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  • Writer's pictureAvi Sen
    • Aug 26, 2018
    • 3 min read

Asia de Cuba (Part II) (London)

Updated: Feb 12

This was my second visit in as many months. The last time was so good, that I was curious to see if Asia De Cuba could match or better that. Was it any good? Time to find out…

Asia De Cuba Interior

Ideal for:

  • Dinner with a quirky difference

  • Asian and Latin fusion dining

  • Date night

 

Ambience & Décor


Asia De Cuba Interior

The quirky, unique interior certainly has the wow factor. Random assortment of books wrapped around one support pillar, arbitrary hanging photos encasing another and Art-deco Cuban posters transporting diners to Havana. The mismatched furniture added to the bonkers setting but this distinct, dishevelled interior all came together bizarrely. A room you will not forget. The diners creating a hushed vibe.

Service


The waiters last time were fantastic, and they were on top form again. The original place where we were seated was not to our liking, so the staff accommodated our change swiftly. The staff were attentive and provided great conversation when needed.


Food


Red Snapper Ceviche

The Red Snapper Ceviche (left) was a great start to the meal. The fish was the star. Tasted so fresh with a healthy dosage of lemon atop. The thai chilli, red onion and coriander trifecta gave the Asian twist, but the chilli could have been punchier. Plantain and fish were a bizarre combination that seemed to work on this occasion, giving the dish some sweetness.


Being fans of short rib, the Ropa Vieja Spring Rolls (right) were a great illustration of Asia de Cuba’s mantra. Latino filling encased in an Asian tradition. The slow-braised short rib was nice, just wanted more given the price. The rocoto sweet & sour, gave a much needed sweetness, spice and tang to the otherwise one-dimensional dish.

Tunapica Tartare

If I had to choose one must-try starter, it is the Tunapica Tartare (right). Spanish olives, currants, toasted coconut, almond and avocado ceviche served in a taco. Bitterness from the olives, sweetness from the currants, savoury from the coconut and almond, with the hit of sharpness emanating off the ceviche. Perfect flavour combinations in the right proportions.

Coffee Crusted Rib Eye

The Coffee Crusted Rib Eye (left) was the best main, and for steak lovers, a must try. The quality of the beef was incredible, with the coffee crust a beautiful flavour and texture complement to the succulent beef. I am a sucker for mashed potato and the wasabi miso potato purée was divine. The sweetness and harshness of the miso and wasabi respectively, coupled with the earthy tones of the creamy potato made for an inspired dish. This was worth the high price.

Tamarind Glazed Salmon

The final main was Tamarind Glazed Salmon (right) which lacked the wow factor despite having an impressive ingredients list. Thought the salmon was overdone and the multitude of pepper, tamarind and chilli failed to resurrect the dish. The colourful presentation the highlight of the dish.


Tres Leches de Chocolate with chocolate Szechuan peppercorn ice cream

We sampled the Tres Leches de Chocolate with chocolate Szechuan peppercorn ice cream (left). The condensed milk ensured the dish was not as rich as it could have been whilst also tasting great. However, this was too rich, despite the chilli tempering some of the decadence of the chocolate.



Yet again, Asia De Cuba delivered a great night of culinary treats. It is one of my favourite fusion restaurants, and it sticks to its Asian-Latin mantra brilliantly. Like other times, there is always one dish that misses the mark. The salmon was paltry in comparison to the sublime steak, so Asia de Cuba gets an overall A rating.


Photos of Asia de Cuba and more can be found on Instagram here.

 

Final grade: A

Final comment: Latin vibrancy meets Asian flavours to create truly unique dishes.


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