Asia de Cuba

Profile

Back in 2011, when Jeffrey Chodorow closed Asia de Cuba at Morgans, it caused quite a stir: Like the Tao of today, it was a celebrity magnet — but critics actually liked the food, too. Now the restaurant, which specializes in Asian-meets-Latin cuisine, has reopened in Noho.

Chodorow and chef Luis Pous, a Havana native, have updated the menu, offering a mix of classics (tuna tartare, crispy calamari, crab dumplings) and more inventive dishes. Casabe cakes feature the traditional yuca bread; the Barrio Chino steak is a Creekstone Farms dry-aged cut; and the wok-fried duck confit includes brown rice and a poached egg.

Designer Rafael de Cárdenas created a space that's less splashy and ornate, and more sleek and modern. The restaurant seats 100, and there's a spacious bar, where you can order drinks like the Patong Palmer — a riff on an Arnold Palmer made with Thai iced tea, lemon, aperol, and coconut milk. — Sierra Tishgart