Authentic Italian cooking and hospitality in Thao Dien!
Tonight, my pal Hannah and I enjoyed dining at the brand-new Italian restaurant on Nguyen Van Huong – CanTyna, and it truly exceeded our expectations!
The decor is excellent; it boasts a massive bar, a wine cellar, both indoor and outdoor dining areas and a private room in the back with a state-of-the-art wine dispenser.
Awesome service! The staff at CanTyna ensured our glasses were always topped up and fresh cutlery and plates were always at the ready. Plus, the timing of each course was spot on – no waiting around!
Now, let’s talk about the food!
To kick things off, we were greeted with a nice bread basket accompanied by olive oil, butter, and balsamic. The homemade focaccia was the best!
For starters, we had the Cozze Alla Sorrentina – Irish Black mussels simmered in a spicy tomato broth, served with wood-fired bread. Dip that bread in the broth, add some mussels, and prepare for a taste sensation!
Our first main course was the Rigatoni Alla Carbonara Romana – Rigatoni Rummo coated in Hikari Egg cream sauce, with crispy Guanciale Norcino, grated pecorino romano cheese, and a generous seasoning of Phu Quoc black pepper. It was pasta perfection! Very traditional, no whole cream bullshit and bacon, the real deal!
Next up, we scranned the Filetto Di Manzo (200g) – a perfectly cooked, medium-rare Wood-fired Argentinian Beef Tenderloin served with a crisp watercress salad and potato gratin. We opted for the bearnaise sauce, and it was pure bliss! The meat was of excellent quality, up there with some of the renowned Saigon Steak Houses such as B3 and Stoker.
As for the sides, the Broccolini Dello Chef – wood-fired broccolini with honey raisin dressing, hazelnut crumbs, and smoked sea salt – was a simple but delicious surprise.
We also had the Melanzane Sott’olio – eggplants preserved in chilli, garlic, lemon, and parsley. A lovely side to accompany the steak. Again, use that bread! I put some on the bread with balsamic vinegar, which was too good!
To wash it all down, we enjoyed two large bottles of Aqua Panna water and two glasses of house red. (I wish I could tell you about the wine, but I was regretfully on the water. Hannah said it was delicious though!).
CanTyna is the complete package – fantastic food, awesome service, and lovely decor. I will definitely be back again!
Overall score: 8/10
Price: 2,050,000
