Sep
By Ken Alcazar
Photo Credit: Alex Scott
Santa Monica’s Rustic Canyon has long been one of Los Angeles’ most ingredient-driven restaurants, but its LA X LA dinner series is widening the lens—linking the flavors of Southern California with the soulful hospitality of New Orleans.
On August 28, 2025, the restaurant welcomed Chef Adolfo Garcia Jr. of New Orleans’ Chi Chi’s into the kitchen alongside Chef de Cuisine Elijah Deleon. Together, they crafted a menu that highlighted not only the season’s best from the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market, but also the creativity, heritage, and sense of place that define both chefs’ cooking.
The evening opened with marinated olives and Kumamoto oysters accented by “elephant heart” plums and purple ninja radish, an elegant expression of Rustic Canyon’s California ethos. Deleon followed with a deeply personal dish, Manila clam and pork belly adobo with Koda Farms kokuho rice, honoring his Mexican-Philippine heritage while grounding the menu firmly in Los Angeles.
Garcia and his team then introduced a New Orleans edge. The Louisiana Gulf shrimp bao with sesame and chili crisp aioli offered playful heat and texture, while the hanger steak donburi with crispy shallots, kokuho rice, and a soft-boiled egg delivered a hearty, layered finale that perfectly balanced comfort and sophistication. Dessert brought the collaboration full circle: a silky choco-flan with Rincon Del Mar Ranch passion fruit caramel, marrying richness with a bright, tropical finish.
More than a dinner, LA X LA is the vision of General Manager Lorenzo Reef, whose ties to both Los Angeles and New Orleans inspired the series. His goal is simple yet ambitious: to showcase the kinship between two dynamic food cultures, each steeped in tradition but equally unafraid to innovate.
For Angelenos, it’s a rare chance to experience the warmth and camaraderie of New Orleans without leaving the Westside. For visiting chefs, it’s an opportunity to collaborate, exchange ideas, and create something fleeting yet unforgettable.
With more dinners on the horizon, LA X LA is quickly becoming one of Los Angeles’ most anticipated culinary events, proof that when two great food cities meet, the results are nothing short of extraordinary.