Asia de Cuba to close after 20 years

Asia de Cuba in London's Covent Garden is set to close at the end of this month after 20 years to make way for a new concept.

The Chino-Latino restaurant at SBE Entertainment Group's St Martins Lane hotel opened in 1999 and will be closing its doors on 28 February to be replaced by another, as yet undisclosed, SBE restaurant brand.

From 1 March, St Martins Lane Kitchen will open in the space temporarily, serving an Asian-inspired menu exploring the cuisine of Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

The hotel's bars, Blind Spot and the Den, will continue to operate as usual, however later this spring St Martins Lane Kitchen and Blind Spot will close for refurbishment in order to make way for the new concept.

SBE also operates the Sanderson hotel in London, and until recently the Mondrian London, however the 359-bedroom hotel ended its management agreement with the US-based hospitality company last month.

The company is owned by AccorHotels and founder and chief executive Sam Nazarian and operates 25 hotels and 175 restaurants and entertainment venues globally.

Starters at St Martins Lane Kitchen will include soft shell crab, crispy garlic, bird eye chilli, pepper (£10) and Vietnamese pomelo salad, cucumber, carrot, mint and peanut (£8). Main courses will include Cambodian fish amok, turmeric, lemongrass, coconut, jasmine rice (£16) and kampot pepper baby chicken, baby corn, carrot, asparagus, long bean (£18).

There will be a choice of noodles, rice and vegetables sides as well as desserts celebrating Asian flavours, such as kaffir lime flan, egg custard, coconut, lime (£6) and banana and coconut cake, Chantilly cream, passion fruit (£6).

St Martins Lane Kitchen will also serve a brunch menu on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and a pre- and post-theatre menu will also be available, offering guests two courses for £20 or three courses for £25 between 5-6.30pm and 10pm-close.

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