Hà Nội’s little slice of Tuscany

‘Bistecca alla Fiorentina” a classic 500g T-bone steak which is a signature dish of the city from which it heralds. Photos courtesy of Alex Reeves

By Alex Reeves

La Fiorentina provides an authentic Italian dining experience. The warmth of the host and richness of flavours makes it fit to bear the name of Florence.

In the summer of 2020, I was freshly recovered from a bout of COVID and in the interests of avoiding complete solitude (and my own cooking), had been living in the spare bedroom at my parents’ house during ‘the lockdown’ for what seemed like an eternity. 

We’ve all been there, Hanoians and Saigonese alike can reflect back on when time seemed to stand still and the outside world had become another realm. Even the simplest pleasures of urban life, be it a walk to the park or an afternoon in a cafe were off the proverbial menu.

After a few months of cucina la mamma and COVID confinement, I was in need of some serious inspiration; both creatively and culinarily. When the news filtered through my daily routine of checking travel regulations for every conceivable destination, that Italy, yes Italy! had reopened its borders, I booked the ticket immediately. There was only one place for me; Florence.

Where better to go and exorcise the demons of batch cooked shepherd's pie and bi-weekly zoom quizzes than the violet jewel of Tuscany, the cradle of European culture itself? 

While it would be crass and inconsiderate to say I gained pleasure or enjoyment from the conditions imposed on us by the pandemic, instead of the usually ram-packed city I had visited before I was greeted with calm streets, free of hawkers and the inordinate number of tourists to which previous visits had accustomed me. Bliss. 

No hour-long waits outside the must-see museums, reviewing the renaissance in real-time. No need for reservations at their culinary counterparts. Street food classics, historic Trattoria’s and the finest of dining almost all free to stumble into without queues or the need to call ahead. Something I’m unlikely to experience again.

This brings me directly to the point of this article; must-eat restaurants. Specifically, Florentine one’s. Not in Florence, Tuscany as a region, Italy as a country or even Europe as a continent but here in our very own Hà Nội. Imagine my fortunate shock when driving by No.20 Đặng Thai Mai, to see a restaurant quite literally named ‘La Fiorentina’.

La Fiorentina in Tây Hồ. Photos courtesy of Alex Reeves

To say I was ecstatic when Hà Nội began welcoming back overseas workers would be an understatement. It was good to be ‘home’ (still is). That said, I knew when leaving Florence behind that not even all the bún chả in the entirety of Việt Nam would be able to fill the Bistecca-shaped hole that departing would surely leave in my heart.

I was cautious of disappointment, as many an expat, tourist, or European cuisine enthusiast will attest to, Hà Nội has more than its fair share of faux Italian booby traps, pitfalls and letdowns.

We’ve eaten our cardboard base pizzas with the confusing and compounded absence of anything resembling cheese. We’ve had our ‘spaghetti alla chimsu’ and garlic bread with more sugar than either butter or garlic itself. I didn’t want to get my hopes up.

Now, my first take away of the dining experience here is to not assume it will be like 2020 Florence, play it smart, book ahead. This place is popular. Popular enough to have few, to no, free tables at 8pm on a Tuesday.

“It’s been like this for a while now, I’ve come to work on my day off for the last few weeks” Chef Manjula tells me. The head chef here has been part of the operation since it opened its doors three years ago and manages the place fulltime. Living locally to make sure he’s always on hand to maintain the meticulous standards he expects from the team.

Originally from Sri Lanka, after studying and working in Italy for five years he was given the role of head chef at an Italian restaurant in Venice where he spent ten years before he and former owner Giovanni set their sights on a venture abroad.

Despite potential opportunities in South Africa and elsewhere, it was Việt Nam that really took their interest. “People here love great food, their appreciation for Italian flavours and support for the restaurant has made this a great experience” the chef explains.

We chose the ‘Bistecca alla Fiorentina” (VNĐ1.150.000), a classic 500g T-bone steak which is a signature dish of the city from which it heralds. The steak is seasoned with salt and pepper and brushed with olive oil and herbs. This minimalist approach to the meat allows the quality of the beef to shine through.

While the outside is seared to perfection with a faint taste of rosemary, the steak is red, juicy, flavoursome and sliced through with ease by teeth and knife alike. Washed down with a glass of Chianti (VNĐ150,000), I was transported back to one of many evenings in Tuscany. An authentic Italian experience.

Pasta is cooked at the side of your table. Photo Alex Reeves

Alongside this we enjoyed the house special ‘Tagliatelle Tartufo’ (VNĐ400,000), the pasta impressively tossed and cooked tableside in an enormous wheel of cheese before a large black truffle is grated generously over it. This tastes as good as it sounds and is sure to keep any Instagram-conscious guests in your party satisfied indeed.

The restaurant is made up of a well-lit, open and modern dining room with a fresh and leafy garden/seating area out front. Enjoying a digestif in the company of a regular Italian customer (surely a good sign) he reminded me that the violet of my Fiorentina jersey – colour most commonly associated with the city – is not a lucky one in Italy.

Now, while Rome may be the historical and empirical capital, Milan the capital of Fashion, we should remember that it is Florence that was home to the Renaissance, the cultural capital. If we take food to be culture – to be art – then Chef Manjula and his team are the artists. That’s certainly a sentiment I find hard to disagree with in my post meal satisfaction.

So, I needn’t have worried. Homesick nationals, expatriates and locals alike with a taste for the heavyweight champion of cuisine that Italy undoubtedly is can rest easy in the knowledge they have a little slice of Tuscany on their doorstep. VNS