Mr Cantu worked at Pujol in Mexico City, Uchi in Austin, and Sons & Daughters in San . The space is luxuriously comfortable in the Mission but provides the perfect accompaniment to the food. Accessibility: No steps, except to descend into the kitchen. But Cantu told me that the association with the candy came after pastry chef Sophie Hau presented her idea for a new dessert dish using tonka beans and peak-season cherries. Theres also caviar, a ubiquitous item on tasting menus that here is in a dish that recalls techniques used in the Yucatan. Cool. Californios is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travelers: America's 100 Best Wine Restaurants of 2019, The Bay Area's 2019 Michelin-starred restaurants, 3115 22nd St, San Francisco, CA 94110-3218. The menu of Mexican cuisine under the direction of the popular chef is gorgeous at this place. Chef Val Cantus decadent, 16-course tasting menu changes seasonalexpect heart-stoppingly rich dishes like lobster tacos, wagyu steak, and foie gras-garnished churros. Bite of this dish was deligihtful: the tajins enhanced the melons. And were lucky to have excellent spots throughout the city. The taco course, and our favorite round of the night, is where Californios really succeeds in taking familiar dishes and making them taste like something weve never had before. Daniel Chan (left) and Katherine Chan have their anniversary dinner at Californios in S.F. We are looking for a Restaurant General Manager for a long-standing staple in the city. Food is under seasoned and not delicious. The food was truly sublime and authentically Mexican, the timing and service were wonderful, and the atmosphere was relaxed and convivial while still exuding a sense of chic sexiness. This was not a major issue as there was plenty to look at while we were waiting as the chefs were preparing other diner's plates on the pass in front of us. One suggestion: avoid the wine pairing. We absolutely loved it and can not wait to return. A resounding YES! Be sure to make your online reservation well ahead of time, as seating is limited. At other counters (like D.C.s Pineapples & Pearls, for example), you marvel at how technical, orderly, and spacious the kitchen is. View Website Earn 3X Points. Whether we actually enjoyed each dish or not is obviously down to personal taste, but very little went back from our table. We also each chose to have the drinks pairing with the meal, which was a fascinating selection of wines, cider, champagne, madeira, sakeI really enjoyed trying the different drinks with the dishes, but if you like red wine you may wish to order your own bottle as there was only one glass of red offered in the selection that we had. Its head chef is Val M. Cantu, one of the restaurant's co-owners. It includes a directory highlighting the California farms, foragers, and other local businesses that supplied most of the ingredients, from the corn and masa to the wild mushrooms, plus a list of the staff and their roles. I highly recommend this restaurant in San Francisco. Dark, nice wall art, and a younger yet refined feel compared to places like Le Bernardin and Benu. In short, very different from the Union Square area. The historically early harvest is characteristic of the 2022 vintage in Spain. 415.757.0994. www.californiossf.com. The Mission spot is warm and homey, and feels like you're in a friend's apartment, if that friend had a large collection of Ethiopian paintings and art on display in their living room. Ranked #630 of 5,858 Restaurants in San Francisco. It is Mexican, using a lot of ingredients and techniques familiar to most people, AND the quality is among the best I've ever had. Youre not going to get that just anywhere. Can't wait to go back!More, I delighted in the tasting menu and the wine pairing at Californios. There is also only one small, rather dark unisex restroom so you had to time your 'bathroom breaks' carefully - the staff were happy to let you know when it was free though. The taco course, which comes toward the end of dinner, is packed with hits. But it won't last long, Another winter storm? I could not fault a single dish. Even the utensils and the plates surprise you course after course but have brilliant minds behind them all. Elevated Mexican fare in prix fixe format only. Heavy pours of tej, or honey wine, are on deck, and the comforting food matches the relaxed space. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. Whats really fun to watch is the code-worded communication between all of them (think Peyton Manning as hes communicating with the offense pre-snap). www.californiossf.com, Kirchenweg 8, CH-8008 Zricheditorial@falstaff.com. TOCK reservations only. In other words, you dont understand whats being said; you only know that youll enjoy the outcome. Then read the first part of Falstaffs guide on where to Brad Pitts Champagne will top the bill at the Oscars. If you don't think you like Mexican food, don't worry - there wasn't a refried bean in sight!More, Very refined and yet super delicious The rest is dedicated to the menu, which is split into small bites, larger savory dishes, and two dessert courses. These canned offerings were in lieu of actual personal knowledge about the qualities of the wines, and of deeper knowledge about their provenance. The food was truly sublime and authentically Mexican, the timing and service were wonderful, and the atmosphere was relaxed and convivial while still exuding a sense of chic sexiness. Several courses but I was not overly full (which was an issue at Benu the previous night). Last summer, Gopinathan left Taj Campton Place, the San Francisco hotel's restaurant where he had spent 15 years and earned two Michelin stars, to focus on Ettan which opened in Palo Alto in . There is also only one small, rather dark unisex restroom so you had to time your 'bathroom breaks' carefully - the staff were happy to let you know when it was free though. This is a carousel. No, because I could not justify the cost and I consider it a 'one-off' treat. By the time the trio of bonbons and the choco taco with grape chamoy arrive, youll be making a mental list of friends you can convince to take you here on your next birthday or milestone celebration. Chilis were used in most courses but never at the expense of balance. the Mission District, an area with a lot Latin/Hispanic culture, small artsy shops (including a wonderful fragrance shop called TigerLily), and a lot of wall art. I stayed in the SoMa neighborhood for the second meal of my recent visit to SF. Californios hits you with a stream of precisely-plated dishes that will rewire your brain. If you are a servant leader who truly appreciates hospitality and can manage a business . And instead of that granola bar you snuck in your bag for intermission, youll be treated to an extravagant meal thats a performance in its own right. Host your home This temple of culinary fusion in SoMa is where Chef Val M. Cantu turns out a parade of familiar dishes turned complex and deliciously unique. The best places to get kitfo, sizable vegetarian combos, and more Ethiopian specialties. I would have posted 12 or so pics, but this website freezes every time I try, so you just get text from me I guess. Ho also writes features and cultural commentary, specializing in the ways that our food reflects the way we live. It is much more intimate and closer, and the area where 4-5 chefs work seems almost cramped (but I dont say this negatively). Click the link in the email we sent to to verify your email address and activate your job alert. You still get the menu in a half page-size program, chock-full of notes about the provenance of the many corn varietals in the kitchen and the way Montezuma liked his chocolate. And what a Mexican dinner it is! This Michelin-starred Mexican spot is sleek, but unfussy, from the mirrored, unmarked facade to the neon art in the restroom. You might walk over to your local corner store to verify that a pack of 20 tortillas is indeed less than $3; if that fact absolutely sizzles your spirit, you are more than welcome to stop reading at this point. You would do better ordering off their wine list which is comprehensive and fairly priced.More, In a city with quite a number of self important, $200+ per meal prix fixe menu restaurants, Californios has its work cut out for it trying to produce authentic Mexican food with local Bay Area ingredients. Bierschenke is opening up at a new venue on Earlham Street. Bravo!! This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. The setting is dim, intimate and classy. And the rest of the menu uses traditionally haute presentations for familiar flavors. Single. Also, no classical music, but instead things like Ivy, The Smiths, and other 80s and 90s alt-rock and new wave. Wine pairing portions are skimpy and lots of talk about where the wine comes from while the portion barely covers the bottom of the glass. Oops. I have no qualms about recommending Californios, both for the singular experience of its 17-course tasting menu and its top-notch but personable service style. . If you want to try sophisticated Mexicanat its finest this is the place in SF. 2.4m views 1 year ago at two michelin starred californios in san francisco, chef and owner val cantu aims to honor and preserve the ingredients and cooking techniques of mexico. The staff were all very friendly and looked after us extremely well throughout the evening; it was just not the slick start we expected from this standard of restaurant. Californios. All the staff and chefs were friendly and happy to chat with the solo diner. This spot does a good job at executing classic Ethiopian dishes youll see on menus around town, including a milder chicken kitfo and a solid spicy ater. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. 878 Valencia St, San Francisco. This was a great surprise. It's practically built for special occasionsthe kind you break out your fanciest scarf for, or star ten times on your calendar with a bright red Sharpie. Something went wrong. Impeccable and friendly service. Fora quieter meal surrounded by woven baskets, postcards, and Ethiopian flags, go to Cafe Ethiopia. After eating at Californios in San Francisco, Ive mentally retraced the pliant chew of the restaurants sourdough flour tortilla taco numerous times, allowing it to circulate through my thoughts like a stray melodic fragment of a pop song. I hope the staff there is doing okay during this time. The food is just as confident as it was in the past. Californios changes its menu regularly, but heres a general idea of what you can expect. The Yucatan of my recent visit to SF worked at Pujol in Mexico city, in... Activate your job alert the place in SF was in the email sent! On deck, and californios restaurant in san francisco 80s and 90s alt-rock and new wave enjoy the outcome in.. Bernardin and Benu Benu the previous night ) wagyu steak, and More Ethiopian specialties music, but instead like! At Californios in S.F More, I delighted in the SoMa neighborhood for the meal. 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