I’ll admit, I have a soft spot for Argentine food. My husband and I got married in Buenos Aires last year, and somewhere between the dulce de leche and the endless flow of Malbec, I fell properly in love – with the food, I mean (him too, of course). So when I heard that Argentinian chef Cristian ‘Chino’ González was taking over the kitchen at Eastway Brasserie for the summer, I booked a table faster than you can say empanada.
Set inside Andaz London Liverpool Street, Eastway isn’t usually the kind of place that screams South American fire and flair, but that’s exactly what it’s serving right now. Chino’s three-month residency is all about open-fire cooking, bold Latin flavour, and dishes that feel as personal as they do precise. And let me tell you: it’s the real deal.
The menu opens with small plates that punch above their weight. The seabass ceviche is sharp and fresh, dotted with tomberries and puffed quinoa for texture. It instantly took me back to a lunch we had in Palermo Soho, sitting under a tree and drinking cold white wine while the city buzzed around us. The shrimp empanadas here are golden, crunchy little parcels of joy, and the chipa tapioca buns with spicy tomato jam are dangerously addictive.
For mains, we shared the grilled thin skirt steak, cooked over flame until the edges were perfectly charred, and finished with a generous drizzle of house-made chimichurri. My husband, who considers himself a steak snob, gave it a rare (but enthusiastic) nod of approval. The sirloin milanesa, crispy and rich and served with pesto taglioline, felt like a posh take on comfort food. The handmade orecchiette with clams, pork sausage and cime di rapa brought that earthy, coastal mix that Argentinians do so well.
The wine list is a treat in itself. A rotating selection of Argentinian bottles, some light and mineral, others big and bold, perfectly matched every stage of the meal. We went for a floral Torrontés to start, then moved to a deep, structured Malbec that made the steak sing.
And just when I thought I couldn’t eat another bite, the dulce de leche mousse arrived. Smooth, rich, not-too-sweet, and topped with praline and banana, it was basically a wedding cake flashback in dessert form.
What I love about this residency is how relaxed it feels. Chino’s food has finesse, but it isn’t fussy. It’s food that tells a story, one I already feel a little connected to. And in the middle of London, it’s a welcome hit of South American warmth, especially when the British summer is doing its usual “maybe, maybe not” routine.
If you love Argentine food, or just good food full stop, don’t miss this. I’ll be going back before the summer’s out and bringing anyone who’ll let me talk about my wedding again over a glass of Malbec.
40 Liverpool St, London EC2M 7QN
