A new cocktail bar and tapas restaurant has opened after two friends decided to follow their dream.
Bushra Lounge opened to the public in June and the new owners say they have had a great response. Friends Stephanie Williams, 33, from Bridgend, and Jessica Moule, 34, from Pontypridd, took the plunge and opened up their dream business in Aberdare. They both have their own separate salons but have come together for this new venture. The pair have known each other for the last eight years and decided to make their idea a reality.
Stephanie said: "We’ve always wanted to do it individually. We were talking about it one day and we just thought we’ll do it together. Location-wise, we didn’t really mind where we went, we just wanted to make sure it would work where we did go.”
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They looked at many locations across south Wales but decided on Duke Street, Aberdare, which was previously a cocktail bar called Bert & Ernies before it closed down. Stephanie said: "We went up there and we both just absolutely loved it." She added that there isn't a business like theirs in the area, and although it is "a bit of a massive gamble", they're going for it and "hoping for the best."
The meaning behind Bushra is "good news", "omen", and "perfect," which Stephanie added: “It was everything we were hoping for.” Bushra Lounge's interior remains the same as its predecessor, but the pair have renovated the second floor into a kitchen and restaurant so that they can serve a variety of tapas, street food, sandwiches, and desserts. They will also be serving Sunday roasts from July 2.
“We posted our menu and [the response] was unbelievable. There were so many comments [on the post] in the short space of time. We thought ‘oh my god, people are loving it and we haven’t even opened yet’ - it was a really positive response from the community. The people of Aberdare have been so lovely. Not only do we want it to do well, but the community wants it to do well too,” said Stephanie.
Stephanie and Jessica had a soft launch with friends and family on Friday, June 16, “to find their feet” before the official opening on Saturday, June 17. Stephanie said: “We had really good feedback, it was really good.” They have currently employed six members of staff who are all from the town.
What's on the menu?
These are just some of the dishes on the menu, which includes tapas and street food:
- Honey-glazed sesame chicken, pickled cucumber £5.80
- Chilli and lime skewers, mango coulis £4.95
- Duck bon-bons, plum and hoisin sauce £5.80
- Dirty fries, smoked bacon, homemade cheese sauce, crispy onions £5.75
- Spinach and sweet potato curry, basmati rice, rustic skin-on fries £11.95
- Chicken southern burger, smoked bacon, hickory BBQ sauce £13.50
You can find Bushra Lounge at 19 Duke Street, Aberdare, and the business is currently open Thursdays to Sundays, with potential to open throughout the week in the future.
