Opened in December 2006 and grew from a series of dinners that founder Josh Loeb held inside his family’s beautiful tree house of a home nestled in Rustic Canyon, an intimate neighborhood carved into the mountains of Santa Monica. Every month, lovers of quality food and wine gathered around a long, candlelit table to share the joy of a meal created with thought and passion. New friends were made, stories were told and favorite wines were discovered. Rustic Canyon is an extension of this.
Don’t be misled by its name, dining at Rustic Canyon is not at all rustic. Owner Josh Loeb, after organizing regular wine dinners at his house in Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica, opened his own place so we can enjoy the wines he personally chooses. Rather than having an extensive wine selection, Loeb offers more than 20 options by the glass, concentrating his picks on small-production boutique wines from all over the world. He rotates the wines, so from one visit to another, you can be sure to discover something new. The same goes for the kitchen, which utilizes seasonal ingredients for the home-cooking-style menu based on Californian-Mediterranean flavors. Try the sautéed wild mushrooms over crispy polenta, the mussels in a tasty white wine broth, or the sliced filet mignon with horseradish cream for appetizers. Fish aficionados should sample the seared ahi, its flavors enhanced by a few drops of olive oil. The grilled New York steak comes with sautéed pea tendrils, while the lamb chops are accompanied by fresh white beans. Finish with the apple-huckleberry crisp or the Meyer lemon panna cotta (a tad too sweet), unless you are tempted by a cheese plate. The décor is set in brown and beige tones, with bamboo flooring and three long communal tables.
