Restaurant Review: Chino Latino

By Leila Stocker

Last month VIVA dined at the award-winning Pan-Asian Chino Latino – the iconic restaurant located in the Park Plaza Leeds Hotel.

As pioneers in fusion cuisine, the Chino Latino restaurant brand was established over ten years ago. The menu aims to highlight the best of Pan-Asia’s culinary offering, together with Latino flourishes from Peruvian cuisine.

On entering from the hotel lifts, diners are met by a long inviting cocktail bar, with the main restaurant to the left, in-front of an open-faced kitchen. The space is a heady mix of purple and crimson hues. Lights dropped at different lengths run along a long dining table, which serves as the rooms centre piece.

We took our seats at Chino Latino’s corner table, perfect for people watching, and perused the extensive cocktail list. Split between the main base spirits, we agreed we could have happily tried at least one different drink from each list. As it happened, our Mezcarita, made of Monte Alban Mezcal, Cointreau and fresh lime, and Guava & Basil Daiquiri, made of Bacardi Superior, guava nectar, fresh basil and lime, were perfect palate openers.

Commencing with rock salted edamame; we then munched our way through delicate Tenkasu rolls of tuna, salmon, seabass and avocado, and generous salmon nigiri, presented with fanned cucumber, slabs of wasabi and lemon wedges.

Our mains of Thai chicken yellow curry with crispy vegetables and Salmon teriyaki with steamed bok choi we could have ate twice over.

And full to the brim, yet still craving something sweet to cease the meal, our Watermelon Smash cocktail, with its Jose Cuervo Silver, watermelon liqueur, fresh watermelon, fresh mint and lime, ended our feast with a flourish.

Chino Latino Leeds is open for lunch, Monday to Friday 12-2pm, and dinner Monday to Saturday, 6-10pm.