Even on an island ringed by some of Vietnam's best seafood, pasta cravings strike. That was the scene at Flamingo Cát Bà Beach Resort on Cát Bà Island in Hải Phòng, where a visiting family from Vietnam News Life swapped phở for spaghetti one evening and checked out The Sea Restaurant, the resort's western-dining venue.
The space sets the mood before the food arrives. It's a big, calm room strung with bamboo rattan lanterns, with a reception desk styled like a boat about to set sail. It can seat up to 250, which makes it a realistic option for company dinners or small weddings, though on this visit it was blissfully quiet — the kind of room where a long dinner with a breeze rolling in feels like the right call.
On the plate, the mushroom cream soup (VNĐ142,000) earned genuine praise: well-sautéed mushrooms, a properly rich consistency, nothing watery. The showstopper on the menu is beef served sizzling on a hot cast-iron plate with an egg and a house crab pâté, chips and buns for VNĐ500,000. The steak itself delivered — tender and juicy in a mild sauce — but the crab pâté divided the table and didn't quite work as a pairing. A side of boiled broccoli and carrots runs VNĐ80,000.
The real keeper was the spaghetti carbonara at VNĐ250,000, ordered by the family's eight-year-old, who guarded it fiercely but surrendered a single bite. Verdict: properly al dente spaghetti and a sauce that held up even as it cooled. Between bites, the table conversation drifted to Big Bang's upcoming Vietnam shows and an eight-year-old's plan to audition as a K-pop idol in Seoul — the kind of relaxed, family-friendly evening this restaurant seems built for.
If dinner leaves you wanting a view, head up to the 17th-floor Sun Bar & Restaurant, which looks out over Lan Hạ Bay and has outdoor seating when the weather cooperates. It has hosted live music in the past, with guests sometimes joining the resort band, though whether that happens on a regular schedule these days is unclear.
For travellers, the takeaway is simple: Cát Bà is no longer just a stop for seafood and boat trips. Flamingo's dining scene gives you a legit western option when noodle fatigue hits, in a room that handles both date night and a big group without breaking stride. Contact: The Sea Restaurant, Flamingo Cát Bà Beach Resort, Cát Cò Beach 1, 2, Cát Bà Island, Hải Phòng; tel 0225 3888 686. — with thanks to Vietnam News Life
