Californios - My First Two Michelin Star Experience

I visited Californios back in November so this post is obviously long overdue. But then it was Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas, New Years, and then I blinked and all of a sudden it's March (because February is about two seconds long)... I know, I know, these just sound like excuses. But really, where does time go?? Pretty sure I ask this question in every blog post...

A few weeks before my visit, Californios earned its second Michelin star and was also awarded four stars (out of four) by Michael Bauer in the San Francisco Chronicle. I got lucky that they invited me in before all of this happened because I'm pretty sure their reservations were completely booked as soon as word got out (and let's be real, they probably wouldn't have invited me). 

This was my first time at a Michelin star restaurant, let alone a two Michelin star restaurant. I always happen to go to restaurants right before they earn a star instead of after so I was very excited for this experience.

Californios is probably one of the more reasonable Michelin starred restaurants with a 19 course tasting menu for $157 when I went (I believe the price increases every year so now it's $177). And yes, 19 courses. Even though each course it pretty small (a couple are drinks and palate cleansers), it all adds up. However, our waiter did mention one person who ordered the entire menu twice in one sitting (major props to that guy, I totally would've done it if I could fit all that food).

Surprisingly, Californios does not feel pretentious at all. I was actually surprised by their choice in decor and music. The staff all look on the younger side and are very friendly, without being overbearing (as in they aren't constantly watching you or checking in on you so you can actually enjoy your meal without feeling suffocated). 

Now onto the food! The menu isn't very descriptive (with only one or two words listed for each course) so it's hard to know what to expect. But that's what keeps it fun! The menu is more seafood and vegetarian based than meat based, which was nice for me, but they still had to make a few substitutions for me.  Even though I truly loved all 19 courses, there were a few dishes that particularly stood out to me. If they had an a la carte add-on menu, I would've ordered repeats of these dishes:

The first dish is the langosta (lobster), which came in the form of a taco with a homemade blue corn tortilla. I still dream about this taco and wish they would open a taco stand, although that would be the bougiest taco stand ever. 

The second dish is the black bean tamale. I love tamales but this one tops the list. The texture of the masa is slightly chewy and is unlike any tamale I've ever had. I don't think I will ever eat a better tamale. Unfortunately, it isn't very photogenic (so I didn't get a pic) since it is wrapped in a banana leaf, which the waiters delicately unwrap in front of you with gold tweezers. 

The third standout dish is the tres frijoles (three beans), which is similar to a bean dip but much more refined. It also happens to be topped with a dollop of caviar and gold flakes.  Definitely not your usual bean dip. 

As for dessert, I really enjoyed the churro, because who doesn't like fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar? The texture is perfectly crispy and crunchy on the outside without being too doughy on the inside. It is also topped with a caramelized banana and accompanied by dipping chocolate. 

Californios is an experience you need to witness for yourself. Believe me, it's worth it. If you go or have already been, let me know what you think! 

Talk to you all in another 4 months when my next blog post will probably be up. Hah just kidding I'll have some exciting content next month so stay tuned! Until then, keep up with me on Instagram.