Succulent seafood and sizzling beef – Family recipes are the heart of Rosa’s Mexican Restaurant

I remember my first taste of Mexican food – I was about eight years old, and it was at a San Francisco restaurant called Romero’s – a cozy, informal place that served traditional, but bold, Mexican food. Romero knew us and would emerge from the kitchen – aproned and open-armed – when we arrived. We frequented Romero’s until he retired and the doors were closed. But, I have fond memories of the enticing images of tamales enveloped with soft, heavenly masa and enchiladas dripping with melted cheese.

I feel the same way about Rosa’s Mexican Restaurant in Fallbrook. It’s not flashy or chic – it’s just comfortable and wonderful. The food is traditional and the wait staff make you feel at home. Leonor Vazquez, who has owned the establishment for eighteen years, is warm and welcoming.

Leonor learned to cook Sonoran-style food at a young age from both her mother and father. Although that region of Mexico is heavy on seafood, it is also known for beef dishes. Her husband’s family is from the Monterrey region and she has learned a lot from him as well. Thus the food found at Rosa’s is a mingling of flavors from both the Monterrey and Sonoran regions. We can’t all travel to Mexico to discover authentic recipes, so Leonor does it for us. When she visits family in Mexico, she invariably returns with new ideas.

Recently, she has been adding seafood plates and other seafood offerings to the menu.

Seafood soup is very popular along the Sonoran coast and Leonor brought the Sonoran-inspired Caldo 7 Mares (7 Seas Soup) to Fallbrook. It’s a medley of shrimp, fish, octopus, scallops, and crab legs.

Shrimp is an integral part of Rosa’s menu, as there are several shrimp entrées as well as shrimp cocktail. Mexican shrimp is used whenever possible.

A succulent seafood cocktail, Vuela a la Vida, is served with diced cucumber and avocado, then packed with shrimp and other delights from the sea. (All of the seafood in the cocktail is cooked, including the octopus, which is first boiled in spices, then cooled.) Chances are you have tasted calamari, but maybe not octopus, which is prepared differently, resulting in a unique flavor. Octopus is tender and softer than calamari when prepared the right way.

The Bistek Ranchero (Beef steak), a new menu item, is a spicy choice served with beans and rice as a combination plate. The steak is cooked with tomato sauce, garlic, onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers, but what brings the heat is the addition of hot sauce and chilies. Sliced avocados top the dish. Wrapped in a warm tortilla or on its own, the Bistek Ranchero is saucy and fresh.

Cool off with house-made Horchata, which is a milky rice drink with a touch of cinnamon. It’s like you are drinking dessert!

Rosa’s luscious guacamole is house-made with locally grown avocados. Finely chopped tomatoes, onions and a bit of garlic and salt are added to the mix. The guacamole is well-blended with plenty of avocado chunks to make it interesting. The same family recipe has been in use the entire time Leonor has owned the restaurant.

It’s no secret that the bold sauces at Rosa’s are made from

scratch, but some of the ingredients are kept a secret. Try these

delightful sauces, then try to guess the ingredients!

Over the years, a lot of Leonor’s customers have become friends. She enjoys their company and looks forward to their visits. Some even dine there every day; and some have been patrons of the restaurant since the first day Leonor stepped in the door eighteen years ago.

Enjoy a savory Rosa’s meal indoors under a mural of the sea, or outdoors on the patio where you can enjoy the breeze with a backdrop of giant bird of paradise plants. But, wherever you sit, you can be assured of eating traditional Mexican food with a personal touch from soft-spoken and gracious Leonor. Don’t you think that is an irresistible invitation?

Rosa’s Mexican Restaurant is located at 1075 S. Mission Rd., Suite A, in Fallbrook. The telephone number is (760) 728-8006. The establishment opens at 9 a.m. during the week and at 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.