Chino Latino London

The Riverbank Park Plaza Hotel towers over the Thames riverside in Lambeth, in easy walking distance of popular landmarks in Westminster and further up towards the South Bank. That makes it especially popular with London visitors, and in-house restaurant Chino Latino is equally so, blending pan-Asian cooking with bright and breezy Latin cocktails.

Don’t be deterred by the nightclub-like wall of flashing neon lights that greet you ascending the escalator – the vista of the Thames that swings into view as you enter Chino Latino is far more reassuring for a hotel dining experience, as too the huge glass windows that flood the clean-cut, modern space with light. On our visit there was also some gentle live music, courtesy of a singer and guitarist rolling out some easy-going swing.

The menu bounces from sushi to sashimi, to occasional Latin flavours like beef taquitos and sea bass tiradito. On the whole we would recommend sticking to the Asian dishes - we found the Latin dishes a bit of a mixed bag, but the bold, accessible pan-Asian cooking is very good. Sushi is a good place to start as Chino Latino has a dedicated sushi chef, so you’re likely to receive this a little earlier. We enjoyed an excellent spider roll and a bit of theatre in the form of a flaming sushi roll, before moving on to equally good steamed dim sum. We’d recommend the same approach with the mains - though pricey, the black cod with spicy miso is a delicious whack of umami flavour, as is the pork belly with lemongrass, galangal and Nashi pear.

Likewise on the drinks, with experience we would stick to the sake as an excellent pairing for the Asian cooking on offer - Chino Latino offers a compact list of excellent sakes and staff are very helpful and always on hand to steer you in the right direction.

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.