"Man, there are so few greater joys in life than the airy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside Iberian triumph that is a Spanish tortilla. And San Francisco’s finest iteration might be at Caldero, a brand new pop-up from Victoria Lozano of Andina’s father. The first thing to note is the slice of tortilla is double or triple the size of anything I’ve seen at bars in Spain, and much bigger than at fellow Mission District Spanish joint Esperento, where eight smaller tortillas arrive circling a ramekin of aioli. Served at Buddy the Bar on a warm evening, the piping hot titan boasted a generous dollop of aioli on top with a smattering of paprika. The sauce delivered a big punch of garlic, and by big I mean tremendous. But by no means was the garlic overwhelming, instead, the flavor allowed for a kind of trickle-down effect for the quiche’s profile — the potato and egg could be bland in other preparations of the dish, but not so in Caldero’s riff. Sometimes to my embarrassment I truly enjoy large and in-charge servings; Walter Green of the now-defunct Lucky Peach once wrote people love huge piles of food. There’s something about the Ben & Jerry’s-esque portion of this tortilla, matched by the clever and punchy spices woven throughout, that enrapture and enthrall any fans of this Spanish bar food. And for any nonbelievers, Caldero’s rendition ought to convert. Caldero, San Francisco" - Lauren Saria
