La Jolla’s Ambitious Lucien Comes From a Team of Michelin-Starred Restaurant Alumni | Eater San Diego

"An ambitious, Michelin-pedigreed tasting menu restaurant in La Jolla, led by chef Elijah Arizmendi (with experience at Per Se, Le Bernardin, L’abeille, and Sushi Ichimura), this intimate 30-seat, 3,100-square-foot space begins with canapés and a glass of calamansi juice under a courtyard calamansi tree before guests pass through a wide bronze door into a dark, moody dining room lined with cognac-colored leather booths and views of the open kitchen. The $260 experience spans more than a dozen courses plated on French porcelain and ceramic stoneware hand-thrown by Arizmendi’s mother, showcasing hyper-seasonal West Coast sourcing from local producers like Chino Farms and JR Organics and a striking contrast of techniques, from induction on a customized Molteni stove to an open-fire hearth. Signature plates include egg custard with Chantilly topped tableside with N25 Oscietra caviar, while other dishes might feature California spiny lobster aquachile with uni and passionfruit, Iberico pork pâté en croûte with mustard cream, mussels, clams, and abalone in a seafood froth, and squab with pine nuts and pine-smoked matsutake; dessert wraps with three courses that currently include Japanese eggplant ice cream with brown cardamom and a trio of truffles. A $195 drink pairing covers Champagne, California whites, Japanese lager, and French Bordeaux. The bar welcomes walk-ins with a la carte selections—such as Amber Eden ancient grain bread with aged cultured butter and Masami Ranch wagyu rib-eye—and cocktails like the Enzoni Bello, all set against an elongated oak bar perched on sculpted quartzite rock behind floor-to-ceiling patio doors. Inspired by La Jolla’s caves and sandy beaches, the design underwent a major overhaul by Tecture Design Group and Encinitas Design Group and sits on the top floor of La Plaza La Jolla near Prospect Street in the former Sushi on the Rocks space, channeling Arizmendi’s goal to tell a California story using French and Japanese techniques at a high level while highlighting local farmers and fishermen." - Helen I. Hwang