Many a restaurant, including Baked Alaska, Tokyo Teriyaki and most recently Sea Breeze Fish and Chips, have gone through the thin corridor at 225 14th St. The first two went on to the bigger and better things, and the latter went the way of the sunshine in fall.

Now comes Rumba Grilled Sandwiches, a Latin sandwich shop opened April 4 that with low prices and simple, fresh food hopes to succeed where others have or have not.

Manager David Hayes, who moved from Portland specifically to run the restaurant, has been hitting the town, giving out pens, balloons and brochures anything to advance his stated goal of making the restaurant for locals.

The owners are Julio Chang and Jackie Cabrera-Chang, who also owned Sea Breeze and still own the Astoria Tokyo Teriyaki.

If we dont get Astorians to come here, come October well be a flash in the pan, said Hayes, who also keeps a full cruise ship schedule tacked to the wall and hopes to capture some of the crowds.

As its name implies, Rumba focuses on grilled sandwiches found throughout Latin America its signature sandwich is the Rumba, with beef, lettuce and a topping of its creamy gravy. It uses fresh ingredients, often sourced locally including wild Oregon shrimp and sometimes imported from Latin America.

It offers 16 sandwiches priced between $4 and $7.50 filled with beef, pork, chicken and shrimp. Some Sandwiches are also vegetarian, and Hayes said the restaurant will accommodate gluten-free customers.

Hayes said the menu, which also includes Latin desert specialties such as fruit picada with chili and lime, was developed with the thought of providing a unique offering to Astorians. The desert menu also includes esquites, a steamed corn dish topped with cotija cheese, and arroz con leche, a rice pudding. Drinks include Latino coffees and hot chocolate.

We dont have a fryer here, said Hayes. Were trying to go healthy here.

Rumba has two signature sauces, including the spicy cilantro Rumba house sauce and a habañero mayonnaise it also has the light, creamy Rumba gravy it sparingly drizzles over some sandwiches. Along with food, it sells Hispanic drinking chocolate and coffee.

Its authentic, said bilingual Rumba waitress Kameko Musolf. Its certainly not Subway.

The restaurant, which stays open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week, has a staff of four, including Hayes and Musolf, a business management major at Clatsop Community College.

Merinos Mine, who hails from Mexico, has worked for more than a quarter century in the restaurant industry. He was most recently a cook at Sea Breeze and had almost moved to Portland for work when it closed.

Chris Moulin, a waiter and cook at Rumba, is also a business major at CCC who met the owner and heard mention of the restaurant opening.

Rumba can be found on Facebook and Yelp. Musolf does online marketing for the restaurant, while Hayes continues hitting the pavement. For more information, or to make a to-go order, call 503-468-0788.