Caló Kitchen + Tequila brings Mexican food and hospitality to South Coast Plaza

Costa Mesa — 

Restaurateur Clemente Heredia believes there is a special level of hospitality in his Mexican culture.

“Especially from the service aspect,” he said. “In Mexico City, just as an example, when you go out to eat, service is very different there. You can go to any restaurant and they will say ‘a tus ordenes’ which means ‘I am at your orders.’”

Heredia is hoping to replicate that service style at his recently opened Caló Kitchen + Tequila at South Coast Plaza.

“Transfusing that level of energy here is the most important thing for me,” said Heredia.

Caló Kitchen + Tequila opened in the space formerly occupied by the Hall Global Eatery. It’s the third location for the Caló concept; Caló Kitchen in El Segundo opened in 2018 and Caló Kitchen, Laguna Niguel opened in 2021. In order to capture the attentive hospitality he’s aiming for, Heredia said he took special care in assembling the Caló team.

“We spent so much time hiring. I think we had 4,000 applicants,” Heredia said. “I hired I want to say, 40 servers from that pool. To be able to have that hospitality that Mexico has, we really have to find people that have that naturally.”

Heredia’s team, headed by director of operations Juan Duarte and general manager Jacob Migliaccio, mans the 8,000-square-foot restaurant space. Decorated with natural rock and custom wallpaper, the space seats 179, with 35 bar seats and 144 in the dining area.

Heredia is particularly proud of the enclosed patio, which features an outdoor bar and three fire pits.

“I like it to feel outdoors, but with the enclosure you are not even sure if you’re outdoors or not,” said Heredia. “It is an escape.”

Caló’s menu offers traditional Mexican favorites, some with playful twists, like Clemente’s enchiladas, stuffed with shrimp and lobster topped with salsa de guava.

“I like things that are sweet and spicy,” explains Heredia.

Other dishes are inspired by Heredia’s grandmother, the namesake of his restaurateur family’s first concept, Carmelita’s, which opened 60 years ago in the Sacramento area.

“A lot of our recipes were created by Grandma in 1962, and they haven’t changed,” said Heredia. “So I am not sure what is more authentic than that.”

The bar menu is mostly tequila, of course, but tightly curated.

“We tend to focus on certain tequilas, ones that are traditionally made,” said Heredia. “So there is a lot of handmade processes still used. That is really important to us.”

Heredia, who dabbled in tequila-making himself, knows good tequila and, by default, margaritas.

“We don’t have a single bad margarita” Heredia said. “We keep it really simple too — just high-quality tequila, fresh lime juice and pure agave.”

But Heredia maintains the food and drinks are only part of the dining experience.

“Honestly, I am proud of our build-out, I am proud of our food and our drinks,” Heredia said. “But at the end of the day I am more proud of the people that are working alongside me.”

Caló is currently open for dinner but will add lunch service beginning Oct. 24.

Reservations can be made at calokitchen.com.

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