The Bywater - Los Gatos

5/5 stars

I am obsessed with this place. 

Since January, if anyone asks me where I want to eat or where they should eat or where their mom should eat... I say TheBywaterTheBywaterTheBywater!!!

The first time we went for my birthday and I was *so* giddy, I want to take this moment to thank the staff for putting up with me. I mean, I literally squealed like a fangirl when David Kinch stood by my seat at the bar. Squealed. Like. A. Pig.

I think the Birthday Gods were kind because we found parking right away and there was NO LINE! Woo! 

Right when we entered, we were ushered to an empty spot near the bar with a great view of the kitchen. We started with half a dozen oysters (my favorites are from St. Simone), and a Hurricane for me (jamaican rum blend, passion fruit, campari, lemon) and a Sazerac for him (rye, armagnac, hermsaint, peychaud's bitters, gomme). Hubby said it was the best Sazerac he's ever had.

Actually, everything you drink at The Bywater will be the best you've ever had. Reason: Tin Roof Drinking Company. Claire & Chad are not rising stars in the cocktail scene, they ARE the stars. They've created a menu highlighting New Orleans ingredients, dazzle, and idiosyncrasies. Yes, they're talented, but they are also super humble and thoughtful. Claire spoiled us and spent the evening talking to us. I had such a wonderful time because of her. She even made me a birthday cocktail: tequila, lemon juice, honey, herbsaint, sparkling cava, and the fluffiest egg whites ever.

We also had the:

PRAH-LEEN (bourbon, pecan, banana & lime): tastes like pie

Frappé (herbsaint, apple & lime): this has a very distinct taste (anise) and if you want a cocktail you've probably never tasted before, get this one

Irish Channel (whisky, cognac, nitro cold brew coffee, cynar & spice mix): it goes really well with the butterscotch pudding

Shrimp Po' Boy: BEST SANDWICH IN THE BAY AREA (possibly the world)

Red Beans & Rice: succulent, tastes like bacon

Butterscotch Pudding: I'm christinepuddin and I adore pudding

Now you wanna hear about my other visits here? (I told you I was obsessed.) I'll keep it short and just tell you that we were spoiled silly by the awesome Jeremy & Nikki. This is what we had:

West Indy Sour (cabernet wine, cognac, all-spice dram & lime) 

No Mayo (gin, aperol, St-Germain, lime & champagne)

3 Dots and a Dash (2 types of rum, falernum, lime, all-spice dram, bitters, honey, oj, and tiki love)

The Maguey Sour (the only mezcal I've ever liked, orgeat, lemon, egg white & benedictine)

And because it was almost-Valentine's Day (and because it's SO hard to get): Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year... and in case you were wondering, hubby said that Pappy wasn't just hype ;)