THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Arguello Awards

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Arguello Restaurant Review:

A rib cage of dark umber beams frames the whitewashed walls and low ceiling of Traci des Jardins’ casual Mexican eatery in the historic Presidio Officers Club. Woven leather chairs and iron fixtures --- including the room's original wall sconces and pendants --- flank wooden tables amidst an airy playlist of Californian tunes. Dishes are simple and comforting. A lightly-spiced salad of bulgur and root vegetables incorporates mango, avocado and citrus, and the playful sea bass ceviche with oregano and Castelvetrano olives is served perched atop a tortilla crisp. We found the Cornish hen in dark red mole over Mexican rice pleasantly familiar, but it was the grainy mole verde of amaranth, with its confit smoked egg yolk and quartered limequat, that we’ll return for. Indulge in white chocolate mezcal cheesecake for dessert. A wine list and 20 beers are dwarfed by mixologist Enrique Sanchez’s selection of more than 100 tequilas and mescals, and an education at the ancient Douglas fir bar before or after dining is highly recommended. Midday visitors will find a scaled-down menu driven by tacos of thick, spongy corn tortillas, and brunchers will appreciate dishes of chilaquiles, pozole and banana pancakes on the restaurant’s fireside patio.