Rumi and Rocket Society Launch in East Brunswick Village
Chef Joseph Abboud and his wife, Nat, have opened Rumi restaurant and Rocket Society bar in East Brunswick Village and we were invited along to the launch.
Rumi is a Melbourne institution and after 17 years Joseph has a new build for the first time.
The fit out is stunning, including a dash of retro, and the middle eastern menu includes old favs as well as some new dishes.
Rocket Society - named after the 2012 film, The Lebanese Rocket Society, about the 1960s Lebanese space program - neighbours the couple’s much-loved Rumi restaurant and is a new venue within which Joseph and his team can stretch their creative muscles.
Rocket Society has approximately 20 seats inside and the same again outside, on Bluestone Way and Village Avenue in East Brunswick Village.
The bar will be open all-day offering with Lebanese flat bread sandwiches for lunch, snacks in the afternoon and larger mezze in the evening.
The drinks offering will have a rotating wine list managed by Steven Kimonides – formerly of Burn City Smokers – with wines sourced from Victoria and beyond with a focus on the ‘Cradle of Civilisation.’ Cocktails, designed by recently appointed bar manager, Grace McArthur, will include Pina Colada and a ‘Margarocket - Rocket Society’s take on a Marietta.
There will be beer and wine on tap and non/low alcohol options.
“It's a space that we want to be available and easy to drop in any time of the day if you are catching up with a friend or meeting before or after a movie. It’s somewhere that you can just have a glass of wine and a snack,” says Joseph.
Joseph and Nat have employed Bradley Dawson as their General Manager. Brad has vast hospitality working in management roles in award-winning venues, Donovans St Kilda, Pearl and Momo. On opening the new venues, Joseph says, “I feel really lucky to be able to continue and expand our work in a brand new environment. It has given us a lot of great energy.”
As well as Rumi, and Rocket Society, there is a private dining room and events space that will be available for bookings from December 1.
Rumi and Rocket Society are part of the most recent Banco urban renewal development which sits over three hectares on Nicholson Street, Brunswick East and will be at the centre of Bluestone Way and Village Avenue’s vibrant restaurant and entertainment precinct that will include craft brewers, Bridge Road Brewery and FOMO cinema.
Rumi and Rocket Society 2 Village Avenue
East Brunswick Village, Brunswick East
rumirestaurant.com.au @the_rocket_society