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At L Campo, the vibe is Spain’s Mediterranean coast. A print on one wall evokes colorful Spanish mosaic tiles. On another, bright orange flowers float on a turquoise-sea background. The music is Spanish flamenco inspired. Exposed bricks give a historic sense to the room with sophisticated red banquette seating at the back and casual lounging on the front patio. We’re not on the long coastal region that includes Valencia and Alicante—this is Livermore’s First Street.
The menu embraces Spanish cuisine. L Campo’s patatas bravas, the classic Spanish treatment of potatoes, features the chef’s two spicy sauces. There is a charcuterie board with Manchego cheese, Spanish chorizo and sausage. But our favorite tapas, the 24-month Jamón Ibérico, is listed on its own. Made from Ibérico breed of pig native to the Iberian Peninsula, the aging process is slow, and the flavor, complex. Paella is the signature main dish.
With the impressive and authentic concept, one may expect the L Campo owner to be Spanish.
“I was born German,” said chef-owner Torsten Schulz ,”but I love, Spain, Greece and Italy. I shy away from listing my favorite cuisine or dish and cook food that I like. Whatever food I make must be good for our guests to enjoy.”
Where did he get the idea to open a restaurant named L Campo, meaning field or countryside? This concept developed in the mid-2000’s when Schulz was living in the Valencia area. With strong connections to local farmers and fishermen, Schulz was set to open a restaurant called El Campo with market-fresh, seasonal food until the global financial crisis of 2008 devastated Spain forced cancellation of the project.
Schulz moved on to earn a Michelin Guide star at a restaurant in southwestern Portugal. The next phase of Schul’s career a few year was cooking at restaurants in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Milan, and Mykenos, a Greek island in the Aegean sea. A decade ago, Schulz relocated to the U.S., cooked at various restaurants, and then opened the popular fast casual Kali Greek Kitchen in Palo Alto.
Livermore, he noted, felt calmer with close-by countryside than more urban Palo Alto. “I commute on Vallecitos Road and enjoy seeing the cattle on the hills that remind me of the bull symbol of Spain. I also like driving down Tesla Road with wineries every few minutes.”
Schulz’s cooking style is almost old-fashioned in his belief that an über-organized kitchen is essential. On the Peninsula, he established a prep kitchen facility to make the service at fast-causal Kali more efficient. He designed the large kitchen at L Campo so the cooks could have room to prepare each dish carefully.
The thoughtful touches also reach onto the menu. Schulz lists more detail about the items than most restaurateurs: dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, spice, or vegetarian.
Choosing from the appetizing tapas menu is a challenge. The Ibérico ham that Schulz slices thinly, is nutty, sweet and savory at the same time, served with rosemary Acme bread toast. The tender grilled Spanish octopus are slow cooked for eight hours and arrive with smoked potato sauce and mojo verde, green sauce. Many restaurants serve fried calamari, but with Schulz’s version, you can taste the seafood under the breading.
Paellas anchor the Mains menu. At the top of the list is the classic Valenciana version from southeastern Spain. This dish is so important to the Valencia region that it is recognized by the government for its traditional preparation methods.
Though the Valenciana paella ingredients looked appealing, I couldn’t bring myself to order the dish with rabbit as the first item because that morning, for the first time at our home, I watched an adorable white bunny hop around our yard.
Schulz presents a vegan paella with four mushrooms. The grilled filet mignon version would satisfy meat lovers. The Atlantic lobster style looks elegant with asparagus and mojo verde, a green, herb and garlicky sauce. The simpler L Campo paella features chicken.
We settled on the seafood paella with calamari, mussels, and Gulf shrimp. We liked the fresh seafood and well-seasoned rice—and the crunchy, savory, golden rice scraped up from the bottom of the paella pan called socarrat. Other entrées include Mediterranean sea base, lamb shank, and short ribs with giant, Spanish white beans.
The capstone dessert was an artistic and delicious rendering of churros with Guittard chocolate sauce. The four-leaf clover structure of the churros on the plate is distinct. Schulz explained why he does not serve the typical, fatter rope shape.
“This thinner, oval shape allows for a quicker fry that results in a crispy outside and soft inside, which is less greasy.”
The tarta de queso, or cheese tart, is made from whipped cream cheese. Think soufflé that is less rich, less sweet and bit tangy. The almond cake is a traditional dessert that was served with orange garnish.
L Campo features an excellent list of both reasonably priced and higher end cavas. Other wines include a broad set of Spanish, French, Napa, Sonoma, and many Livermore Valley selections. A strong spirits list is comprised of Vermouths and Ports, plus a deep selection of tequila, Bourbon, whiskey, and Scotch. The Cognac list includes a rare Louis XIII from Rémy Martin.
One controversial aspect of L Campo is the “no reservations” policy. Schulz told me that offering reservations for a small, 45-seat restaurant doesn’t add up because each no show and each late arrival impact the bottom line.
“The reservation policy may change, said Schulz. “Note that we have a Chef’s Table in the back that you can reserve for 4 to 10 people based on my availability to cook, serve, and interact with the guests. I knew the late Charlie Trotter in Chicago who had a great Chef’s Table, and I want to continue the tradition.”
No matter where you are seated, an L Campo experience serves up well-crafted classic and innovative Spanish cuisine.
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