After experiencing a Californios pop-up dinner by chef Val Cantu last year, we’ve been tracking his next steps, which now includes opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant called, you guessed it, CALIFORNIOS. He’ll be opening in the former Panchita’s 3 (and the short-lived Manos Nouveau) on 22nd Street.
Val’s background includes cooking at Uchi in Austin (he’s from Texas) and locally he was a sous at Sons & Daughters. His cuisine is a unique and modern version of Mexican cuisine, taking inspiration from the history of Californios here in SF and Alta California (you can read more here). There will be three menus ($45-$75): an omnivorous 4-course, a vegetable 4-course, and an extended 7- to 10-course menu. Dinner will be served Tue-Sat.
So, the space. It’s going to have 25 seats, with 7 at a chef’s counter, looking into the open kitchen. Val’s wife, Carolyn Cantu, will be designing the interior. She was most recently a designer at Ken Fulk, and once the design duties are wrapped up, she will be the maître d’. Charlotte Randolph, previously a server at The French Laundry, will be running the front of the house and the wine program. Look for an opening in November. 3115 22nd St. at Capp.
A dish from a Californios dinner at Naked Kitchen: Yerba Buena Fruit Cup Under the C. Photo: © tablehopper.com.
