The dancing corner: Bomba opens nextdoor to Salsa’s

A little of this and a little of that: At Bomba, Hector Diaz and general manager Megan DeCamara hope to make small tastes the next big thing. Photo by Max Cooper.

The newest venture from Hector Diaz of Salsa's, Modesto and Chorizo will open with standing room only. “No seating nowhere because this is a European concept,” Diaz says. “You can stand there, or you take, and you go.”

Under the moniker of Bomba (and subtitled Salsa's on the Square), the tiny corner unit of 1 Pack Square, which previously housed a branch of The Sister's McMullen bakery, will serve hand-held breakfast foods, sandwiches, tea snacks, one-bite menu items, shots and miniature cocktails. Diaz envisions that the space will operate all day and into the night with ham and eggs on brioche for breakfast, sandwiches from around the world at lunch, cucumber tea sandwiches in late afternoon, bite-sized items at dinnertime and late-night small pours.

“When dinner comes, it's all about one bite,” Diaz says. He's not talking about tapas, he explains. The items will be smaller than a tapas portion, literally bite-size. The cost will be minimal: a few dollars per item. The prices will work out to even-dollar amounts (with tax) to avoid the hassle of making change.

While the drink pours will also be small, alcohol options will be abundant from the morning onward. Diaz hopes customers will start the day with a shot of Ginja, a Portugese liqueur made from ginja berries (also called sour cherries). “It's good for your blood,” he says.

Diaz has plans to sell cigars, cigarettes and gum from behind the bar and stay open until midnight on the weekends. He also says he will redevelop the space over the winter to make room for outdoor seating.

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