What was once a dingy pub with sticky floors and less atmosphere than the moon itself, (didn’t stop me going every weekend at 17…) is now a vibrant and exciting bar that dominates Swan Bank, Congleton.
Rumba, which has branches in Congleton and Macclesfield, is an energetic tiki bar that transports you into holiday mode with its bamboo bars, tropical decor and painted deck chairs. It makes a brilliant first impression, far better than it’s predecessor Maskery, but I am still amazed at the creativity every time I walk through the yellow double doors. It gives that same bewildered feeling that Wacky Warehouse gave you as a child – you know exactly what to expect, but it’s still blooming cool.
The bar released its brand new menu last Wednesday, so my family and I headed on down at the weekend to celebrate my graduation and check out what’s on offer.
Speaking of offers, Rumba has unbelievable deals. Whilst their menu is well-priced anyway, with the majority of meals under £10, they have some killer offers that make girls night/boys night or date night even cheaper (perfect for the ‘payday isn’t next week but I 100% deserve a treat’ kinda days).
Wings Wednesday – 10p chicken wings. You heard me, hun, ten pence. 100 chicken wings with five drinks and five sauces would set you back about £30. Split that between you and four friends and that’d be just £6 a head. To be honest, you can’t even get 20 chicken nuggets, a large drink and extra sauces for £6 at McDonalds.
On Thursdays the bar runs their Best Friend Thursdays deal, where it is buy one get one free on all burgers, hot dogs, salads and kebabs. The most expensive item out of those is the chicken kebab (£9.50), meaning you can do date night for less than £15 when you’ve bought your drinks too (or just means extra money for awesome sides and small plates.)
Half price shakes, coffees, hot chocolate and mocktails Wednesday-Friday 4pm-5pm and half price pizzas on Sundays 7pm-9pm. They also do a bottomless brunch which I need to try at some point!
Now let’s talk about the new food. Last time Rumba changed the menu, I was gutted to see the hotdogs didn’t make the cut, but THEY’RE BACK! This menu is their most diverse yet, and boasts the most choice, featuring burgers, dogs, pizzas and kebabs that look like they belong in a particularly floral Deansgate venue (only cheaper and arguably better).
The Farmageddon was my favourite on their very first menu, but on menu number two, they bumped it for burgers. Now, the menu features both burgers and dogs and the Farmageddon is back, but with a few changes. Previously it had featured bacon, fried chicken, pulled pork, crispy onions, sriracha and nacho cheese. Now, it features a classic smoked pork bratwurst, crispy bacon, pulled pork, American cheese, BBQ ketchup and crispy onions. The one thing I will say is that the pulled pork makes this dish. It’s incredible. Enough said, before I start salivating.
Dad ordered the Chicken hanging kebab, since he loves them so much at The Botanist. The gluten free dish comes in at £2.50 less than it’s Mancunian cousin. In Dad’s words: “It was bang on. No worse than what I’ve had in Manc!” These kebabs always look impressive though, with the garlic butter dripping down the chicken and running over the skinny fries!
My sister’s partner, Nathan, had a Dirty Bird… that’s the name of a burger by the way. It boasts fried chicken, sweet BBQ sauce, crispy onions, American cheese, mac n cheese bites, shredded lettuce, tomato, paprika mayo. Jake and I tried out the burgers a few months back on a Best Friends Thursday. Whilst we were in their a group of four lads ordered eight burgers – that’s how good they are!
My sister has been vegetarian for around a year now, so we like to dine where there are quite a few veggie options for her to choose from. The Not Dog is their vegan hot dog topped with pickles, fried onions and ketchup. They also sell a vegan burger, and a vegetarian hanging kebab amongst other options.
To add on the side we grabbed some popcorn chicken and cheese bites. Clearly my eyes are too big for my belly. These types of dishes are great if you’re out for a few drinks and want some nibbles. The chicken has a bit of a spicy kick, and the cheese bites are halloumi, mozzarella and mac ‘n’ cheese.
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Rumba is certainly my favourite place to dine out in Cheshire. It’s got a great vibe and is really something that Stoke-on-Trent needs more of over the border.
