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CoChinChina

Buenos Aires

Fusing the flavours of France and Vietnam with an Argentine accent

Whether you sink into a striped deckchair on the pavement or sit at the eye-catching U-shaped bar underneath the towering Asian street signs, the intent is clear: CoChinChina wants to carry you away to a brand-new destination. A theatrical cocktail bar and restaurant located in Palermo, Buenos Aires, whose name in Spanish translates as 'a faraway place', owner and bartender Inés De Los Santos unites the two diverse worlds of Vietnam and France and gives them an Argentine accent.

Depending on your mood, an array of spaces have been conceived, from intimate booths for romantic dates to the low bar counter for a mixology close-up. If you're tempted by the tasting menu paired with cocktails, book a table upstairs at the more chilled-out Arriba. Music spun by the DJ keeps energy levels high, varying between soul, hip hop and tech house that often has revellers dancing in the aisles. 

While CoChinChina's interior design is show-stopping – take your phone to the bathroom for a photo with the goldfish wall – De Los Santos' cocktails are effortlessly elegant, tipping a nod to both France and Vietnam. Order the iconic La Vida Que Me Merezco (The Life I Deserve), a margarita balanced with pineapple, lemon and vanilla; another classic is Blend De Los Buenos, made with Santos' very own Cantieri Navali vermouth, soda water and capers. Dishes also have Franco-Vietnamese inspiration: a must is the delectable shrimp banh-mi and the legendary short ribs. 

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