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An Evening of Remembrance Valle's Fourth Annual Día de los Muertos Dinner honors the heritage, flavors, and artistry of Mexico BY BRANDON HERNÁNDEZ Case in point: bright orange and magenta root-vegetable "paper" shrouding mackerel crudo dressed in a vibrant mandarin-orange emulsion. en it was back in black with tender beef coulotte (top sirloin cap steak), followed by a dessert of Basque-style cheesecake with a decadent spiced ice cream made with 66% Mexican chocolate. e nth degree attention to detail applied to the night's plates was mirrored by staffers dressed all in black, sporting skeletal and otherwise decorative face paint, as well as a traditional, candle-lit altar erected front and center in the dining room. It takes a lot to elevate the experience at a Michelin standout, but by leading with heart, culture, and tradition, Alcocer, Ayala, and the Valle team were able to do just that. valleoceanside.com C elebration of Mexican culture, cookery, and ingredients is at the heart of Oceanside's Michelin- starred restaurant, Valle, 365 days a year. But for an evening as meaningful as Dia de los Muertos — a sacred holiday honoring loved ones who have passed — Executive Chef Roberto Alcocer called in reinforcements in the form of fellow chef Alexis Ayala. Just 33, Ayala operates a quintet of Mexico City eateries (two of which, Pargot and Tacos Los Alexis, have garnered Bib Gourmand recognition from the Michelin Guide) and was named Best New Chef by Food & Wine in 2023. Together, the duo crafted a one-night-only menu, which commenced on Valle's open-air patio, where sweeping views of the Pacific competed with a beautiful pair of botanas (snacks, which included a fish-shaped rillette), both of which were rendered jet black care of ash from vegetables charred in Alcocer's custom charcoal oven. at onyx theme carried over into the dining room with a charred onion tartlet topped with Royal Osetra caviar as well as a chichilo mole (the rarest of Oaxaca's seven mole sauces) served alongside a torpedo onion stuffed with lion's mane mushrooms. Ayala's contribution to the obsidian aesthetic was an earthy squid- ink-infused huitlacoche sauce accompanying tender octopus served with tart citrus and a sweet, buttery popcorn puree. But by and large Alcocer's ally for the evening brought in pops of color. Indulge dining ranchandcoast.com 102 DECEMBER 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY COUTESY OF VALLE