A new Chino-Latino inspired weekend menu has just launched at the Asia de Cuba restaurant within London’s St Martin’s Lane Hotel, so we were invited to put it to the test.
As we walked in through the hotel’s grand tall yellow glass-tinted revolving door, we were lured in to the bar area with the effervescent sound of live Cuban music spilling on to the foyer.
While we marveled at the live singing with brilliant classic beats like Santana’s ‘oye como va’, we soaked up the splendid surrounds of the recently refurbished restaurant, with its dark leather lounge seating, modern library setting and a laid-back, buzzy vibe.
The newly-introduced weekend brunch fun begins with a choice of bottomless cocktails (mojitos, mimosas, bellinis or bespoke bloody Marys), or endless flutes of fizz. We were offered a hybrid of both drink options as part of our experience, starting with a fruit bellini (you’ll be spoilt with a presentation of colourful fresh fruit purees such as peach, mango, guava and passionfruit), and then continued to quaff on syrupy golden delicious glasses of Perrier-Jouët champagne.
Inspired by Havana’s Chinatown, this sparkling new menu at Asia de Cuba has been devised by Cuban-born Executive Chef Luis Pous. The Chino-Latino three-course brunch menu itself includes sharing dishes for the table such as picadillo pastalitos, shrimp churros and our two favourites – black bean hummus with crunchy, crispy thin malanga chips, and plantain chips. We also particularly enjoyed the ceviche de pescado – a meaty white snapper fish cured in citrus juice with red-hot chillis and fresh coriander. The well-presented box also comes with chicken chicharrones, ropa vieja spring rolls and mini Cuban sandwiches.
These delightful bites are followed by your preferred main course from the extensive à la carte menu. We ordered the scrummy breakfast tortilla – a flour bread topped with spicy black beans, chorizo, eggs and coriander and tomato, which is baked like a pizza until it’s piping hot, and crispy and golden. Because it was later in the afternoon, we also shared the mojo duck confit – brown rice stir fried with orange, Thai basil, red chilli and poached egg.
On the menu, you’ll also find classics with twists such as eggs benedict, pancakes and smashed avocado with tomato and egg served on sourdough bread. For those who would rather do lunch than brunch, there are Cuban roasts available too.
To wrap things up rather sweetly, you’ll be treated to an unlimited number of the restaurant’s signature Mexican doughnuts, served with sticky chocolate and caramel dips to dunk your sugary bites into. We could only manage two, but sugar monsters will love them.
The Asia de Cuba bottomless brunch takes place every Saturday and Sunday from 12pm until 4pm. For those staying teetotal, or planning a night out in town, complimentary car parking is also available for visitors – a real bonus when you’re in the heart of Central London congestion.
Asia de Cuba – How and where
Address:
45 St Martin’s Ln
London
WC2N 4HX
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7300 5588
Web: www.asiadecuba.com/london
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