Beer on tap has long been a serving standard in the restaurant business, but did you know cocktails are also available on tap? Soon you will be able to get them right here in Gilroy.
“You pull it like you pull a beer on draft. Batched craft cocktails are wonderful and delicious,” said Jennifer Sosa, owner and operator of First Street Kitchen & Cocktails.
Sosa’s dream of opening an American bistro offering quick-serve comfort food is about to come to fruition. She’s waiting on completion of the final inspections, and if all goes according to plan, the grand opening will take place on Halloween weekend.
Although the location of First Street Kitchen & Cocktails is a familiar one to locals—Tasso’s Old House restaurant at 383 First St—Sosa’s approach may come as a bit of a surprise to past patrons.
“The business model here is quick serve, so people will come in, place their order at the counter, get their number, and then we’ll bring their food to them,” Sosa said.
Unusual as the quick-serve restaurant may be to Gilroy, the menu, developed by Sosa and two Michelin-star level chef, Ryan Shelton, offers something for everyone, with new twists to childhood favorites.
“I wanted an American bistro, I wanted it to be kind of comfort food, something that’s completely relatable to everybody,” Sosa said.
With items such as sloppy joe sandwiches, blue cheese nachos, fried chicken and waffles, parmesan crusted salmon fish sticks, angry meatballs and a picnic chicken sandwich featuring traditional fried chicken, yummy potato salad, and a watermelon salsa, Sosa aims to please every palate.
“I think there’s a huge need for this here. I think that Gilroy is ripe for a restaurant that is fun and eclectic, and provides food that is really, really, good, but also everybody can find something.”
In addition to the food menu, patrons can select beverages from a drink menu that offers eight different beers, eight different wines, six different draft cocktails and made-to-order order cocktails.
“It is kind of a new up-and-coming thing, particularly the wines on tap, all the nicer vineyards and wineries in Napa are selling the wines in kegs, so you’re getting real high quality product,” Sosa said.
First Street Kitchen & Cocktails is Sosa’s second business endeavor. Ten years ago she and Jay Meduri (her husband at the time) opened Poor House Bistro in San Jose.
Opening another restaurant was always in Sosa’s plans, but until her marriage four years ago to Gilroyan Jeff Sosa, she’d envisioned it in her hometown of Aromas.
The availability of 383 First Street gave Sosa a home for her new venture right in the heart of town.
With her goal to incorporate local talent in every aspect of the restaurant, the restaurant’s interior features whimsical and rustic paintings created specifically for First Street Kitchen by local artist Whitney Pintello.
“She’s great, she’s fabulous,” said Sosa.
Local talent provided some of the larger pieces of furniture featured in the bar area, including the handcrafted bar table and benches built by Joe Raineri and his team at Terra Amico in San Martin.
“I like that old funky style, I love all the accents,” Sosa said.
Heading up the kitchen is chef Aaron Escalante, who brings more than 25 years of experience to First Street Kitchen.
“This is going to be the destination on First Street, right here, this is it,” Escalante said, smiling ear to ear.
Growing up in a large family, food played a key role in Escalante’s life. He recalled frequently standing on a bench next to the stove as his mom cooked; Escalante played taste tester for her creations.
A native of Stockton, Escalante sees Gilroy as city of numerous ethnicities, and his goal is to cater to our diverse tastes and cuisines.
The kitchen staff also includes sous chef Arion Cartwright, recruited by Escalante from their prior employer, 99 Bottles of Bottles of Beer on The Wall in Santa Cruz.
Cartwright was excited to be on the ground floor of this new venture.
“I’m over the moon, I’m real happy, this is the best opportunity ever,” she said, beaming.
“We got really lucky, and everybody is really meshing,” Sosa said, adding, “We want First Street Kitchen & Cocktails to be your new go-to place, your neighborhood joint.”
Planned hours of operation for First Street Kitchen & Cocktails are 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Sunday thru Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
Check out First Street Kitchen’s Facebook page to stay up to date on their grand opening: http://bit.ly/2ehaY1O.
