Feel the rhythm at Rumba, Fortitude Valley’s colourful Latin American-inspired arrival
While those with two left feet might balk at the idea of dining at a venue called Rumba, you don’t need to know how to cut a rug in order to enjoy Fortitude Valley’s new Latin American-inspired locale. While you can put your hips to work on the dance floor if the mood strikes, Rumba is perhaps best experienced seated. Here you can trace a line through Latin America’s culinary regions with plates of mussel escabache, tuna poké tostadas and birra tacos, or succumb to the rhythms of live bands and DJs if you’re feeling footloose. Take a peek inside this lively new opening …
If there’s one thing Ross Ledingham and Stefano De Blasi know about the hospitality business, it’s that one can’t remain idle – you must always be surveying the scene for opportunities to evolve and improve. The restaurateur duo aren’t scared to shake up a concept or experiment with some changes. In 2022 the team relocated Stefano’s moody Roman-inspired eatery Eterna to Bulimba, tinkering with its culinary offering and instilling a coastal-Mediterranean aesthetic, shaping it into the super-successful neighbourhood nosh spot Mina Italian. Back in Fortitude Valley the crew is doing it again, transforming the group’s Argentinian-inspired restaurant Evita into a colourful uptempo bar and eatery called Rumba – a lively joint that is channelling the vivacious spirit of Latin America as a whole. Though Evita buzzed with a cracking trade on weekends, the team spied an opportunity to better tap into The Valley’s demographic, reflecting the precinct’s shifting landscape by establishing a new concept that could more flexibly cater to the wants of revellers and diners. “It was about providing an option that is light, fun and energetic that is accessible to everybody,” says Ross on the rationale behind the pivot. “The idea was to create a mix of Cuban, Columbian, Argentinian and Mexican [cultures], whereby we offer something for everybody.”
The restaurant is in the same place – the heritage-listed McDonald’s Bakery building on St. Paul’s Terrace – but instead of Evita’s predominantly white interior, the walls now boast a vivid veneer of multiple hues. Decorative touches inspired by Rumba’s Latin American influences adorn the walls, from orange and yellow window shutters and quirky tiling to toucans, mirrors and a colourful mural emblazoned with the venue’s catchphrase, ‘Let’s Rumba’. Energy flows between the venue’s casual eatery and bar area and the sit-down dining room, with a newly erected stage hosting everything from mariachi bands every Friday to reggaeton DJs on weekends. “The [tagline] Let’s Rumba is about soul and it’s about energy,” says Ross. “When you think of Latin America, you think of the movement – it automatically brings the fun before you even get to the food.”
Rumba’s kitchen, which still features the building’s century-old woodfire oven as its centrepiece, is helmed by Mexico-born chef Ariel Becerra (previously of La Patrona in Teneriffe). Alongside culinary talent from the likes of Venezuela and Colombia, Ariel is churning out a menu of share-style eats that draws upon the rich bounty of Latin America’s myriad cuisines. “It’s a collective collaboration of what we all love about Latin America, whether that’s a cubano, ceviche, some tacos or pinchos,” says Ross. “There’s all of these influences that we’ve pulled from everybody around us and trips.” Diners are encouraged to start with a collection of pinchos, including octopus skewers and chorizo montadito (a tapa-sized open-faced sandwich), before moving on to more sizeable entradas. Lime-cured kingfish ceviche, cassava cheese bread (served in a Cuban cigar box), woodfired arepas with brisket and mixed cabbage, smoky ground-beef empanadas, and Baja-style battered fish tacos are just some of the plates you can fill your table with, but make sure you save room for Rumba’s churros with dulce de leche. Save table space for drinks, too – Rumba’s beverage list includes tequila-infused slushies, pisco cocktails and a short selection of shooters, while Kona Longboard lager and a tight wine list also feature.
Rumba is now open to the public from Tuesday to Saturday. Click over to the Stumble Guide for operating hours, menu info and booking details.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Brisbane dining guide with more than 2400 places to eat, drink, shop and play.
