Camino Alto — Restaurant in San Francisco

EDIT: I have modified my review per your request. Please show it to the Martian, I don’t want them to blow the planet up!

Brussel sprouts with bacon and pomegranate

We enjoyed the brussel sprouts. The addition of puffed rice was really clever! The pomegranate kernels were also a nice seasonal touch. The crispy bits of bacon were a well-executed classic companion to the roasted sprouts. However, I will say the dish was a bit oily.

Roasted pork shoulder

This dish was essentially served in a “build your own taco” kind of format with shredded pork shoulder, cabbage, beans, and tomatoes. It came with two thick tortillas and hot sauce on the side. Overall, I would say the pork was cooked very well but the dish as a whole was lacking a punch and was somewhat uninspired. It felt like they drained the heritage out of the dish without elevating it enough to compensate.

Petrale with crispy rice

The petrale sole that came with a yellow coconut curry-like sauce was light and bright. It was served with crispy rice and roasted green beans on the side. The fish itself was delightful. However, the crispy rice did not do enough to ground the dish - perhaps regular rice instead?

Pot de crème

Finally, the chocolate pot de crème for dessert came with a really nice salted whip cream. The chocolate component itself though was suspiciously reminiscent of a pudding cup and lacked the luxury a typical pot de crème should have.

In summary, I overall enjoyed the meal as the food was good but it definitely didn’t blow me away and quite frankly was priced above where it punches. The service was nice and the patio out back was gorgeous. We were initially seated at a corner table for two (see picture) that made me feel like I was out in time out but they were gracious enough to move us...

First of all, the service was first rate. Raul, my server, took the time to answer my questions about what ingredients that were in my ordered dishes. Kara, who was hosting, stepped in when needed to assist Raul. The section I was seated in seemed to run very smoothly, with all staff members helping each out.

I was not drinking wine that night, but had an outstanding mineral water Aqha de Piedra ($7). For the first course, I had Ceviche Yellowtail San Pedro ($24). The dish was outstanding. Bold citrus taste. I did not finish the generous portion (ideal for sharing) and Raul refrigerated the leftover for me (Nice touch) Second Course: I order the Ensalada de Mercado with Myer Lemon Aoli Dressing ($21). Best salad I've had in months. The dressing was perfect for the other ingredients, persimmon, pomegranate seeds, some wonderful nut crunch, and mixed greens. Main Course: Alaska Halibut with Salsa Verde ($41) Wonderful dish. Halibut was moist, briming with the Salsa Verde flavor, terrific sides, Roasted Celery Root, Wax Beans and exotic radishes For Dessert: I had a delicious Apple Blackberry Crisp.($13) When I requested coffee, Kara explained that the owner would only allow trained staff to perform coffee service and there were no trained staff on duty that night. The owner was apparently out of town. How bizarre! That the owner would not train someone on the dinner shift before he left for his travels. I was not happy about this (I love an Americano with dessert), but Kara came to to the rescue, offering a delicious Black Tea Chai. Outstanding pivot!

I was so impressed with the professionalism and quality of the food, I left an outsized tip, taking into account no wine was ordered. Total check,...

I appreciate Camino Alto for their mission of eliminating seeds oil and high omega 6 ingredients, and opt for grass-fed beef/pasture raised chicken/pork. A gem in the mist of generic food industry standards. This is why I came back for the second time, although there is room for improvements.

Accessibility: restaurant is located near the Cow Hollow neighborhood. Not super touristic so parking is somewhat easy to find (street meter, free after 6pm)

Chance of getting a table: somewhat easy for one or two people if you don’t have reservation. They’ll most likely seat you at the bar. If more than two people then reservation is highly recommended.

Service quality: meets standard. Could use one more waiter during rush hour for better attention. But I’m not really looking for being treated like royal here.

Atmosphere: beautiful layouts with a back patio seems to be a greenhouse/sun room. Music not too loud. And good temperature control so you won’t freeze or sweat out.

Menu: seasonal. Pros: fresh, in season items; creative dishes; dealerships flexibility. Cons: if you really like a dish it might be gone the next time you visit :(

Food consistency: this is an area for improvement. First time dining our foods were mostly very salty. Second time dining the food was under seasoned. Besides that, I can tell they pick their ingredients with great quality standards.

We got a chance the speak with the owner, who was bussing table himself (great leadership!) We learned about his mission for the restaurant. As a person who practice non-seed oil diet and corn fed diet etc, this might be one of the few options for us when in the city. Overall, we love to support this place and will come back when there’s...