THE BASICS:

WHAT:  Sawyer – a Seafood focused eatery & bar

WHERE:  Silverlake; in the old Naya space

WHEN:  Happy Hour Daily from 4-6PM, Weekdays 4-11PM, Weekends Opening at 10AM (give me a call if you’re down to head east to try their brunch)

THE DISH:

WHAT TO KNOW:  From Restaurateur Beau Laughlin, Sawyer is a casual indoor/outdoor seafood joint in the heart of Silverlake. Oh, and the GM used to run Providence (and Bastide RIP) so it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing.

WHAT TO ORDER (FOOD):  You would think date night involves being cute and ordering less food than usual but we may have overdone it (shocker)…so you’re welcome for basically testing out the entire menu for you. I’m not typically a fan of crab cakes but this Dungeoness Crab Cake ($16) w/ celery root-caper slaw & dehydrated cucumber oil was a refreshing and light take on the typically heavy cakes. A perfect crispiness on the outside and freshness on the inside sealed the deal for me. The charred octopus ($16) w/ salsa verde, smashed fingerling potatoes and pine smoked mayo was a close second to the cakes. But be warned, they sneak in a few anchovies which were an unwelcome surprise. The Duck Fat Popovers ($8) w/ Shropshire English blue cheese – because how do you see these on a menu and NOT order them – were dee-lish. We didn’t get to give these babies the attention they deserved since we were trying to save room for ALL the other food (and there was a lot of it) but with a combination of being perfectly warm, flaky and light, and a barely there blue cheese taste, I would def get these again. And we may or may not have taken them to go. Now for the main courses — because when in Silverlake right?? – the Carolina Fried Chicken ($16) w/ jalapeño grits, swiss chard and sage gravy was bomb.com. For some reason, probably because we were too excited and didn’t fully read the menu, we were both expecting a fried chicken sandwich (blame the brunch time insta stalking) but this fried goodness filled the craving. And lastly, the Maine Lobster Roll ($18) which can be ordered hot or cold was a must-get. We opted for the cold version as it was a casual 100 degrees out at 7PM but the lobster was fresh and light on a perfectly buttered, toasted roll. Do I HAAAAVE to share?

WHAT TO ORDER (DRINKS): With a bar as pretty as theirs and a carefully curated cocktail list, we had to test out a few; and by “we” I mean I ordered my standard rose (which I had 0 complaints about) and simultaneously stole sips of said cocktails. The Real Talk ($12) with templeton rye, carpano antica, cyan, and allspice dram was a perfect situation if you like rye. It tasted like a delicious old fashioned with a dash of honey. I was into it. The Strangers Almanac ($12) with tequila blanco, yellow chartreuse, grapefruit, grenadine, jalapeño and lime was very refreshing and the jalapeño provided for a tingly kick. Gentleman be warned, this is not served as a manly looking drink…unless you’re into hot pink.

WHAT TO SKIP:  The handcut fries ($5) were redundant and unnecessary and not worth the table space or calories. But you know, I’m an equal opportunist when it comes to fries so I had to give them a shot. #sorryimnotsorry #okitssummersoimalittlesorry

SHOUT-OUT TO THE SERVICE:  They sat us inside (after a certain someone smartly called ahead to request indoor seating), then I asked to be moved outside (the patio is supes cute), and then realized my mistake in the 3 digit temperature and asked to be relocated inside again (get in my life AC). They didn’t scoff or give me an evil stare and simply agreed that it was just too hot outside. And as far as I can tell, they didn’t spit in our food either so shout out to everyone who had to deal with me and kept their comments – which I’m sure they had – on the inside.

WHERE TO SIT: If it’s hot, opt inside for the bright and airy space with exposed brick walls, wooden tables with metal accents and a gorgeous blue mosaic tiled bar. If there’s a slight breeze or the sun is setting, the patio feels like a secret garden enclosed with green lushness, twinkle lights and a mosaic floor.

THE ONE CAVEAT: Whoever designed the tables was not thinking clearly when they decided that the base, a huge metal bar, would be strategically placed in between the diner’s legs. Even the hostess had to give us a heads up so we didn’t hit it as we sat down. Not comfy to say the least.

WHERE TO PARK:  Street parking it is if you don’t uber it.

EDDR LIFE LESSON:  There’s a reason air conditioning exists. Embrace it.

A² FINAL THOUGHT:  I’m envisioning many a Summer night spent sipping rose and eating oysters on that patio.

the waitress is still looking for me while I find the PERFECT table,

Alie

Sawyer ↔ 3709 W. Sunset Blvd, LA, CA 90026 ↔ 323-641-3709