West Hollywood, CA 90069
Another place that's been on the "to-eat" list for a while. And as is with all restaurants, it's all about location. Unfortunately for us, Asia de Cuba was just too far. The restaurant is located inside the Mondrian Hotel near the heart of all the action on Sunset Boulevard. However, we conceded to make the drive in order to help Jeanny celebrate her "40th" birthday.
In interior is decorated in bright whites and has a modern-urban cottage feel. The main dining room is a long stretch of walkway, with tables down the middle flanked by tables and booths on either side. The place is dimly lit, with a lively atmosphere. The menu items are designed to be shared family-style. The cuisine itself is represented in the restaurant's name, modern Asian-fusion with Cuban influences or vice versa.
Sidenote: Valet parking is available through the Mondrian Hotel. But like all parking in that area, it's pretty pricey - $15 after restaurant validation.
1. Pan Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops, sweet and sour plantains, habanero corn crema - These were some pretty large scallops. They had a nice sear on the outside, but tasted a bit undercooked in the center and generally lacked the natural sweetness we've come to expect from the top-tiered mollusks. However, the accompanying habanero corn crema more than made up for that shortcoming. It was rich, slightly spicy, with hints of sweetness strewn throughout in the form of, what appeared to be, raisins. A very nice way to start dinner.
Side of Shanghai Noodles - Never having tried shanghai noodles before, I would liken this dish to yaki-udon noodles. Largely soy sauce and bell peppers. Not bad, but disappointing.
2. Miso Cured Butter Fish, cuban black bean and edamame salad, tempura shishito peppers - Oily, flakey, tender and delicious. Still one of our favorite fish, although we still prefer it sashimi-style rather than cooked. The miso was not too heavy-handed, which was nice, which allowed for a greater appreciation for the fish itself. Edamame salad was served luke-warm and didn't add much overall.
3. Honey-Rhum Glazed Pot Roast Of Pork, sautéed shanghai bok choy, fried plantains and enoki mushrooms - A very well-executed dish. The pork was tender and skin, slightly crisped. The glaze had a nice balance of sweet and savory, which was infused into the delicious bok choy as well. Very tasty.
Triple Berry Cake Sweet Lady Jane - From the people that made Charles Barkley's 48th birthday cake, which was debuted at the pre-game show for the 2011 NBA All-Star, comes "J's 40th" birthday cake. A white cake with strawberries, raspberries and blackberries within. It was beautiful and quite yummy. The cake was a bit more dense, somewhat closer to a pound cake. The frosting wasn't too sweet and the berries provided a nice compliment. This cake is a favorite amongst our friends and makes its appearance at least once a year at someone's birthday. (Be advised, Asia de Cuba charges a $5 per person cake cutting fee.)
Overall, a very enjoyable meal and definitely exceeded expectations. It was made even better by being able to share with such great friends in celebration of a big milestone birthday. However, with that tedious drive out to West Hollywood, it probably won't be for a while until we make our return.
Happy brithday, Jeanny!!!!
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