Dinner with friends or business colleagues, an evening of drinks, date night – Asia de Cuba suits any occasion. Inside feels smart and formal, but outdoors on the terrace is where the venue comes into its own, with tables dotted around the space, communal seating over by the bar and romantic, private little cabana-style seats on the sand, overlooking the Arabian Gulf.
Staff know the menu inside-out and give you a potted history on the restaurant’s Japanese-style dishes cooked with Cuban ingredients. Their recommendations are spot on, too. The goat’s cheese fritters are the star of our meal. The warm, tart cheese is off-set beautifully by the mango, cucumber relish and jalapeño aioli stuffing. As for the red snapper ceviche, it’s zesty and fresh, and comes with delicate, wafer-thin plantain chips, subtle in flavour and adding bite to the dish.
Mains elevate the experience further. The sticky-sweet, steamed Chilean sea bass falls apart with a prod and is a delight to eat with a portion of souped-up sweet potato fries – topped with queso fresco cheese and chipotle honey soy.
The price tag is steep (our meal comes in at about Dhs456 a head), but would we go again? Without a shadow of a doubt.
The bottom line
Exquisite dishes that come at a price.
