RUMBA CAFE
SALSA ON SUMMIT
Live music, exotic food and libations make cozy bar feel like island getaway
Friday, September 22, 2006
NICK CHORDAS — COLUMBUS DISPATCH :: FLIPSIDE

Tucked on the corner of Summit and Hudson streets, the Rumba Cafe could easily be mistaken for just another neighborhood watering hole — the kind of place you frequent because it offers a convenient stumble home.

Don’t be fooled. The club, open since Sept. 1, boasts more than the usual jukebox and pool table. In fact, it doesn’t even have a jukebox or pool table.

And with good reason: Six nights a week, the Rumba Cafe showcases live music ranging from Latin and soul to funk and rock. The idea is a onestop shopping spot for those whose taste in music goes beyond hearing Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl four times in one evening.

I arrived on a Thursday, Latin Night, to find the crowd drumming along on tabletops to the conga-based rhythms of Deja Vu, whose enigmatic singer-bassist strongly resembles Furio from The Sopranos. Happily, not a single neon beer sign sullied the scene.

Owner Mark Henderson, percussionist for Columbus fixture Hoo Doo Soul Band, has decorated the walls with artwork and framed photos of Chet Baker, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday and Bob Marley. Musical instruments and other Latinthemed curios share space with sleek hanging lights above the handsome wooden bar. The decor is eclectic and the atmosphere warm and inviting — not unlike a friendly local joint you wander into while on vacation.

Adding to that welcoming vibe: free grub. While keeping time with the music, I sampled complimentary plantains and salsa from the small buffet table near the stage. The kitchen offers a regular menu featuring gourmet pizzas and tapas plates, but devouring them requires a bit of planning: The staff stops taking orders about 9:30 p.m. (10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays). Still, gratis eats aren’t a bad alternative — especially on "Fat Tuesdays," when the Rumba Cafe gives away bowls of steaming gumbo (no kidding).

I considered washing down the finger food with a draft beer — Columbus Pale Ale is among the 10 brews on tap — but figured that a round of mojitos would be more appropriate. The friendly bartenders are still working out a few kinks, as I received a caipirinha instead. Not that I’m complaining: The cachaca-based drink, mixed at the bar with organic cane sugar, proved tasty and refreshing.

Round two yielded a pair of proper mojitos. I took a break from the music to sip the strong, minty drinks on the tikistyle patio out back. I felt a little like Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice until my date informed me that I look nothing like Colin Farrell. Apparently, her mojito wasn’t strong enough.

Another bonus: The outdoor area is equipped with a bamboo bar and grasshut umbrellas, providing plenty of cover from the elements. The patio should be a relative paradise for smokers once the weather turns nasty.

Back inside, the table tappers had finally worked up the nerve to dance. Even the Cachaca 61 rep got in on the action, taking a break from handing out T-shirts to perform an impromptu congabeating session with a band member. I grabbed another handful of plantains and took a seat at the comfy booths to the left of the bar. Dancing could come later. I was too busy enjoying my mini-vacation.
nchordas@dispatch.com