Each year, we tour the country to uncover America's most brilliant up-and-coming chefs. An arepa? Food and wine delicious as always. Second time here, great good, excellent service, enjoyed it just as much as the first time! Chef Val M. Cantu and his team execute a deft and choreographed nightly tasting menu. Banana. Californios is a family owned and operated California Mexican restaurant. 3115 22nd St., San Francisco, California 94110 (415) 757-0994 www.californiossf.com Hours Tue-Sat: 5:30 PM-10:00 PM Amenities Reservations Credit cards Cuisine Mexican Menus Dinner Drinks Wine. Friday 7 a.m. 5 p.m. Walk-in appointments for injuries requiring immediate care. Pescado. The food is mediocre at best, and the. I know what you mean about modern Mexican, we went to Cala in SF last time which sounded great on paper but didn't deliver, especially disappointing at that price point. Search for wine lists on Star Wine List Wine Guides Newest Wine List Updates Raspberry & Tomato Raspado with queso fresco ice cream, nixtamalized sun gold tomatoes and resh golden raspberries. James Beard Award-Recognized Restaurateurs Plan Richmond District Wine Bar Plus, . "[8], The restaurant's capacity was doubled to about fifty seats later that year. The dishes served to San Francisco Chronicle food critic Michael Bauer as subsequent courses were "aged yellowtail [fish] [] with slices of Serrano chiles, finger limes and kumquat"; "a bowl [] of chicken and slices of radishes with [] pomegranate seeds on the bottom"; a bowl of potato "with a fried chip set on dilled mashed potatoes" and "chipotle puree"; roasted avocado halves stuffed "with farro, morels[,] chanterelles" and "puffed rice" toppings; rare pato (duck) breast with "fennel salad" and "cumin jus"; "almond panna cotta [] with makrut cream" and citrus variations; and "foie gras ice cream on [] hazelnut brittle with bruleed banana slices". Californios in the Mission District was opened by Texan chef Val Cantu, who aims to apply modern of cooking techniques to Mexican food, and roots his cooking in Californian produce. Hickory King Masa Tortilla with Japanese Eggplant with smoked King Trumpet Mushrooms, Mole Verde and Fig Salsa. If you wish for a longer experience and to linger after dinner, please book a later reservation. Taro root croquette was filled with a string cheese called Queso Oaxaca and rested on a base of mole rojo, a rich sauce from Oaxaca made with cooked chilli peppers, chicken stock, garlic and chocolate and more usually served with pork. Goat cheese from Tomales Farmstead Creamery was mixed with orange blossom honey from Marshalls Farm in California along with blueberries foraged in California, the acidity of the blueberries nicely cutting through the richness of the cheese (16/20). [11], Cantu, his wife Carolyn, and his sister-in-law Charlotte Randolph, beverage director of Californios and former employee of another restaurant the French Laundry, have co-owned the restaurant throughout its run in old and new locations. You are welcome to wear a mask, and if you ask the staff and providers who work with you will wear a mask as well. Kazan / Restaurant, Seafood, Sushi. [2][11] When Californios debuted at its original Mission District location, the "single-menu option" contained seven courses and costed typically $57. "[A] mix of greens and herbs, including budding mustard flowers with several kinds of radishes and other vegetables[,]" served as one of starter courses. Served with black truffle consomme. The new location would have fitted at least one hundred diners, but Cantu has intended to limit the capacity "to maintain quality", to make the place "more refined" than what the old location was, and to rather not make it "more casual". I have the opportunity to eat at Californios and do The Californios Experience. This had a starchy texture and for me was a touch bland, though the trout roe flavour came through well (15/20). Very well thought out and executed. CALIFORNIOS - 2355 Photos & 371 Reviews - 355 11th St, San Francisco, CA - Menu - Yelp Californios 371 reviews Claimed $$$$ Mexican Open 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM See hours See all 2363 photos Write a review Add photo Menu Popular dishes View full menu Foie 15 Photos 22 Reviews Frijoles 15 Photos 11 Reviews Sope 10 Photos 8 Reviews Queso Californios is a family owned and operated California Mexican restaurant. After describing each of the 3 types, he asked Teresa which she wanted. Closed Opens at 12:30PM. Beautiful presentation, but a bit tough to eat as it was all one ribbon. Unfortunately, Californios fell short. What is an aguachile? This was followed by grilled saddle of grass fed lamb from a northern Californian ranch called Emigh. Please see their website or wait to visit the restaurant to learn more. Like,none. OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services. Truffle broth was essentially a porcini mushroom broth flavoured with chilhuacle negro chilli and two different truffles (summer truffles rather than true black truffles) from Spain and Italy. Standouts were the ceviche flight, the banana and the tomato/lobster tostada. Here are the the latest updated wine lists in San Francisco. At this stage there was a break in the savoury courses, signalled by a cactus pear sorbet with rhubarb and shiso with shiso oil. The restaurant was relocated to the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood in early 2021. Read more. The next dish was sope, a kind of thick tortilla sandwich from central Mexico also known as picadita. [4] The latter was relocated from its original site in late 2014 and later permanently closed in late 2016. I am keen to try this place at the next opportunity. Smoked squab served with grilled radicchio and grilled muscat grapes finished with mole manchamanteles. Served with a plantain and zacapa rum sauce. Sope. This was also enjoyable, the dill a nice combination with the trout (15/20). The final element of the trio was a mix of green and smoked white asparagus, the white one from Loire Valley, the green asparagus from Stockton in California, along with Guajillo chilli Aguachile, essentially a spicy ceviche. [17], Val M. Cantu graduated in 2006 from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied business and English literature. Its original Mission District location was closed in 2020. The menu is very fun, and they have a good beer and wine list. [2], The menu also included "vanilla bean cookies[,] and fruit gelees" and white chocolate pralines"; a sablefish poached in olive oil; "Grain and Chicken Broth"; and "Yerba Buena Fruit Cup". The mushroom broth had real depth of flavour, and the subtle aroma from the truffles and the touch of heat from the chilli nicely intensified the flavour (17/20). The barley crisps were delicate and the spice of the salsa, which was quite restrained given how hot these peppers can be, worked nicely with the richness of the goat cheese (16/20). The amberjack belly itself had excellent mild flavour and firm texture (17/20). [2] Other dishes served to Bauer as additional courses of expanded menu a while after the restaurant's debut were "steamed roasted tomato custard" with caviar and avocado chips; and Fort Bragg black cod on a "Shishito pepper mole, topped with fried Brussels sprouts". Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Apple empanada (a fried pasty) used Aztec Fuji apples from an orchard in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, along with frozen Mexican crema with honey and fennel pollen. coverage of 3 Michelin star restaurants. The restaurant name is a term for a Hispanic person native of California. Outstanding. Kozatsu olive fed wagyu from Shodoshima Island dressed in salsa macha jus. Sign up to get the latest news, guides and offers from Star Wine List, it's free! With a new lush and enclosed garden patio kept warm by heat lamps and a spacious and open indoor dining room.css-yszmyc{color:inherit;}+ More, The menu at Californios is an ever evolving collection of dishes, highlighting seasonal ingredients and the bountiful produce of the Bay Area. Unfortunately, we just cannot give a good rating. Taro root is hard to get excited about, having a fairly bland flavour, but the sauce was lively and interesting and lifted the dish (15/20). Served as palate cleansers were "Syrah gelee with olive oil, Chardonnay grape granita and [] nitrogen-frozen grapes". It is unfortunate. A wonderful and surprising wine list. Northern Virginia's Only Premier Wine & Whiskey Bar featuring over 300+ Bourbons & Whiskies, 60+ Wines by the Glass and over 80 Craft Beer Selections paired with Chef Prepared Cuisine. Will continue to go back. californios sf wine list. I was truly looking forward to an education in Mexican cuisine. 703-810-5313 Fax, 703-574-3010 Therapy Parallel Wine & Whiskey Bar is rated 4.8 stars by 6 OpenTable diners. The drinks She picked one (thinking they were clearly NOT giving you all 3?) A Bolita Azul Masa shell with Hamachi, Habanada Vinaigrette and a Shinko Pear. This was followed by a trio of dishes served with a selection of condiments. There was Michelada verde (normally a cocktail), made here with green tomatoes, Modelo Especial beer and smoked creme fraiche and sea grass into a kind of granita. 2023 Cond Nast. Needed some lime and salsa verde but that lifted this to a terrific bite. We love to tell the stories of wines and wine people. Californios SF Hi everyone, I am surprising my wife for her 40th birthday with a surprise trip to San Fransisco. So impressive. Mexican, Contemporary Add to favorites MICHELIN Guide's Point Of View Two MICHELIN Stars: Excellent cooking, worth a detour! A mole? [11] His recipes have blended Mexican and northern Californian cuisines and have been inspired by his maternal grandmother Rosa's. Harris'. To add a luxurious touch there was a garnish of caviar, this one from a farm in Sacramento. 2022. Updated 02 February 2023. Black Masa Sope, Hokkaido Sea Urchin glazed in white soy and piloncillo, Camote Salsa, Chile Japones, and Royal White Surgeon Caviar. The steak was under so it ate fatty rather than unctuous. The menu at Californios is an ever evolving collection of dishes, highlighting seasonal ingredients and the bountiful produce of the Bay Area. Monday-Friday 8 a.m. 5 p.m. This was filled with wild mushrooms, mushroom mole and fermented radishes, which worked nicely together (16/20). Their playlist was eclectic and outstanding. [6] Reservations only at least one week in advance were accepted. 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