Californios

Name: Californios
Address: 355 11th St, San Francisco, CA, 94103, US

Tasting Menu

16-Course Tasting Menu$390 per person
- Signature
Three-Michelin-starred prix fixe tasting menu blending Mexican ingredients and technique with contemporary fine dining; the lineup changes regularly, sample courses have included Chilapita (masa chip with sturgeon cream and caviar), Hamachi ceviche in habanero aguachile, Squab Árabe taco, Tlacoyo with cranberry beans and Oaxacan cheese, and a Buñuelo dessert
Blue masa tostada with Dungeness crab
A sample course from the rotating tasting menu; included in the $390 per-person price rather than separately priced
Quail with mole negro
A sample course from the rotating tasting menu; included in the $390 per-person price rather than separately priced
Seasonal Californios tasting menu
Same format as the 16-course tasting menu above — the lineup rotates seasonally under one all-inclusive price

Menu items and prices are approximate and may have changed — call the restaurant to confirm.

Masa: The dough at the heart of tortillas, tamales, sopes, gorditas, tlacoyos and countless other foods. Traditional corn masa is produced through nixtamalization, in which dried corn is cooked and soaked in an alkaline solution before being washed and ground. Restaurants may make masa from dried corn themselves or use prepared masa or masa harina. Restaurants advertising heirloom or native corn may identify the particular varieties or producers they use. On this menu as: Blue masa tostada with Dungeness crab.
Tostadas: Corn tortillas cooked or fried until crisp and used as a flat base for toppings. Beans, shredded meat, tinga, ceviche, seafood, lettuce, crema, cheese and salsa are all common possibilities. Unlike a folded taco, a tostada stays open-faced. Eat it with your hands and accept the crumbs. On this menu as: Blue masa tostada with Dungeness crab.
Mole: Not one sauce but an enormous family of sauces built from combinations of chiles, spices, seeds, nuts, fruits, herbs and other ingredients. Some contain chocolate; many do not. Puebla is famous for mole poblano. Oaxaca is particularly celebrated for its variety of moles, including dark mole negro and green mole verde. Mole is commonly served with poultry or other meat, accompanied by rice and tortillas, but both recipes and uses vary widely. On this menu as: Quail with mole negro.