“Cheers” would not be “Cheers” without Sam Malone; without Issac Washington, it would be a boat, but not the “Love Boat”; and without Guinan behind the bar of the Enterprise, Capt. Picard and his crew would have had to boldly go where there were no decent cocktails.  A good bartender makes the bar and nowhere is that more true than at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa’s Bistro at the Park.  Luiz “Papa” Dehora has been mixing it up in the Bistro for 23 years and during that time he’s built a loyal following among Lamorinda’s cocktail lovers.  The proof is not only in the awards Papa has won for his cocktails, including the 2010 Best Martini in the East Bay Contest’s People’s Choice Award, but in the happy people who pack his joint.
I stopped by on a Wednesday night at 10 p.m. and the place was packed.  The great thing was that it was packed with an enthusiastic group of people who made shooting video with Papa more fun than drinking with Papa, which is pretty fun.  A large part of Papa’s appeal , in addition to his friendly and outgoing personality, is his enthusiasm for simple, classic cocktails. He says that he mixes up a lot of Lemon Drops and Cosmopolitans for his patrons, but his true passion lies with straight, elegant drinks like the Gin Martini.
                                                        Gin Martini
                                                        Ingredients
                                       * 2 oz. Gin  * 1 whisper (1/4 oz.) Dry Vermouth
Start with a shaker filled with ice.  Pour in the ingredients and shake vigorously (remember to keep those elbows up for good form points).  Then strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with olives.  Martini-licious!
Thank you to Papa for shaking up a classic Martini, as well as Daniel Jun the Food and Beverage Manager at the Lafayette Park for his hospitality while I was in his bar carrying out my shenanigans.
Check out some more booze-related fun at 30-Second Bartender.com! And, don’t forget to give a “like” on Facebook.