London eatery cracks high-profile list of Canada’s top 100 – in its first year

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When chef Joseph Tran and his partner, Ivy Pham, decided to open Cintro on Wellington, Tran says their goal was to crack OpenTable’s list of Canada’s Top 100 restaurants in about two years.

The recognition, however, arrived this week, only eight months after the restaurant, serving Asian-fusion cuisine, opened its doors – making it the only eatery in London, and one of three in Southwestern Ontario, to make this year’s list.

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“It was surprising, honest truth,” said Tran. “Every single day, we train ourselves and we push ourselves every day. We were expecting maybe in a year or two to get it because this was one of our goals.

“And now that we got it, it’s also a bit scary because we are a small team, and we are already booking out our reservation system.”

To make its ranking, OpenTable, an online restaurant reservation service, analyzed more than one million reviews, ratings and five-star reviews from its verified diners from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024.

In Cintro’s case, customers have given the restaurant a 4.9 rating and more than 100 positive reviews.

“The food is delicious and beautifully presented, the service is attentive and friendly, and the ambiance is perfect,” reads one of the reviews. “A must-visit for a fantastic dining experience for lunch or dinner.”

Other restaurants in the region included in the list are Eddington’s of Exeter in Exeter and Take Five Bistro in Windsor.

Though this is not the first time Eddington’s, a farm-to-table restaurant offering fine, casual dining, made OpenTable’s list, owner James Eddington said he and his staff appreciate the recognition.

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“It’s a great honour to receive this award and it’s our staff and our customers that made it all possible,” he said.

Originally from Toronto, Tran moved to London at a young age with his family, who ran a couple of bar-and-grill restaurants where he did everything from washing dishes to cooking.

“Growing up, like all Asian parents, they wanted me to become a doctor,” Tran said half-jokingly. “I failed at that. I hated studying, so I decided to travel instead after high school.”

His decision would take him to Vietnam and Japan, where he worked at several restaurants and hotels.

When he came back to London, he enrolled in one of Fanshawe College’s culinary programs, before travelling the world and participating in national and international competitions and then deciding to open his own spot.

“The main reason why we did Cintro on Wellington is that London is our home. We love London a lot,” Tran said, adding a cornerstone of his business model is affordability.

“One issue that we saw quite a bit was the increase in the prices, so we decided to do Cintro as elevated dining that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg,” he said. “Everything is under $30.”

For his restaurant, located on Wellington Street, just south of Oxford Street, Tran says he drew on his life experience and the food he enjoyed growing up to create the menu.

“I specialize in Vietnamese and Japanese food, but it’s a mixture,” he said. “I use French techniques most of the time, combined with those indigenous ingredients . . . but a lot of my childhood growing up also goes into this menu.”

jjuha@postmedia.com

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