Supper Club: Californios

This week marked our inaugural supper club dinner!  The concept is simple: get a group of foodies together and take turns coordinating reservations at some of the most in-demand, renowned restaurants.  Our current crew consists of Brittany, Ari, Maryana, Elyse (who unfortunately couldn't make this one!), and myself. 

Brittany kicked us off with the Michelin-rated Californios, featuring a seasonal 16-course tasting menu that builds on traditional Mexican cuisine.  The food was simple and delightful, not to mention refreshing for summer.  Many dishes took tried and true recipes to the next level by focusing on the technique, such as grinding grain longer for a smoother texture, or adding incredibly high quality, rare ingredients to the mix.

Walking in reminded me of Alinea, as the building was minimalist and unmarked.  The restaurant itself was very small, with only about six tables lining one wall, and an exposed bar/kitchen on the other. The tones were dark, with splashes of color in the art on the walls or the dahlias on the tables. 

We were infatuated with the staff, who kept things light and friendly.  There was never an air of pretension, and we had a great time with them!

I'll walk you through our meal with captions, and highlight any anecdotes along the way.

"Let's jump a page and go right into France." 

-Assistant GM, and our favorite on staff

Melon agua fresca, hella fancy watermelon, and cured wagyu chicharron

You can't have a Michelin meal without wagyu beef and caviar (both to make appearances later on, too)!  I think it might be a rule.

Masa and pineapple al pastor in a treasure box

Soft-shell crab taco

 

Black bean tamale

(they ground the masa for 6 hours-it was SO smooth!)

Delicately folded coconut ceviche

Corn and crickets (we found out the latter later) 

A crowd favorite!

Lobster taco (!!)

Octopus with tomato water

Three bean puree with caviar

Another winner!

Bass with carrots

"I've never tasted a more carroty carrot" -Brittany

(We all agreed.)

Carne asada wagyu 

(The 2012 Mi Sueno cab was spectacular!)

DIY lamb tacos

At this point I was starting to hope we were almost done...16 courses really starts to catch up with you!

I love how Maryana almost looks like she's in prayer as she takes in each new dish.  I have multiple photos of her looking just like this at different points in the meal, hands in lap, head bowed, taking in the miracle of food before her!

 Goat cheese and berries

White guava sorbet on pistachio butter

This pistachio butter had us all raving.  It was so tacky (great describing word, Maryana) and smooth.  We told them to bottle it, and we would've bought several on our way out! 

At this point I'd had enough wine (plus the margaritas we'd had at El Techo before dinner!) that I thought Maryana's head in a glass was an elevated form of art.  Nailed it.

 Digestif

Finally, here's a look at the menu they give you at the end of dinner.  Not a ton of insight into exactly all we ate and the details they put into each dish, but a good reminder of our journey at Californios!

The whole evening was an absolute delight-looking around the table and laughing with ladies I love, indulging ourselves at our every turn, learning from the meal and from each other-I can't wait for more nights just like this one.

Stay tuned for the next Supper Club in October!