BEFORE THE RECENT ownership change at Pipeline Cafe, I had a difficult time convincing people that decent grinds could be found at the nightclub.

  Sure, most items were deep-fried and skewed heavily toward the “;bar food”; stereotype, but prices were reasonable and you could order a meal after midnight without problems. Now that new owner Greg Azus has launched a new lunch menu, Pipeline looks like a better option than ever for those on a budget.

“;This was all part of my initial plan (for the club),”; said Azus. “;We're trying to make the food a bigger part of things.”;

More than 100 people showed up during the first hour of a free tasting on Monday, sampling dishes like the Pasta Tuscany ($7.50), Cajun Chicken Fettucine ($9.50) and Spicy Chicken Wings ($6.25). Of nearly 20 items available between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays, only one is priced over $10. Call 589-1999 for take-out orders.

“;I think it's going to be a good thing,”; Azus said of the lunch menu. “;(And) after 4 p.m. we'll have happy hour upstairs.”;

In case you haven't visited for pau hana, happy hour means $2 well drinks and draft beer to go with $2 and $4 pupus until 9 p.m. Add complimentary wireless access and I'll bet you'll see more three-hour “;business meetings”; taking place in the afternoons here ...

THEY MIGHT HAVE been on Oahu to promote an upcoming title fight, but Ultimate Fighting Championship stars BJ Penn and Georges St. Pierre also found some time to party last week.

The night before a planned rally at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, St. Pierre was spotted at LEVEL4 Nightclub and Ultralounge. Penn kept things local style that evening, opting to visit The Shack Waikiki (which, ironically, is located in the same complex where Penn was accused of striking a special-duty police officer in 2005).

And while GSP boarded a plane shortly after Friday's rally, Penn and UFC president Dana White stuck around for another night of fun. They ended up at LEVEL4 with UFC co-owner Lorenzo Ferttita and a number of the organization's ring girls; local entertainer Jasmine Trias was also spotted in the club that night ...

FRIDAY'S PICKS: Hawaii hip-hop returns to Chinatown when Lady of Luxe Productions hosts “;The Gutta Room”; at NextDoor. Jonah the Whale, Creed Chameleon and DJ Risup will perform; doors open at 8 p.m. ... Miguel Migs arrives for “;Salted”; at Lotus Soundbar, an 18-and-over party with three rooms of music featuring local DJs Betty, Technique, Drift, Mikolos and Zane. Migs is expected to play in the main room around midnight ... Can't wait for Menomena on Saturday? Show up at the Loft a day early for the official pre-party, with DJs Casey, Nightfox, Ross Jackson and Cap'n Cook on the decks and ticket giveaways all night ...

SATURDAY'S PICKS: Brad “;BW”; Watanabe will celebrate the release of his new album, “;Through the Storm,”; at the Hawaiian Hut starting at 9 p.m. Ooklah the Moc, Micah G, Hot Rain, Mr. 83 and Herban Illusion will perform, with Paula Fuga also making an appearance ... Head back to Lotus for the one-year anniversary of “;EMPIRE,”; a weekly hosted by Universoul Clothing. They'll offer a late-night open bar from 1 to 2 a.m. that night, with DJs Aon, Sonik, Russoul, Eugene and Ira spinning until 4 a.m. ... And don't forget about E-40 at Pipeline, presented by B. Hood Entertainment. Mistah D.R.E.D. and C-Gutta are among the opening acts, with tickets priced at $40 and $60. Call 450-0086 ...

NEXT WEEK: Help surfer Todd Murashige cover his medical bills as he continues to recover from a shark attack. “;Kona Winds”; is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Willows, with entertainment by Kapakahi, Island Groove and Guidance alongside a silent auction and prize giveaways. Tickets are $45; call 852-8299 ... Hollywood-based rapper Mickey Avalon returns to headline the “;Mickey Avalon Aloha Tour 2008”; on Thursday. He'll play an 18-and-over show at Pipeline with help from Dirt Nasty and Beardo, before heading to Maui ... Get ready for Hot Import Nights with an official pre-party on Thursday at Zanzabar. Rick Rock will host the 18-and-over event, with DJ Wu-Chang on the decks and import models Helen Su, Nikita Esco, Jenny Chu, Sheleen Dee and Christine Mendoza on hand starting at 10 p.m. ...