A slice of Venice in Ha Noi's Tay Ho

Da Paolo, a no-nonsense taverna-style Italian restaurant, serves up perfect pizzas and more exotic Mediterranean meals on the edge of West Lake. Nella Prod'homme tastes what the restaurant has to offer, and is not disappointed.

Overlooking West Lake in Tay Ho District, the Da Paolo Restaurant offers tasty no-fuss taverna-style Italian food.

Aside from a vast array of traditional pizzas costing about VND180,000 ($60), Da Paolo offers more elaborate dishes such as calamerette all'aglio e olio – sauteed baby calamari with garlic, olive oil and chilli in a white wine sauce and served with grilled polenta (VND200,000 or $10) and lasagna Bolognese (VND 175, 000), as well as numerous pasta dishes, such as ravioli di magro con salsa al gorgonzola e noci – ricotta and spinach-filled ravioli with walnuts and gorgonzola sauce.

Cool comfort: The no-frills interior of Da Paolo's is a perfect retreat from the heat and the hurry of Ha Noi. — VNS Photos Truong Vi

The first time I tried Da Paolo's pizzas it was when I had one delivered. I was therefore curious to see what the place looked like. It turned out to be a two-storey house "that reminds me of the architecture you can find in Venice, where I come from", says 44-year-old Paolo De Piaggi, the restaurant's manager. There is a large terrace on the third floor, which catches the breeze coming off the lake. The decor inside is simple but pleasant, with paintings adorning the walls by Bradford Edwards, an American and long-time resident of Ha Noi.

West Lake, the breeze and the chirping of birds singing in the trees nearby give the restaurant a Zen-like feel.

"The restaurants I prefer in Italy are the simple traditional ‘trattoria' [tavern], with an informal atmosphere where the customer can feel somehow at home. In fact, I have a number of regular customers. I like the idea that my restaurant is frequented regularly, that my food becomes part of someone's diet," De Piaggi says beaming.

I sat down and ordered risotto, bresaola marinata (air-dried salted beef) with lemon, olive oil, black pepper and parmesan, and the vegetariana pizza, which was topped with eggplant, zucchini, sweet pepper, spinach and mushrooms. The risotto was tasty, the bresaola delicious, but the pizza was sublime.

The pizzas are made in a wood-fired oven. "It gives a much better result than an electric or gas oven. It is much more difficult to use and you need some experience before getting decent results", but it is worth the struggle as "it gives the pizza a particularly smoky taste", De Piaggi says.

In addition, De Piaggi imports most of the ingredients from Italy. "We also import the wine", he adds.

De Piaggi has lived in Ha Noi for twelve years. He used to be a chef at the Luna d'Autumno Italian Restaurant on Dien Bien Phu Street (now on Tho Nhuom Street). He opened Da Paolo on July 1, 2010.

De Piaggi began studying Italian cooking when he was sixteen. "I attended the Scuola Alberghiera, a school where you learn about cooking, but also about hotel and restaurant management. Every summer for five years, I used to work in hotels or restaurants as part of the training programme," he says.

The restaurant offers free delivery within a five kilometre radius. "In general, I serve all the Tay Ho area," De Piaggi points out.

Alas I live in Hoan Kiem District, outside the delivery area, which of course means I'll just have to make the trek to Tay Ho. No complaints, it's a lot closer than Venice, and besides, there is nothing like the taste of tiramisu on the terrace while imagining Venetian gondolas bobbing up and down on West Lake… — VNS

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Da Paolo West Lake

Add: No18, lane 50/59/17, Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho, District

Ha Noi.

Tel: 04 37186317/ 04 85851443

Hours: Free delivery from 11.30am to 2.30pm and from 5pm to 11.30pm

Comment: Mid-range Italian restaurant on the edge of West Lake. Wonderful airy atmosphere.