From left to right Chef Marco Cortesi, Coach Bruno Metsu, and the restaurant’s owners, Ciro Gargiulo and his wife, Kieu Nguyen

A new Italian restaurant named La Hostaria has been opened in HCMC which quickly wins gastronomes’ hearts with a rich and creative menu of authentic Italian foods. While most Italian restaurants in town focus on well-known Italian dishes like pizza and spaghetti, La Hostaria serves their guests a wide range of dishes with more than 50 offerings.

The restaurant’s menu is divided into five groups including Antipasti-Starters, Dried Pasta, Main Meat Courses, Gourmet Pizza and Dessert. “The dishes are placed in order from appetizers to main courses to desserts. All comply with traditional Italian culinary art,” said Chef Marco Cortesi of the restaurant.

Antipasti – Starters has ten different dishes from which guests can choose. Among them is a dish called Mixed Fish Carpacco, a fine blending of slices of raw veal sprinkled with olive oil and aromatic orange juice, topped with Rucola and Parmesan flakes.

Another one, which is claimed to be the best of Italian air-dried hams, is the Parma Ham concocted with ham, pears and Parmesan cheese, while the Prawn Salad of fresh prawns tossed with diced oranges and vegetables, and dressed with olives and aromatic herbs is not only tasty but also healthy.

After the appetizer, diners can try dried pasta dishes such as Penne Alla Norma, a combination of short pasta with Italian sausage or the Penne Fondue e Porcini with short pasta, fondue cheese and Porcini mushrooms that are claimed to be “one of the most exotic and expensive vegetables in the world”.Spaghetti dishes such as Spaghetti Vongole from the southern region of Italy or Spaghetti Allo Scoglio are also in the dried pasta group.

The main meat courses include many dishes made from fresh seafood and meats. The Fisherman’s Soup from the island of Sicily, comprising squid, prawns, fresh clams with oregano, and black olives, is served with garlic bread and is particularly interesting.

The tasty flavors of Tagliata di Salmon with fresh salmon sliced in lemon sauce, or the Tarter di Tonno of chopped raw tuna seasoned with wild onions, chives and lemon, served on fresh Rucola in the menu can also entice guests to come back for more.

The restaurant’s staff is also proud of their gourmet pizza selection with classic pizzas like Magherita, originating from Naples, the Fruitti di Mare pizza, highlighted by a combination of seafood topping tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and the popular Romano pizza.

Diners will also be impressed by the finely designed wine cabinet behind the bar stocked with Italian wines such as Rogana Villabelle, Classico, Ripasso, Chianti Merlot, and more.

The new restaurant, with a rich menu and fine service, attracts a large number of businessmen and employees working for companies in the city, some of them are famous inside and outside Vietnam.

Bruno Metsu, the French coach who led Senegal to the quarterfinals of World Cup 2000 has been to La Hostaria three times. “The authentic Italian dishes here are great, as well as the hospitality and good service of the staff. The restaurant’s ceiling, paved with stones and of curved Naples design, makes the atmosphere cozy and more luxurious,” he remarks.

La Hostaria Restaurant is located at 17B Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, HCMC, tel: (08) 823 1080.

Source: SGT/VNN