2.26.2020. Californios. San Francisco. California.

I finally made it to Californios last night for dinner. Now I only have one more restaurant to check out on my "must" list for the Bay Area, which I am going for my birthday next month. So be on the look out for that one. This was my first Mexican fine dining experience and I was very excited for this meal and it absolutely lived up to my expectations, which as you are all well aware, is ridiculous to begin with. I was also excited to share this meal with my friend David. It was also David's send off for his much deserved retirement and moving away from California. A high end Mexican dinner seemed fitting for his next chapter and move. I loved the progression of the flavors. Each dish had a nice balance of textures and flavors using local ingredients with traditional Mexican ingredients to showcase its heritage. The progression of the dishes were nicely done as well.

Sorry for the dark pictures as we got a more private corner, as it was about me catching up with David rather than the kitchen counter to be near the action. I hope that you will find yourself there to check it out for yourself!

Californios
3115 22nd St
San Francisco, CA 94110
415.757.0994

Californios is dedicated to the preservation, continuation, and elevation of Mexican cuisine. We be live unfollowing tradition and building upon it.

A Chilapita, a rare, regional dish from Guerrero. A Cascadia corn masa tart filled with fresh Pacific geoduck clam from Puget Sound, with pickled kumquats and a Fresno chile espuma

Purple Peruvian masa infladita, topped with sweet Hokkaido sea urchin and filled with Chile guajillo chileatole.

Bacalao, layered with confit potato coming from Little Organic Farms, olive oil and avocado mousse, Meyer lemon and pickled Serrano.

Berkshire pork taco prepared in the style of cochinita pibil with hoja santa crema., pickled onions and apple on a magic mana tortilla.

Quesadilla made from Oaxacan masa, from Tierra Vegetables Farm in Santa Rosa, California, filled with fermented peppers, sweet corn, hen of the woods mushrooms, mozzarella cheese from Point Reyes and huitlacoche mole.

Mindful Meats short rib street taco, with mole negro, shaved truffles and fermented spring onions on our house-fermented sourdough tortilla.

Hielo. A palate cleanser of Aztec Fuji apple sorbet and finished with key lime and fresh apple.

Banana tamale with chive salsa and crème fraîche. Finished with cold smoked Californios Reserve White Sturgeon caviar.

Kusshi oyster with gooseberry juice and fermented red pepper foam.

Ceviche of Pacific blue mackerel, with kiwis from Will Brokaw and winter basil.

Aguachile of caramelized onions, fresh and charred chicories, seaweed and fermented ramps.

Cedar-smoked and grilled sea bream in pipian and oro blanco, with charred little gem hearts and green apple.

A presentation of Devil's Gulch squab, from Nicasio, California. Squab asada with a sauce made from the bones and chile morita. Smoked squab broth with lemon thyme and huckleberry. Grilled wild yellow foot mushrooms and fermented red carrots. Fermented red ember pepper and fatality salsita.

Cigarette of Kenne goat cheese from Tamales Farmstead Creamery with satsuma mandarin, kumquat and sweet alyssum flowers.

Hickory king masa tostada, grapefruit curd, fresh grapefruit, Shan Lin Xi winter sprout gelée with hoja santa, tarragon and bronzed fennel.

Cherimoya, passion fruit, avocado and chickweed.

Momento Mori, chocolatl.
Milk chocolate bon bon with Marcona almond ganache.
Dark chocolate bon bon with California yuzu citrus.
Marshall's Farm liquid honey truffle with white chocolate, bee and fennel pollen.
Apple 'Oblea' with fresh dulce de leche.
A digestivo made of fresh young ginger juice, Lustau Royal vermouth, lime and pink lady apple.













First it rained truffles on my taco, then it rained caviar on my tamales.