La Kantina LU — Restaurant in La Union

Service 6/5 Coffee 3.75/5 (overall good latte. Their coldbrew needs more work) Pizza 4/5 (near perfect except it was cooked in a different temp thus no huge bubbles) Pasta 4/5 (great quality) Lava Cake 5/5 (thank you for having this in your menu. #1 next to ooma's half baked since my former favorite, skolatina, changed their chocolate brand.

TLDR: Power got cut but they managed to recover. You can feel the malasakit of the whole team to their customers. One of the best food exp here. Priced just right

In the middle of the crazy Maundy Thursday dinner rush, the whole Port San Juan lost power for 30 mins. And we just walked in. Even during this, automatically Kyle, our greeter, apologized and asked if we were okay. +1. They really care about their customers experience. It took a while but overall very great recovery, they had to handle operating the place 80% full without power. Our coffee cannot be served due to the espresso machine having no power, John Paul rushed to give us cold brew instead for our coffee fix, free of charge. That was just wow.

Due to the mixup, they actually werent able to process our order properly. Our pizza and pasta tickets didnt print, or it was not punched in, not so sure about what happened. But since this is La Union, and there really was a rush, we decided to just relax and enjoy whatever came.

When I asked for our pizza, they mentioned the punch in error but you saw that the guy making the pizza was on it immediately upon noticing. They even had a hard time with the oven because the power issue cut off the air supply to the oven. It took a bit longer, but the Pizza, oh my, the pizza was good! In my top 3 next to Crosta in Makati and Leonardo's at Subic.

The chef/manager Irene was friendly as well, answering all our questions about the food. The guanciale in our penne pasta was wow. You will really appreciate the cured meat and its balance with the chunky tomato sauce and well cooked pasta. Kudos here. It had a few ingredients but for sure the balance was difficult to create and the ingredients used are of good quality.

Special mention to Jonathan for waiting on us for the rest of the night.

You can see from this post how much of an impression everyone made on us. I had to ask their names after everything. Memorable visit. :)

Thanks for...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - A Tomato-Based Triumph at La Kantina LU

La Kantina LU impresses with its vibrant and flavorful tomato-based dishes, making it a haven for lovers of rich, hearty meals. The Cloud 9 Pizza is an absolute delight, featuring a perfectly thin and crispy crust topped with a luscious tomato sauce that serves as the foundation for its delightful blend of toppings. Each bite is a burst of flavor that truly feels like cloud nine.

The Penne All'Amatriciana is a standout, showcasing the bright, tangy notes of its tomato-based sauce paired with perfectly al dente pasta. The balance of savory pancetta and a subtle kick of spice makes this dish both comforting and exciting.

For seafood lovers, the Risotto Ai Fruitti De Mare is a masterpiece. The tomato-infused base elevates the dish, adding a layer of zestiness that complements the fresh and tender seafood perfectly. It’s a dish that feels both luxurious and homey.

The atmosphere of La Kantina LU enhances the experience, with its welcoming vibe and attentive staff who make every guest feel valued. Every dish speaks of passion and attention to detail, making it a must-visit destination.

A full 5 stars for their delicious tomato-based creations and outstanding service. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates the artistry of great...

Nice staff, good location. They have a vegan pizza, which is a rare gem here, but also classic pizza. I wanted to order the tuna steak, but unfortunately they were out of tuna. Ordered steak n salad instead, but they brought steak and aglio e olio noodles. Somehow they forgot to put garlic in the noodles, so I was left with oily noodles. Didn't help that the olive oil wasn't that flavorful :( The pizza itself is done with some skill, but the ingredients lacked seasoning. The dough needed more salt and the tomato sauce some salt and pepper at least. Felt like they put raw blended up tomatoes on it, which you can do if you have San Marzano tomatoes, but they didn't. Either they had an off day in the kitchen or I'm just spoiled coming from Europe. But I'm gonna give them the benefit of doubt, because they tried really hard and the staff was super nice. IMHO they should work on pushing out the food at the same time, like preparing 2 Pizzas in advance and cooking them consecutively. Thus avoiding downtime in the oven. Right now they prepare one pizza then cook it, prepare the next and then cook it. That's not very efficient! Really hope they get better, cause the place has a lot of...