I've only been on a few bottomless brunches in London, but one has included being in bed by 3pm until midday next day, and the other on stage with a drag queen and an egg; it was right about time that I tried something that didn't include a photo that could be used against me in my next job interview, or a hangover before dinner. That's where Asia De Cuba came in.
The Venue
Having previously had dinner at Asia De Cuba, I thought my concrete notions of high-end dining and the clinking of wine glasses would be hard to nudge, but with an extra splash of vintage Cuban imagery on the walls here, geometric furniture and playful serving options there, Asia De Cuba has infact had something of an energising and colorful refurbishment. It's subtle enough to still feel like the same Asia De Cuba that I tried for dinner, but more than welcoming for the ever growing, bottomless brunch crowd. Perched in a leather booth with my mum in tow, the venue itself wasn't too busy, but that's because I don't think enough people yet know just how value for money the brunch offer here really is.
When it comes to one of the best brunches in London, Asia De Cuba just can't help themselves.
The Bottomless Brunch
Let's be honest, when people in London are looking for a bottomless brunch, it's the economy of the purchase that stands out, and Asia De Cuba stand themselves in really good stead when it comes to this, especially when it comes to the grand, hotel restaurant setting. While their standard bottomless brunch with starter dishes, bottomless cocktails and a main course comes in at £35, I had my mum on board, so we went for the premium at only £10 extra. Not only boasting bottomless cocktails in the shape of mimosas and mojitos, there's a spread of starters added to the table, a main course each, and bottomless doughnuts for dessert. Make no bones about it however, this is your alternative bottomless brunch as Asia De Cuba's fusion edge offer something wholly different from your standard egg on bread fare.
This has to have been one of the biggest, and best brunches i've ever been to, hands down. Starting with guava & cream cheese pastelitos, black bean hummus with malanga & plantain chips, mushroom ceviche, and black bean empanadas, the roster of pastry and flavours were undeniable, as not only did we request a second helping of the savoury yet sweet pastelitos as the bites practically melted in the mouth, the hummus was a rich yet light introduction to the main course that snapped pleasantly with the plantain chips. Tucking into the a la carte menu with a recommendation of their calamari salad, this mix of banana, hearts of palm and an orange-sesame vinaigrette showed that salad alternatives can come with fruit twists and exotic additions that clearly showed the restaurants infamous, Latin meets Asia dining stance. Finishing up with a heaped pile of doughnuts (opt for a doggy bag, my mum's train ride home was serious when it came to sugar), these final bites may have been rich and showered in caramel warmth, but they rounded off the brunch, turning it more into an extravagant meal rather than a mere breakfast plate alone. Even more exemplary than the meal alone? The cocktails, let's talk about those too. While classic and noted, not only were the mojito and mimosa clearly made with care, we were never left with any less that 2 each on our table at any one time; an important notion when it comes to the phrase 'bottomless' on a bottomless brunch.
Asia De Cuba's breakfast dishes tread the line between classic breakfast treats and Asian/Latin flavours.
Summary
I've never been more impressed with Asia De Cuba than I was at their brunch. Not only did the venue keep my mum snap happy, offer an exemplary service in the way of our waitress Vicky and maintain a classy edge throughout the afternoon, the food is unique, it blows your average bottomless brunch out of the water and offers a consistent topping up of glasses that'll have you buzzing before bedtime.
