The nether regions of the Twitter building have become a serious destination for more than just tech workers, with the debut of Dirty Water. Opening just a hair ahead of the similarly ambitious restaurant and market concept Bon Marché (from the team behind AQ), the bar-restaurant-brewery project from founder and general manager Kristian Cosentino has set the bar for over-the-top beer selections and "paleo-friendly food."
And for those unsure of a restaurant with "dirty" in the name, it stems from the pre-prohibition term for whiskey (moonshine, really) and hints at the restaurant's focus on offering an insanely broad selection of alcoholic beverages. And the beer offerings are indeed a main attraction in the gigantic 6,252-square-foot space, featuring 52 beers on tap, as well as brews from Dirty Water's own onsite facilities. They've also leveraged Cosentino's industry connections to offer a selection of less common beers like Cantillon, alongside an obscene 114 wines on tap (made possible using the Coravin system). Zachary Taylor (Ziryab) is managing the cocktail program, which is focused on rare spirits and crafty concoctions like the King of Carrot Flowers, composed of Hendricks gin, carrot, ginger, ver jus, dry vermouth, kummel and absinthe.
The menu comes from chef Jarad Gallagher, who also happens to be the executive chef of Michelin-starred Chez TJ in Mountain View. Gallagher describes the menu as "paleo-friendly," which translates into a variety of meaty dishes cooked over a wood fire, including options like a roast suckling pig with succulents and fresh corn polenta, and whole-roasted squab with smoked eggplant. Vegetarians will have some non-caveman approved options, like a Napa cabbage terrine and a crispy kale salad. In the spirit Twitter's occupancy high above the restaurant, many of the dishes are intended for sharing, like an axis deer tartare and a pig ear fritto misto; there's also an abbreviated bar and late night menu offering charcuterie and shareable items. (Check out the full menu here.)
The over 200-seat space, which has been in the making for over two years, was designed by architecture and design firm Arcsine. The entire space is divided into dining, lounge and bar areas, including a spacious dining room with individual two- and four-top tables and six communal lounge areas with opulent, leather tufted banquettes. And given the restaurant's proximity to a variety of spendy tech companies, there is large private dining area where big groups can gather to discuss the next big thing in apps (or whatever it is they talk about).
The restaurant is open Monday- Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 a.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.- 10 p.m.
