A place to wine and dine
Recently, La Cave (La Cave, 19 Ngo Van Nam, D1) opened its doors on the north side of the Ngo Van Nam strip – a foodie enclave in District 1. Surrounded by ample glass windows, the door will take you directly to the first dining room and bar, all decorated with wine related imagery and where you can access part of the cellar that houses 35 plus different varieties of available wines.
La Cave has three floors, including two VIP rooms and two bars dedicated to helping wine lovers feel at home, all complemented by chill out ambient music so guests can enjoy a cozy atmosphere that’s ideal for dates or business meetings alike.
Although La Cave is inspired and dedicated to wine, it also offers delicious fusion food created by Parisian Executive Chef Milan, who worked in a two Michelin star restaurant prior to arriving in Vietnam. Milan defines his food as French gastronomy with a Japanese twist, making it light while keeping the full flavor.
Milan also dedicates a good deal of time to making sure his food creations pair perfectly with the wines available. The entire wine list is supplied by his business partners Phu and Em, who have been importing and distributing delicious wines for many years and are now helping La Cave offer a wide selection of wine with affordable prices.
While some of the dishes have Italian names, don’t let that flummox you. Using the freshest, high-quality ingredients, the food is a delicious combination of Italian home cooking with gourmet flair. The salmon cream tagliatelle (VND240,000), one of the day’s specials, was absolutely fantastic: presentation was excellent, and the portion was generous. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, with the salmon moist and tender. This dish brings complex and delicate flavors of the salmon and the sauce together, making it elegant and moorish.
The spaghetti carbonara (VND230,000), another of the day’s specials, marries tender pasta and a gorgeous and generous serving of sauce made of very light cream, garlic and bacon. The dish was surprisingly light, as the bacon had almost no fat.
As for wine, I highly recommend the Chateau Les Vergnes, a delicious white Bordeaux – delicate, bringing lots of honey and nuts to both nose and palate, an ideal complement to pasta dishes.
La Cave is open seven days a week from 11 am to 11pm. It offers two different menus – one with finger food (with most dishes priced under VND100,000), excellent for sharing with a bottle of wine – and an a la carte menu. For lunch they offer a set menu priced at VND250,000 for two dishes, which changes every few days.
Images by studiodag.vn
