Harbor Island newcomer Rumorosa leans into the unofficial flavor of our mega-region: Cali-Baja cuisine. Executive chef Cesar Oceguera has roots on both sides of the border—he was born and raised in San Diego and grew up working for his father’s Tijuana catering company. He knows the Sheraton San Diego property, too; his first job was here, as the cafeteria attendant. Seventeen years later, after working with Bobby Flay at Mesa Grill and Brian Malarkey at Searsucker, he’s back.
“When I create menus, I go pure nostalgic memories,” he says. “It’s the food I like to eat and cook but presented in a way that’s approachable for everybody.” So at Rumorosa, there will be Valle de Guadalupe wines and fresh Baja oysters, but there will also be nachos and inventive spins on classics.
For example, the aguachile. In Sinaloa, where Oceguera’s family is from, the lime-heavy crudo dish is served spicy. But here, he marries tequila-cured salmon with an unconventional local staple: Carlsbad strawberries.
Unexpected could be the theme of this contemporary restaurant named after a two-lane mountain bypass. Usually, a restaurant picks a lane: casual or upscale. By design, Rumorosa swerves between them both.
