Californios — Restaurant in San Francisco

Rating Californios is tough. On one hand, it had some truly standout dishes. On the other hand, there were numerous food and service errors that were surprising at the two star level. Overall, at the price point, the restaurant delivered enough value to offset the issues. Just be aware that this meal will last over three hours. I’d recommend against the wine pairing as most of the wines felt like they’ve been open for a long time. Get some bottles or mezcal drinks instead.

First, the excellent. The tuna tostada was a textural delight, a contrast of meltingly soft pounded tuna against the crispy corn, all accented by the fragrance of lemon oil.

The take on esquites was pure deliciousness, a blast of creamy fat and umami that made full use of the briny caviar. Admittedly, at first I was a bit disappointed at not trying the signature plantain dish, but this ended up being one of the best caviar dishes I’ve had, on par with The Modern’s. The dish would be ruined if the caviar were omitted.

The sweet potato with two types of mole is the kind of dish you want to lick clean off the plate. The mole were so thick and creamy with a flavor that’s both intense and mild, if that makes sense. They tasted concentrated, with no single ingredient poking out too much in order to create an abstract and cohesive whole. At first I was confused by the sweet potato, but it ended up being a better flavor vehicle than meats. It played so well with the sweetness of the mole. Eating mole at mom-and-pop shops afterwards just reaffirmed how big of an upgrade Californios’ mole is.

And, of course, the signature cotton candy paleta was so fun and tasty. I feared it’d be overwhelmingly sweet but it had enough acidity. The texture was on point. The chocolate shell snapped and melted cleanly. The tamarind and raspberry paleta was soft enough to bite. Very balanced.

Oh, and if you love the smell of masa, it wafted out of the kitchen throughout service. Very pleasant.

Now, the errors. The fish in the aguachile was way too firm, like it was still getting out of rigor mortis. The rockfish zarandeado smelled overwhelmingly fishy. Not sure if it wasn’t fresh or if this particular species just smells like that. Either way, the odor was really unappetizing.

On the service front, initially during the wine pairing my empty glass from the previous pairing was not cleared when a new wine was poured.

When I called to ask about parking, I was told the restaurant doesn’t provide parking. After we mentioned the issue during the meal, we were told the restaurant does have limited parking mostly reserved for guests with handicaps.

If you’re a tourist and you have bags in your car, do NOT park on the street. Nobody parked on the street despite plenty of empty space. A few people were peeking into cars to gauge if anything’s worth breaking into the car. I’m sure the deterioration of the neighborhood is causing a headache for the restaurant, but they can’t just move to a new spot. Call the restaurant and ask if they have any available private parking spots.

My main input about the food is to explore sources of umami. Quite a few dishes felt like they could’ve used more savoriness. Mexican cuisine doesn’t have much umami outside of tomato and cheese. Californios is committed to celebrating Mexican cuisine, which I love. But, like how adding a splash of fish sauce into marinara only creates a tastier marinara and not an Asian-Italian fusion, adding umami will not make the...

Review April 2021 - 4 stars (See also my review from 2019, 5 stars)

“California mainstream” is the best description that comes to mind. Californios seems to have moved away from its outstanding creations a couple of years back, into catering to the affluent Bay Area crowd more interested in displays of status than culinary experiences. This does not detracts from Chef Val Cantu’s mastery in the kitchen, but perhaps speaks of market realities when facing an underwhelming culinary-agnostic clientele.

Onto the review itself, Californios execution continues to be flawless with excellent cooking, appealing and creative settings that do not step into the outrageous, a first set of platillos showcasing real Mexican flavors and traditions, and a never-disappointing main dish (provided you decline the optional wagyu beef). The wine pairing includes a creative selection of flavors from interesting finds, yet I'd argue that France and California, while recognizable, are best choices for Mexican flavors pairing.

It is in the introduction of “fashionable” items where the Chef compromises and fails to deliver a true culinary experience in favor of an expensive-looking one. Truffles, caviar, sashimi, oysters, and wagyu beef abound, in general to create mediocre combinations in flavor and originality. You cannot possible mix the strong flavors of a Mexican chicharron with the strength of truffles, pour a gulp of caviar on sweet bananas, or line-up raw tuna and hamachi Japanese style on a Mexican-themed tasting. This is aggravated by overlooking the "al fresco" situation. The claims of purpose food of local origin are not matched with the setting. A true culinary experience must consider all aspects, including the ambiance and seasonality. With most of the dishes either raw or iced, on a cold windy evening, the experience is certainly diminished, regardless of heaters and blankets.

Overall, we’d look forward returning to Californios should Chef Cantu were to return to his origins, and focus on food exploration and innovation.

Review 2019 - 5 stars Chef Val Cantu delivers a nearly three-star experience in Californios. A minimalist space where he manages to pack real tasting. True story, there is a moment during the tasting when my wife cries, in an evocative flashback to her childhood, exactly as you see in the movie Ratatouille. Reality surpasses fiction when the delicate flavors at the table transport us back. In general, the 29 small bites are truly a thought-thru experience and, while they are not all 'love' bites, they are certainly an experience. Same can be said of their wine pairing, sourcing a well balanced and tasteful variety. I was expecting another run of the mill Bay Area Michelin (inflated rating) restaurant, but I was pleasantly surprised by the humble setting with a surprisingly innovative and powerful menu. Thank...

As I prep for yet another upcoming apartment move, I’ve been trying to visit local restaurants within easy walking distance of my current place. This is of course subjective, but let’s say somewhere reachable in a leisurely 15 minute stroll. Luckily for me, there is an abundance of excellent dining options including Californios, a contemporary fine-dining interpretation of Chef Val Cantu’s Mexican heritage.

I tried Californios a few years back when they were in a smaller space in the Mission. My dining experience then was pretty mixed. I really liked the menu on paper, but there were too many execution errors and the service was cold. Since they relocated last year to the former Bar Agricole space, many of my friends have visited and every single one loved their experience. With so many rave reviews, I was eager to give Californios another try.

The new SoMa space is airy and grand, with a sizable courtyard for outdoor dine, a spacious kitchen, an impressive wine cellar, and a full bar area. I appreciated the friendly and approachable service, and my dining experience also matched the initial impressions. On seating, we were presented with a very detailed and thoughtful menu which also featured the names of the entire staff.

The tasting menu was about 14 courses, portioned appropriately so that I was comfortably full afterwards, but not overly so. There were many standouts, but I especially loved the middle courses of tlacoyo and tacos, with the DIY accompaniments. The alfonsino fish taco in particular was my favorite, perfectly cooked with incredibly crispy scales. The very different, but equally standout lamb barbacoa taco on a sourdough tortilla was a close second. I would be very happy if Californios offered a taco tasting menu someday! The queso and bean filled tlacoyo was also treat with the addictive huitlacoche crema.

Other highlights included the ceviches, the uni caviar sope, and the rack of lamb served with mole amarillo and morels. My sweet tooth loved the numerous, yet light desserts, especially the chocolate cornmeal tart with savory cacao nib salsa macha.

In lieu of wine, my table chose to enjoy a few cocktails with the tasting menu. The cocktails were fine, but not notable. I had a great prior experience with their wine pairing, and given their extensive selection by co-owner and Michelin sommelier of the year Charlotte Randolph, I would opt for wine on...