Chino Latino London

Located within walking distance of Westminster and South Bank, the Park Plaza Riverbank serves as an exceptional home from home. Chino Latino - the hotel’s Pan-Asian-with-a-twist restaurant - shares this appeal, looking out towards the Houses of Parliament as double-deckers and black cabs trundle away below. Glassy and efficient, this is Asian dining with a Latin tilt, positioned to draw a crowd of celebratory diners, date night couples, and hotel guests.

Cocktails, chiefly a Kukulkan number, are the first smart move. Kukulkan, a feathered snake of Mayan mythology, often symbolises the connection between the celestial and terrestrial realms. It’s easy drinking, well-considered stuff: a boozy blend of tequila, mescal and rum, softened by sharp pineapple under a heavenly meringue-like layer of glossy coconut cream.

What follows is a pretty parade of sushi and small plates. There’s tiger maki dressed in a curious baby pink kewpie stuffed with sweet crab and prawn tempura; smoky salmon nigiri, torched to just the right edge of char; and nori tacos stuffed with avocado. It’s recognisable, crowd-pleasing stuff.

Not everything lands. A duck and pomelo salad is drenched in maple syrup, muting subtler notes of mustard seed and thyme. Then there’s a hunk of black cod, glazed with spicy miso. The cook on the fish is faultless, flaky and yielding, though this too ventures into too-sweet territory, and the promise of heat goes undelivered.

There’s no denying Chino Latino is expensive, sometimes eyewateringly so (that cod will leave you £40 lighter), but while some dishes might be hard to justify, others deliver comfort and satisfaction in spades. Beef short rib, for instance, slow-cooked with teriyaki, arrives melting and rich, topped with fresh spring onion.

Desserts, if we’re honest, aren’t really the thing to order here - but after that short rib, you probably won’t miss them. By now, with the room warmed through by the band’s glossy run of soul covers, a post-dinner cocktail serves as a neat conclusion.

Chino Latino might not surprise at every turn, but it delivers enough well-judged hits - good sushi, bright cocktails, and a relaxed, crowd-pleasing atmosphere - to make the evening worthwhile.

Chino Latino London is an up-market Pan-Asian restaurant and Latin cocktail bar, situated in the Riverbank Park Plaza Hotel. It boasts a great location on the Embankment, not too far from both Oval and Pimlico stations, with stunning views out across the River Thames. 

Chino Latino has three restaurants in total, the others can be found in Leeds and Nottingham, but this particular branch has been established for over 10 years. In this time it has won multiple awards and become known for its stand-out sushi and Asian street food dishes. 

The kitchen is helmed by Executive Chef Werner Seebach who has developed the current menu which celebrates punchy flavour combinations and tropical influences. The menu is split into three sections, first of all offering a selection of small dishes which spans tempura, sushi, sashimi, salads and starters. Here, you'll find the likes of prawns wrapped in shisho leaf; duck salad with lime mustard maple syrup; and white miso soup with tofu, spring onion, wakame and nameko. 

Mains are separated into meat, seafood, vegetables and sides, with an extensive selection of all. We like the sound of the slow cooked prime beef short rib with teriyaki sauce and baby chicken with plum sauce, as well as the black cod with spicy miso and fried aubergine salad. Finally, it's a deep dive into some East Asian favourites such as dim sum and an extended list of sushi, alongside taquitos and grilled skewers.

With so much to choose from, it might be hard to know what to pick and for these moments, there's the tasting menu. For a set price per person, diners can indulge in eight dishes spread over three courses, finishing with a dessert platter. It's perfect for trying a little bit of everything. And, the desserts certainly do sound delicious with options such as an espresso martini-inspired dessert with tiramisu mousse, chocolate soil, chocolate sponge, coffee and Kahlua, as well as a twist on the pavlova in a meringue dish topped with a fruit compote, vanilla and lime chantilly, and a tropical gel.