{"id":82850,"date":"2024-07-02T13:37:49","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T20:37:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/hi-lo\/?p=82850"},"modified":"2024-07-02T14:11:22","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T21:11:22","slug":"long-beachs-new-ruta-15-mariscos-restaurant-is-a-culinary-road-trip-through-mexican","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/food\/long-beachs-new-ruta-15-mariscos-restaurant-is-a-culinary-road-trip-through-mexican","title":{"rendered":"Long Beach’s new Ruta 15 mariscos restaurant is a culinary road trip through Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Not even two months old, a Long Beach mariscos restaurant serving a variety of cocktails and seafood is making its mark along a main corridor in North Alamitos Beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A passion for traveling throughout Mexico while exploring different cuisines helped co-owner Richard Mosqueda and executive chef C\u00e9sar S\u00e1nchez come up with the name for Ruta 15, the new restaurant on Seventh Street near Nebraska Avenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pair were brainstorming a name and concept for the eatery when they realized they had both taken the same culinary trip along Federal Highway 15 \u2014 the primary north-south highway in Mexico, which spans nearly 1,500 miles from Sonora to Mexico City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The map of Route 15 through Mexico as seen at Ruta 15 restaurant in Long Beach, Monday, July 1, 2024. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how Ruta 15 was born,\u201d said Mosqueda, who also owns the neighboring La Taqueria Brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diners who walk through the main entrance are met with a map of Mexico with key cities along Federal Highway 15 highlighted in vibrant letters. Fourteen cities \u2014 including Culic\u00e1n, Mexicali and Guadalajara \u2014 are spelled out in the same colorful font on signposts displaying how far away they are from Long Beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mosqueda has traveled large spans of Federal Highway 15 several times, stopping at key cities along the way for a full experience of Mexican culinary culture and how it varies by region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Richard Mosqueda, co-owner, and Chef Cesar Sanchez at Ruta 15 restaurant in Long Beach, Monday, July 1, 2024. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He said his most memorable trip was on his way back to where he grew up in Guadalajara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was here for 10 years and I didn\u2019t go back for the whole 10 years to Mexico, so I was so hungry to just learn about my culture,\u201d Mosqueda said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along the way, Mosqueda said he experienced a wide variety of food ranging from grilled red snapper \u2014 pescado zarandeado \u2014 in Nayarit, to black ceviche in Sinaloa and bean-flavored ice cream in Michoac\u00e1n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Ruta 15, Mosqueda said he and S\u00e1nchez set out to offer a menu inspired by those foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Featured staples include enchiladas suizas, ceviche and shrimp al mojo de ajo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aguachile de camaron topped with chicharr\u00f3n at Ruta 15 restaurant in Long Beach, Monday, July 1, 2024. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s also different aguachiles, which originate from Sinaloa, served with a choice of red, green or black salsa accompanied by creamy avocado, Japanese cucumbers and julienne-cut red onion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another special, the duo of grilled fish comes with chochoyotes \u2014 fried masa balls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mosqueda said he tells customers that the dishes are not meant to copy the unique food from each Mexican region along Federal Highway 15, but rather are inspired by the offerings along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The early lunch crowd at Ruta 15 restaurant in Long Beach, Monday, July 1, 2024. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Recently, an ex-wife of famous boxer Julio C\u00e9sar Ch\u00e1vez Sr. stopped in to dine and gave a glowing review of the food, Mosqueda said. The ex-wife and her family told Mosqueda they own a restaurant in Culiac\u00e1n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mosqueda has been working in restaurants since his childhood. He said he and his 11 siblings were given the choice to work on the family farm in Guadalajara or the family\u2019s nearby taco restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo me [the choice] was so simple because on the farm it was really tough,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A career with Sysco, the wholesale restaurant food distributor, led him to Long Beach and allowed him to open La Taqueria Brand on Seventh Street near Nebraska Avenue in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Ribeye R15 with butter roasted onion pur\u00e9e, roasted R15 corn, Mexican chimichurri and cilantro roasted potatoes at Ruta 15 restaurant in Long Beach, Monday, July 1, 2024. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Despite opening two weeks before a mandatory COVID shutdown went into effect in Los Angeles County, La Taqueria Brand took in enough delivery orders to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

S\u00e1nchez was looking for work during the pandemic after cheffing at La Huasteca at Plaza Mexico in Lynwood. He brought his crew over to La Taqueria Brand and business picked up, Mosqueda said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When La Ceiba restaurant, which was next to La Taqueria Brand but is now at 400 E. Anaheim Street, decided to downsize during the pandemic, Mosqueda purchased the space and initially used it for storage before deciding to renovate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A cucumber lime miche-agua at Ruta 15 restaurant in Long Beach, Monday, July 1, 2024. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now, the space features fresh seafood on ice, a full-service bar and walls with original paintings from Guatemalan artist Spaint<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bigger kitchen space allows Ruta 15 to make the syrup for their raspados in-house by roasting coconuts, tamarind or pecans. Customers can choose to order raspados with or without alcohol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another unique drink from the bar are the miche-aguas, which come with or without alcohol in pineapple, horchata or cucumber lime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruta 15, 1436 E Seventh Street, is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ceviche, aguachiles and house-made raspados are all on the itinerary at the recently opened eatery on Seventh Street.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":207,"featured_media":82846,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":"","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_":"","_author_alias":"","cap-aim":"","cap-description":"","cap-display_name":"","cap-first_name":"","cap-jabber":"","cap-last_name":"","cap-linked_account":"","cap-newspack_employer":"","cap-newspack_job_title":"","cap-newspack_phone_number":"","cap-newspack_role":"","cap-user_email":"","cap-user_login":"","cap-website":"","cap-yahooim":"","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_email_html":"","newspack_email_type":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_hide_page_title":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_show_share_buttons":"","newspack_sponsor_byline_prefix":"","newspack_sponsor_disclaimer_override":"","newspack_sponsor_flag_override":"","newspack_sponsor_only_direct":"","newspack_sponsor_url":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[168],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[32323],"class_list":["post-82850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food","tag-restaurant-openings","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82850","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/207"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82850"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82850\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82857,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82850\/revisions\/82857"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82850"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=82850"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=82850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}