My co-workers and I managed to make it to the last day of the dineLA Restaurant Event at Asia de Cuba, the Asian and Latin fusion restaurant at the Mondrian Hotel. They had a $22 three courses lunch which is a really good deal for this $$$$ long-time trendy “scene” restaurant. It’s got a really nice view of the city and a great outdoor patio dining area. Originally they gave us a table that’s right next to the pool, pity that the sun was too bright and there was no shade, so we sat inside instead.
There’re 3 different choices under each of the 3 courses. For the 1st course:
Black bean and chicken pea dumpings tomato-ginger sauce, charred tomatillo puree and citrus crema. Very delicious!
Lemongrass skewered chicken: coconut Thai chili marinade, grilled pineapple and lychee. Braise pull pork empanadas: Eggplant bell pepper sofrito, mancheago cheese, citrus salad, smoked chili dipping sauce. Both were very good. I especially love the citrus salad that came with the Empanada: thinly slices of mango, cucumber and red bellpeper with chili powder. What an interesting side! I was very impressed with all three of the first courses.
2nd course:
Miso cured Alaskan butterfish: Cuban black bean and edamame salad, tempura shisito peppers. Amazing! Those of us who got this dish agreed that it was the winner of table. The butterfish was perfectly cooked, the meat was so moist and airy that they melt in your mouth. It’s cooked with just the right balance of sweetness and saltiness from the miso with a touch of chili powder. Highly recommend!
Mediadia (Cuban pressed sandwich of the day), Cuban BBQ chicken: Thai coconut sticky rice and avocado fruit salsa, tamarind sauce.
3rd course:
Sorbet of the day: House made tropical sorbet served with seasonal fresh fruit chopsticks and chili fruit sauce.
Cuban Opera: Rich chocolate cake layered with milk chocolate buttercream and coffee mousse with coffee-brittle ice crea, chocolate and caramel sauces. The opera was a little “hard” and heavy.Caribbean Carrot cake: carrot cake layered with pineapple cream cheese with lemongrass rhum raisin ice cream.
What a fantastic and satisfying meal for $22. The combine of Asian and Latin cuisine’s ingredients on some dishes are interesting and quite inventive. The service was surperb. And there’re plenty of food, unlike my previous two dineLA experiences (see entry: Vin Bar Valentino, Noe in which they significantly cut down on the portions. Though I wonder if I would be as impressive with the meal if I have to pay the regular price (very $$$$)? The drinks are all at least $15 and above (ex: $15 for a small average-at-best Mojito, just…) It’s definitely a place for special occasion only.
Asia de Cuba
8440 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 848 6000
Tags: Cake, Cuban, fashionable, Fusion
wow, what a treat to be able to go for lunch to Mondrian hotel during a work day!!ヾ(ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ゛
btw it seems like a lot of the dishes you order contain some kind of japanese ingredient? Like the miso on this one and Italian sashimi (whoa, what a concept (＾o＾；)
So are Japanese ingredients “in” at the moment?
Or has it been so from before?
They should introduce Natto!! haha
I can’t believe this three course lunch was only $22! What a an inexpensive way to put myself into a food coma for the rest of the afternoon . Thanks for the great review!
Finally a hit! And what a steal. Will they have this event next year? You should definitely go back to this place!
Yeah it was such a great deal, unbelievable!
Yeah Val, Japanese ingredients (or Japanese food in general) has been very very “in” for many years in LA and is not likely go away. The endless sushi restaurants opening here and there and the way everybody claims to be a sushi expert is turning sushi into a “California cusine” soon if it’s not already. Ramen has became a “hip” thing. Remember Daikokuya which we went to loonnng time ago when we were still in AC? It’s impossible to go there now without a long wait as it’s always extremely packed. Their quality greatly suffer in result, the ramenn taste manufacture and the egg no longer has half-cook york. Even the very mediocre Ramen places are all packed as hell. Izakaya has been all the rage too!
>Remember Daikokuya which we went to loonnng time ago when we were still in AC?
oh yeah, I definitely remember their full-bodied taste coming from meat and tons of oil, and feeling soooo full afterwards!! (＾∀＾◎)
> Their quality greatly suffer in result, the ramenn taste manufacture and the egg no longer has half-cook york.
Wow, that’s sad. Do you remember how the cook was constantly cooking something even when we were the only customers? They probably don’t have time to do that sort of thing anymore, huh? What a shame…(
nah most izakaya here are chichi and regular table (and LA has the no smoking inside restaurant law~), such as this one. The opening was as tacky as you get: geisha, ninja show…etc. ^^;; It’s like there was a tapas and wine bar craze awhile ago, then it’s izakaya…