by Nguyễn Mỹ Hà

TIA Wellness Resort in Đà Nẵng City is catching the new wave of holidaymakers who put health and wellbeing first. Conveniently located by the white sandy beach of the central coastal city and only an hour's flight from Hà Nội or Hồ Chí Minh City, the resort makes it a top priority to fix and recharge your energy.

The Dining Room is one of two restaurants on the premises; the other serves seafood aside the beach in a more casual style. 

We had our dinner quite late, at 8pm and found ourselves almost the only late diners here. Everything was close to perfection: the spacious room, the delicate hues and spacious dining hall, the eco-friendly outfits of the staff and, above all, their top-notch attentiveness and courtesy. 

For starters, the Room has two lists: Vietnamese and Western. We picked Crispy Duck Spring Rolls (VNĐ180,000) from the Vietnamese starter list, which also boasts other signature Vietnamese dishes including the Hội An wonton (veg and/ or meat), lemongrass beef, crispy veg spring rolls and traditional chicken salad, and last but not least, the famed banana flower salad.

From the other list of starters, we opted for Grilled Champagne Oysters (VNĐ210,000) and Pork Rib Ravioli (VNĐ180,000). Other options included Crispy Truffle Rice, Beet and Avocado Carpaccio, Octopus Carpaccio, Duck and Pineapple Salad, and Smoked Aubergine.

The oysters were big fat milky ones, really fresh and tasted delicious as they were kept on a bed of heated rock salt.

The ravioli had diners raising their eyebrows due to the hoisin sauce poured on top of the delightful home-made dumplings. Most of the dishes here, unless otherwise noted, belong to creative fusion cuisine that mixes and matches western dishes with eastern flavours.  

For the main course, the list offers a healthy variety of meat (beef and pork) seafood (shrimp, sea bass and lobster) and vegan dishes. 

Upfront on the menu, TIA clearly states its food philosophy: eat real, natural food with a cooking method that retains original nutrients, to enhance your energy and soothe your mood.

The resort's wellness focus impacts its kitchen to embrace a wholesome eating approach to boost the wellbeing of the guests. It also focuses on dishes that are simple and easy to make at home, so that eating healthy becomes a long-lasting lifestyle. 

The Room's menu encourages plant-based diet and "Eating Light and Feeling Bright". When you eat light, you can give your body a break, allowing your digestive system to work less and focus on healing. When you dine on a plant-based diet, it will positively affect your outlook and mood, easing inflammation, leading to weight loss and improving your complexion, according to TIA.

This nourishing policy transcends the kitchen, and you automatically feel less needy in satisfying your taste buds with food that brings delicious flavours and positive energy.

For mains, the Vietnamese list included traditional Chicken Rice, Wok-fried Soft shell Crabs, Mushroom or Chicken Coconut Curry, and veg or traditional shrimp Bánh xèo (crispy shrimp crepes).

From the modern mains list, we picked Spiced Lobster (VNĐ590,000) and Grilled Beef Tenderloin (VNĐ690,000). The beef was well-cooked and put to rest with an icy cube of butter on top. We thought the butter should have melted as the beef rests well, after it is seared on both sides. On mentioning this to Sous Chef Nguyễn Văn Việt, we were corrected. "No, the butter is meant to be cold, so you slice it as you would the meat."

But this was a minor quibble on what was a great steak, perfectly cooked and a manageable size that would not upset your stomach. 

The main compliment simply has to go to the Spiced Lobster: grilled half lobster, steamed local clams, served on home-made squid ink spaghetti with fresh seaweed caviar and lobster bisque. A seafood lover's dream. The description was exact, and you could taste almost every ingredient in the dish, though they missed one small detail, the húng quế aromatic herb, which literally translates as cinnamon basil. 

But no, it was there. It took me by surprise to find that basil garnishing my spaghetti plate. How was this possible? Once again, creativity won out and the chef nailed the dish. This seems the way things work at The Dining Room, which offers a tour de force in wholesome, quality dining, with nods to east and west, traditional and modern.

For dessert, we had Banana Fritters (VNĐ 120,000) and Fresh Mango and Matcha Ice Cream (VNĐ130,000), which were delicious and neatly presented, leaving a very sweet taste on the palate after what was a spectacular meal. It enhanced my inner wellness and boosted my mood, perhaps it will for you too. VNS

The Dining Room

TIA Wellness Resort

Address: 109 Võ Nguyên Giáp, Khuê Mỹ, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Đà Nẵng 557276

Tel: 0236 3967 999

Comment: Fine dining in a soothing atmosphere of a wellness resort