Narrabundah shops are blessed with some great eateries – XO, D’Browes, Kita and, newish, Du Sel. One that’s been on the scene for a whopping 14 years is La Cantina, writes dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON. 

THE first thing you notice when walking into the Italian restaurant La Cantina is the bricks – 80,000 hand-cut, Roman-style bricks to be precise, which are about 140 years old and were used to build a residence for the French embassy in Ho Chi Minh City. 

When La Cantina’s Dom Celestino heard the embassy was being demolished, he made a pitch for the bricks and after cleaning and fumigation, transported them here to be laid by seven bricklayers trained in old-school techniques.

Dom’s aim was to create a cellar feel to his then-new restaurant, perfectly given “la cantina” means cellar in Italian.

Dishes feature traditional and modern Italian fare, updated with seasonal produce. 

From the antipasti section of the menu, we began with burrata, a beautiful texture and yum with pesto bursting with basil and ripe, colourful heirloom tomatoes ($19). What a magnificent cheese, firmer on the outside and softer on the inside. 

Next up was carpaccio, thinly sliced beef eye fillet seared just so and featuring tastes of pucker-power lemon, salty capers and shavings of hard, sharp, bold pecorino cheese ($24). Pieces of crispy kale danced on top.

For my main, I chose the handmade ravioli packed with a combo of orange duck confit, sultanas and ricotta ($32). It’s a decadent dish served with burnt butter sage sauce, shaved Grana Padano and crispy sage. The pasta was al dente and the serve was exceptionally generous (so much so, I couldn’t finish it all). A masterpiece in its own right. 

My friend was delighted with his fish en papillote (in paper). The catch of the day was Jew fish ($42). Also wrapped in the paper for steaming were white wine clams, leek and thinly sliced potatoes. The juice created was divine and the herbs served on top, alongside a wedge of lemon, presented additional fresh flavours. Cherry tomatoes and olives added punch.

We’re both salad lovers and so shared the Insalata di Arugula. The peppery rocket was decorated with pear, crunchy candied walnuts and Grana Padano cheese ($14). The dressing was a perfect blend of tart lemon juice and quality olive oil.

While too full for dessert, we admired the line-up – panna cotta, tiramisu, burnt cheesecake, sorbet and cannoli (all $16).

La Cantina has an intriguing and reasonably priced wine list and tips its hat to Italian wines as well as top drops from Australia, NZ and France. Staying with the Italian theme we enjoyed the Otto Soave Classico, with its savoury finish ($13/glass and $60/bottle). We also enjoyed the Vouvray Chenin Blanc from France ($12/glass and $56/bottle). 

At La Cantina, it’s service with a smile…

Burrata… with basil and ripe heirloom tomatoes. Photo: Wendy Johnson

Carpaccio… thinly sliced, seared beef eye with lemon, salty capers and shavings of hard pecorino cheese. Photo: Wendy Johnson

Insalata di Arugula… peppery rocket decorated with pear, crunchy candied walnuts and Grana Padano cheese. Photo: Wendy Johnson

Catch of the day… Jew fish en papillote (in paper). Photo: Wendy Johnson