Asia de Cuba, an international brand that specialises in Chinese-influenced Cuban food, is set to open its first restaurant the Middle East.

Located in the UAE’s capital at the prestigious St Regis Abu Dhabi hotel, which boasts a landmark address at the celebrated Nations Tower’s beachfront on the capital’s corniche, the restaurant will also be the UAE’s first outlet for the North American restaurant chain. 

Asia de Cuba, Abu Dhabi has been designed to blend a vibrant atmosphere with an innovative menu featuring the brand’s signature modern Chino-Latino cuisine, and comprising distinct restaurant, lounge and beach club areas. 

The brand’s cuisine is rooted in the Asian influence on Cuban food and culture from Havana's Chinatown. 

The menu is the creation of Cuban-born Asia de Cuba Executive Chef Luis Pous, and has been updated for the UAE market to represent tastes across this region, whilst staying faithful to the brand’s DNA. 

Whilst the menu will welcome new culinary delights, discerning diners can also expect to see some of the concept’s celebrated dishes such as dumplings de enchilado de cangrejo, Cuban seafood stew, shrimp churros with coconut curry, cumin roasted lamb leg with maduros, yucca and black beans, rocoto miso glazed snapper with orange mojo, just to name a few. 

A selection of cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages will complement the dining experience, built from classic formulas and drawing inspiration from the national spirit of Cuba and Asia. 

Jeffrey Chodorow, the founder of China Grill Management (CGM), says: “We are pleased to announce our expansion into the Middle East with the upcoming launch of Asia de Cuba, Abu Dhabi. We’ve chosen a beautiful location that will incorporate our first beach club, making it the perfect hangout for day and night. Asia de Cuba is an institution throughout the US and London, and we are incredibly excited to introduce the brand to the residents of the UAE.”

Ahmed Ramdan, the CEO of Roya International, the hospitality solutions company welcoming Asia de Cuba to the region, comments: “We are pleased to be introducing this popular concept to the Abu Dhabi market. First-class dining is a crowded sector across the UAE but we believe this up-scale, vibrant, contemporary eatery answers the demand from a multicultural community with a cultured palate, who have appetite for an innovative menu and dramatic surroundings. Generating excellent returns and growth are key elements we pride ourselves on and are positive this will ensue at Asia de Cuba Abu Dhabi.”

The Abu Dhabi venue is scheduled to open in January 2015.

CGM operates some of the most critically acclaimed restaurants in major cities across the globe, including the famous China Grill brand. 

CGM is set to reopen Asia de Cuba in a new location in New York, and will soon open outposts of some of its other brands in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha in Qatar.

Founded over 25 years ago by Chodorow, CGM’s restaurants have been featured in The New York Times, In Style and Bon Appetit and have won awards ranging from Esquire magazine's ‘Best New Restaurant’ to Zagat Survey NYC's “most popular nightspot”.