The first time I visited San Francisco’s Californios restaurant, when it first opened in 2015 on 22nd Street, just off South Van Ness, the cost was $75. I left the meal awed by chef Val Cantú’s flavors, a seven-course tasting menu inspired as much by the Borderlands of Mexico as the 17th & 18th century Spanish-speaking settlers in California to whom the restaurant’s name references.
Dishes from my meal at San Francisco restaurant, Californios, in March 2015
A few tables in the spare room sat up to 18 people, with seats for another six at the small bar. Cantú earned a Michelin star later in 2015; A second in 2017. Since that seminal meal, Stefan and I talked often about going back. Yet, we kept putting it off. How could the experience be better than it was then, when Cantú and his cuisine were unknown? Before all the stars?
Nine Years Later, A Return to a Favorite
We waited too long. The price shot up along with the stars Cantú and his team earned. Where the newcomer in the Mission was in our budget, the starry SoMa hotspot was not. Time ticked by. It wasn’t until a generous gift from my father-in-law that our return became a reality. We visited to celebrate Stefan’s birthday.
Was it worth it?
You be the judge.
How Much Does A Meal at a Two-Michelin Restaurant in San Francisco Cost?
Before I even set foot inside, I shelled out plenty of dollars:
Tasting menu for 2: $614
20% service charge: $122.80
Tax @ 8.25%: $63.55
Tock order fee: $5
Sum: $805.35
Once we arrived for our dinner in mid-October, additional charges came out of my pocket:
Three bottles of Mexican-sourced water: $24
2 Manhattan cocktails: $40
1 Negroni Amarillo cocktail: $22
1 bottle Gaja Sito Moresco 2021; $195
2 glasses Pauillac: $76
1 coffee: $8
Another 20% service charge: $73
Tax @ 8.25%: $37.82
Sum: $475.82
Once at the restaurant, I inquired and was told these service charges were not gratuities but went towards health insurance and the like. I left a gratuity of $100.
Sum: $100
Grand total: $1381.17
The Food Was As Good As I Remembered…And Yet
Dishes from my visit to Californios in October 2024
The food was as good as I remembered. Grand dishes (from left to right, above) – esquites with smoked espuma and smoked caviar; a stunning tostada with sustainably-ranched blue fin tun; nixtamalized sweet potato (camote) with two moles; a graceful strawberry, huacatay, and mint tea as part of the dessert course – arrived one after the other. None of the 13 dishes felt out of step with any other. As we finished, gifts were given. Tiny bottles of Mexican and Madagascan vanilla were apropos of the experience, a departing nod to Cantú’s Mexican-American roots.
And yet, as I walked out with the vanilla, I felt disappointed. The meal was delicious. My palate was happy. What went wrong in my heart and my head?
Was It Worth It?
I’ve spent some time thinking about it. Here’s where I’ve landed:
- The meal, though delicious and a dive into Mexican and Californian flavor, was too long. We sat down at 5:30 and departed at 10:15. Nearly five hours for dinner is Wagnerian, a challenge for even the most experienced opera lover. Butt rot set in.
- The room’s ambiance rubbed me the wrong way. If there is one thing I would tell any chef opening a restaurant, it’s to provide lighting to make anyone who enters feel special just for being there. This room was brightly lighted. There were no candles, just a downlight aimed at each table. With no texture to the room, the mood felt ordinary. Pedestrian. Everyone looked awful – without even trying, I could see every wrinkle on every suit and every body. Romance? Softness? Not here. It’s clinical.
- The Maitre’d went missing. I get that staffing is hard and San Francisco is expensive. But if there is no Captain of the Ship, the cobwebs pile up in the corners. With a Big Boss minding the front of the house, we would not have experienced:
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- a circular brown stain on our tablecloth. It was faint but if someone were in charge of noticing, this imperfect cloth would’ve been removed before we sat down
- a server did not pull out the table for me to comfortably maneuver into my seat upon arrival nor upon my return to the table after a bathroom break to stretch my legs
- music that did not fade into the background. Eighties rock? Sure, but the hard music matched the hard lighting. After a while, it hurt.
- a Somm working with the service team to deliver plates of food to our table, then explain the components of the dish. Has the service model changed? Or maybe the Somm really wasn’t a Somm but had enough wine knowledge to pass as one?
Service Matters, Especially at Michelin-rated Restaurants
These FOH disconnects were enough that I wondered: Why did this restaurant earn two Michelin stars? Are the stars only for the food? According to Michelin, yes. Stars are only awarded for the food and are based on specific criteria. As quoted from guide.michelin.com, “A Michelin Star is awarded for the food on the plate—nothing else. The style of a restaurant and its degree of formality or informality have no bearing whatsoever on the award.”
Ok, fine. The food is Michelin-worthy. Yet, if the restaurant has changed the service model, service needs a rethink. The missing Maitre’d can stand in for the Somm but not vice versa. The training for each role, though similar in some service respects, is quite different.
At this price point and with that many stars, I expected more than just great food. I expected exceptional service. The tablecloth should not be dirty when I sit down. The service charges are designed to ensure everyone makes a living wage but the service was not up to snuff. If this is the new standard, or the restaurant pivoted service style to appeal to Millenials and Gen Z, fine. Maybe my expectations need the adjustment. But, I don’t think so.
Memorable for the Wrong Reasons
I don’t want my money back – the staff put in the time and effort to make a memorable meal. The problem is: the meal is memorable for the wrong reasons. Perhaps in the old days, my father would endure its 4-hour dine time and 13 courses in an effort to win a client. For me, the experience is the thing, the flavors a clarion call that waited 9 ½ years for fulfillment.
I wish I could turn the clock back and experience the fledgling Californios once again. Until service matches the food, Californios will remain a 2-star food experience (I can’t control the inspectors). But a more holistic review would amend those stars to consider service. My meal in 2015? Worth it. My meal in 2024? Not worth it.
