Saturday breakfast at Rustic Canyon

The menu at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica relies heavily on local farmers market produce, so it was doubly fun to see the restaurant open this past Saturday for a market-inspired breakfast.  Not only do the new hours coincide with the Saturday morning Santa Monica farmers market, but pastry chef Zoe Nathan's morning menu reads like a paean to what's just arrived in her kitchen -- or what you'll find or have just found at the market stalls.  The restaurant's wooden bar was loaded with lemon-currant scones, strawberry-rhubarb galettes, a huge asparagus-tomato frittata, pistachio teacakes and kouign amann (amazing little Breton pastries made with laminated dough).  The kitchen also offers Pudwill Farms' berries and Strauss yogurt, and yummy dishes featuring eggs from Lily's Farm -- bought from the farmer that morning.

It's a tight-knit group at Rustic Canyon.  Owner Josh Loeb hired Nathan after their mothers -- both families are from Santa Monica -- set the couple up (that's them on the left).  Nathan's father makes the frittatas; Loeb's brother pulls the shots of Groundwork espresso behind the bar.  Loeb's not quite ready to announce chef Samir Mohajer's successor (Mohajer's leaving at the end of the month), but he says it'll be someone who shares the group's communal ethos.  Maybe his mother knows somebody...

Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen, 1119 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 393-7050.  Open for breakfast on Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

-- Amy Scattergood

Photos by Amy Scattergood