16 is offering a “Red, White & Blue” three-course prix-fixe menu for $35 as well as a special 4×4 menu in the lounge where you can get appetizers for $4 each with the purchase of a cocktail.

More pics from BLVD 16 happy hour.

BLVD 16 at Hotel Palomar
10740 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90024 (map)
(310) 474-7765
Happy hour: 4-7pm