When a hot new restaurant opens on in the suburbs, you might hear it praised for feeling like it should be on Magazine Street, perhaps bringing a bit more modern flavor and style.
But a new head-turner called Rumba is instead aiming for a trip down to the white sand Gulf Coast or the islands. It’s a colorful, vibrant-feeling restaurant bringing beach vibes deep along Veterans Boulevard in Metairie.
The restaurant opened in late March, even as a few more pieces of the operation and schedule come together.
But Rumba arrives with local ties already in place, and some aspects may be familiar to craft beer hounds. There’s also possibly more to come from its creators.
Tropical drinks, decor
From decor to drinks, Rumba is doing for the Caribbean what some old school Chinese restaurants did with Polynesian flair. Home cooking bona fides are not the goal. Rumba’s aim is to transport you somewhere else when you cross that threshold.
The interior is all nautical ropes, wicker baskets and some benches that are really swings. The booths feel like little cabins (some on the beach, some on a boat) and the bar has windows that open to the large covered patio, fit with gas torches and fire pits, bringing the outside in…