Asia de Cuba

[jbehmoaras]

Search through the forums I could not find any discussion on the restaurant "Asia de Cuba." (Although the title only includes words with 4 letters or less so I couldnt run a proper search)

Last night I had a terrific meal there. Was it crowed and cramped, yes. Was it noisy, yes. But what restaurant in this that has a good ambiance isn't.

We had fried black bean and chickpea dumplings, asian longbeans with chicharones, a duck dis similar to pecking duck but with napa cabbage instead of moo shu pancackes, a tuna tartare dish on crispy fried wontons, and a surprisingly amazing side of lobster mashed potatoes ... I shared all this with one other person so I couldnt even make it to desert. And although it was expensive, it seemed worth it, although that was after a pitcher of red sangria, which was among the best sangrias I have ever had.

I would love to hear other people's experiences there (and I would love to hear how the panko crusted plantains were ... I might have to go again just to taste that dish)

[Nathan]

I was there a few years ago before I even moved to NY.

not sure how long it's been open but it's certainly one of the older Chodorow factories.

like other Chodorow restaurants, it's possible to get some competent food there (at least it was then)...but like the others, it's designed more as a scene...which of course means that its day is long past. thus you won't see much commentary on it.

[Daniel]

I went there I think five years ago.. The food does not stand out in my memory but, at the time, for me, it was a lot of money.. As me and an old friend sat at dinner, this woman walked up to me and asked for a picture.. I stood up and took a picture with her.. And she said thanks my daughter is going to love this.. I have no idea who the hell she thought I was.. Cause I aint that good looking and there is no one I think I look like..

[H. du Bois]

Daniel, you crack me up.

I've been there a few times, though not in recent years. It's a great place to do a group thing - the drinks and food are festive. It's fun.

I don't remember food specifics beyond two things - it was the first time I'd ever eaten hearts of palm, and I loved them. And once someone ordered foie gras for our table without knowing what it was. I was the only one who would eat it (the others wouldn't touch it). Poor me.

Edited July 19, 2006 by H. du Bois (log)

[Fat Guy]

I went to AdeC at least a dozen times back when it was cool (not because I'm cool, but because cool people made me go) and I was well financed, and I always thought the food was quite good. I actively looked forward to the tunapica (the aforementioned tuna tartare) and the lobster mashed potatoes and often got a whole order of the tunapica for myself so I wouldn't have to share it with five other people. The only time I went there in the past 4 or 5 years, though, both the scene and the food seemed a bit long in the tooth. I'm glad to hear maybe it's on the upswing.

[mikeycook]

The tunapica was (and is) my favorite, too. I haven't been for dinner in a while, only drinks (the bar upstairs is smaller and fun if not too crowded). At least it doesn't seem to take itself too seriously these days (how can you take yourself seriously when you have a dessert called "Bay of Pigs").