Leonardo playing with Chef Francesco
Twenty days into the Vietnam trip with my boy passed before I was nostalgic for Italian cuisine. Apart from the sporadic pizza shared with Leonardo, I had stirred away from pasta and European foods. The fuse was lit by La Casa Restaurant during our stay at the incredible Alma Resort in Cam Ranh, Vietnam. I went in the fabulously furnished restaurant and immediately asked if the chef was really Italian, even though I had no doubts: resorts of this caliber always have an excellent chef in their restaurants, and if they had chosen to Italian cuisine, well, the Italian chef had to be there. And indeed there was: Francesco Leone, a kind and affable guy in his late 30s. I didn’t hesitate to book a table for a fish dinner that day, since we were at a seaside resort.
fried calamari fried to perfection
Upon our arrival at 7pm, we were shown to our assigned table by very professional staff, who handed us the menu, as well as a kids’ menu, perfect for an active and hungry Leonardo after a day experiencing all the various kids’ activities at Alma Resort. After having peeked at the choices in the list, I went for fried calamari and a salmon salad to begin with. I needed to satisfy my hunger after the afternoon with Leonardo at the Splash Park, Alma Resort’s signature water park. I picked a suitable white wine for dinner and relaxed, waiting for the courses to reach our table.
Pizza making at La Casa
I have no complaints about the calamari, a jump-scare portion fried to perfection. The salad was how I wanted it: with lots of fish and character. Leonardo enjoyed his homey portion of spaghetti with tomato sauce. Despite the more than generous size of the courses, I was still feeling hungry so I ordered a plate of home-made fettuccine with prawns, stracciatella cheese and lemon, which turned out to be delicious. Leonardo opted for a nice strawberry ice cream. At that point I was full and dinner was over, but not my relationship with La Casa Restaurant.
Leonardo enjoying the superb breakfast choices at La Casa Restaurant
Before leaving I had a chat with Chef Francesco, who had come to the table to make sure dinner had gone well, and also to have a chat in his native language. Francesco revealed that he is from Bari, in southern Italy. He has a long career in hospitality and has cooked in various 5 star hotel restaurants in Europe and Asia. He told us that La Casa Restaurant also serves Italian breakfasts, so the following morning, instead of going to Alma’s breakfast restaurant, I headed to La Casa Restaurant, and I must say I was more than satisfied.
Both Leonardo and I were blown away by the amazing courses. We were immediately brought a pyramid of dishes containing various cheeses, yoghurts and cod cuts, sided by a basket of breads, croissants and pan-au-chocolate. I then ordered toast with jam, and I must say that the quality of both the toast and the homemade jam was superior.
home made pappardelle pasta with stracciatella cheese, Parma ham and white truffle
The cherry-on-the-cake was an artfully made cappuccino with Lavazza coffee. The day had started well.
That evening went even better. You won’t believe it but, since I had seen several dishes on the menu that intrigued me, that evening we went for dinner… at La Casa Restaurant! This time I opted for a different menu: a legumes soup (don’t laugh please: it’s something I really miss when I travel, together with minestrone) followed by the special of the day: home made pappardelle pasta with stracciatella cheese, Parma ham and white truffle, a combination that I really enjoyed.
All dishes I sampled at La Casa Restaurant in the quest to satisfy my Italian food craving were great taste-wise. I will never stop complimenting the entire entourage of Francesco for the way La Casa Restaurant is managed, for the excellent service and professionalism of those who work there, and for the fantastic cuisine that Francesco studies and creates for the happiness of the customers of Alma Resort in Cam Ranh, Vietnam. But that’s not all, because Francesco’s cuisine is known above all by those Nha Trang people who want a 5-star environment with excellent Italian cuisine and wines, and now know where to find it.
