When you are looking for places to eat in London I am sure that you, like me, would not think of Vauxhall, but this has changed for me after visiting Chino Latino.
Vauxhall borders the congestion charge zone and for some maybe on the wrong side of the river, but it is well supported by public transport having tube, train and bus links as well as river boats. Vauxhall, as the name suggests, does actually give its name to the car manufacturer, but its main claim to fame is that it hosts the central headquarters of the British Intelligence Service (more commonly referred to as MI6), which has been seen in many James Bond films including Skyfall, Die Another Day, and also Spectre in 2015 when it was demolished! Despite this attack the building is in fact still standing, and it is between this building and the Houses of Parliament that you will find the imposing Park Plaza Hotel, which is home to Chino Latino.
Chino Latino is located on the first floor of the hotel and is accessed via an escalator which passes up and through psychedelic purple walls, transporting you into an airy and bright space. The restaurant is smart and stylish and as you enter the first thing that strikes you is the wall to ceiling glass frontage giving spectacular views of the Thames and to the right great views of The Houses of Parliament. This is enhanced by the high ceilings which are filled with lights mounted on metal beams, which struck me as similar to the back stage at a theatre, but although it sounds odd it just works, and provides a truly contemporary feel in which to enjoy great food. The room is split into three sections divided by two bars on each side, one serving drinks, and one preparing mouthwatering sushi. The central area is a modern bar serving an extensive list of cocktails and aperitifs, but what struck me immediately were not the retro high backed chairs, but the fabulous ‘pixaresque’ Luxo lamps which lean over the drinkers, posing like sentinals, which I would just love to have in my home. Having ordered ourselves a glass of something cold, we then set about determining what to eat.
In the past, I have always felt a little intimidated by Japanese/Asian restaurants, as I didn’t really understand what each section was offering, but the menu is actually very simple when you look a little closer, but if you are still unsure Chino Latino provide 3 great tasting menus ranging from £37 to £55 which will take you through a wonderful culinary journey. With my newfound confidence with Asian food, I decided to accompany our drinks with some Edamame Beans (£3.50) which were nicely salted and were really the perfect start to our journey into Pan Asian food. Once these were devoured we moved to our table right by the glass frontage, and whilst we marvelled at how beautiful the London Skyline can be as the sun set over the Houses of Parliament and under the ‘theatre lighted ceiling’, the ‘show’ began. A meal should not just be about the food (although it is a critical part), it is a combination of the de´cor and the service as well, and this show started well with our waiter pouring hot water onto two small disc shaped tablets which then as if by magic grew into two hot hand towels.
For our first course we chose the Calamari with Tamarind dressing, tomato, red onion and mint (£7.50), Prawn Tempura wrapped in shiso leaf (£8.50) and the Wagyu Beef Taquitos (£12.50). I loved the Taquitos which were little ice cream cone shaped tacos packed with a big flavour and melt in the mouth beef. The tempura were light and everything you would want, as were the calamari.
Our next course was an unashamed throw back to a Chinese meal as we selected the Crispy Duck with cucumber, spring onion and hoisin sauce (£14.50). This is a firm favourite of mine and I wasn’t disappointed as the duck was moist and its skin crispy, and with the texture of the onion and the warm richness of the hoisin sauce, the pancakes were so moreish I considered ordering another portion.
We then ordered some Sushi, including Tiger Maki (£12) and Tenkasu Roll (£11) both providing 8 pieces. The Tuna, salmon and seabass and avocado filling in the Tenkasu Roll was so fresh and crisp, and provided a perfect contrast to the sticky sushi rice, all topped off, for me, with a little soy sauce.
For those as dedicated as we were to doing the menu justice, we then turned our thoughts to the main courses which has an eclectic mix of dishes, including influences from England (Sirloin Steak on hot rocks £19), Korea (Lamb Cutlets marinated in Korean hot pepper paste £28), Japanese (Black Cod with spicy miso £29.50) and Thailand (Thai Chicken in green curry £16.50).
The choice is extensive and varied as mentioned, but eventually we plumped for the Chilean Sea Bass with smoked chipotle miso and tender stem broccoli (£32.50) and the Thai Chicken in green curry, micro bok choi and sweet potato (£16.50) with steamed bok choi (£4.50) and jasmine rice (£2.50), and we were not disappointed. The Chilean Sea bass received a makeover in the 70’s, as it used to be called the Patagonian Tootfish (well would you order this if on the menu?!!), and was cooked to perfection, allowing the buttery fat taste, which is unusual for a white fish, to break through. The Thai Green Curry was rich and creamy and had just enough heat to make our mouths tingle, lovely!
I am now a true convert to Asian food, and at Chino Latino’s the menu draws upon the delicate flavours of China, South East Asia and modern Japan, all within a stylish and smart interior, and the piece de resistance is that every night there is live music. What more do you need on a night out?
Chino Latino at Park Plaza Riverbank, 18 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TJ, Telephone: 020 7769 2525
Website: www.chinolatino.eu/London/