With its sophisticated decor, faultless service and creative menu, Asia de Cuba stands out as one of the top restaurants in London.

The Venue
Located in the swish St Martin’s Lane Hotel, Asia de Cuba is a quick walk through the hotel’s lobby with its various design-friendly seating areas. The restaurant itself is open and airy, with a mezzanine-style bar area with high seating on one side and a more traditional restaurant area taking up the rest of the space. Decor is minimal, with large columns, lined with everything from books to potted plants, the main focal point. The only minor complaint is that the booths aren’t terribly comfortable – if you’re short you’ll need to contort yourself a bit to reach the table, and if you’re tall you’ll find yourself on eye level with the dangling bare bulb that serves as the main lighting. It’s only a small irritation, though, and after a drink or two you’ll hardly notice.

The Atmosphere
Tables are available for two hours but service is swift and staff keep things moving without rushing your meal. In fact, staff are a high point – they’re sweet, friendly and know the menu inside and out. If you fail to finish the massive portions, doggie bags are offered without judgment.

The Food
Fusion menus can sometimes inspire disbelief but the combination of spicy, vibrant and fresh flavours in the Latin and Asian food at Asia de Cuba really works. Although the first thing you’ll notice about the menu is the extremely high prices, what the menu doesn’t tell you (but what your server probably will) is that the dishes are massive and you can get away with sharing most of them. If you have the money (and the appetite) to spare, though, it’s worth trying a few.

For starters, the Asian pesto grilled prawns (£24), although there are only four of them, are pretty big. They’re well cooked, with a garlicky pesto sauce that works well with the tropical fruit salsa on the side, a tangy mix of pineapple, mango and various melons. The Thai beef salad (£19) is massive, with a huge mound of green leaves bordered by slivers of beef carpaccio. Tossed with a fiery dressing, orange segments and a chunk of avocado, the salad is perfect for sating your hunger whilst still leaving you looking forward to the main course. As for mains, there’s a choice of more than a dozen and the pan seared ahi tuna (£28) comes highly recommended by staff. It’s easy to see why as the tuna is absolutely perfect, seared on the outside and firm and red in the centre. It’s prettily presented on top of a bed of moreish wasabi mash – only subtly spicy but still delicious – and a handful of wasabi peas are sprinkled around the edge of the plate. A (once again large) bowl of sauteed Asian and Caribbean veg (£7) makes a good accompaniment.

Desserts are £12 (not counting a £15 banana split) and, as expected, big enough to share. If you ask nicely, staff are happy to do half portions of certain dishes. Asian pear bread pudding is rich and indulgent, served with a boozy rum-laced cream and a surprisingly tart cheesecake ice cream. The Cuban coffee brownie is also good, although the coffee taste slightly falls by the wayside in favour of fudgey sauce and equally fudgey chocolate ice cream.

The Drink
The menu comes bordered with creative aperitifs and dessert cocktails, ranging from about £10 to £13. Most diners seem to opt for wine with their meal, and Asia de Cuba’s thorough list starts at about £30 and ranges from about £7 to £11 per glass. For white wines, an Australian Chardonnay is sweet and light, whilst a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is crisp and fresh. A pre- or post-dinner cocktail at the neighbouring Light Bar is highly recommended, but be sure to book beforehand as entry is guestlist only.

The Last Word
It may be pricey but the adage that you get what you pay for has never been more apt. Asia de Cuba is a must for fans of the London dining scene.

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