Results tagged “italianfood”

While stumbling through the vast array of Shanghai expat writing institutions, we realized that there was a real big explosion of news for foodies this week. Maybe with Fall kicking into high gear, the cooler weather's whetted restaurant appetites and now everyone's throwing down with new openings, new menus and new... well, everything else.

In Shanghai there are two types of Italian restaurants that really should be judged separately from each other. There are the ones with actual Europeans somewhere at the helm, which feature different primi and secondi piattis, huge wine lists and tend to leave you about 500RMB lighter (per person) at the end of the night. Then there are the ones not run by Europeans, with dishes that are just... different. Not to knock different, it's the same way Chinese dishes in Italy taste different, even if they're tasty. Aura is one of the latter.

This post was almost going to be a full-throated recommendation of La Dolce Vita’s business lunch. Starting at 78 RMB, the new Italian restaurant offers lunchers a pasta or pizza course, coffee or dessert, and access to an antipasto buffet that would be worth the money all by itself. Upgrade to 88 RMB and you can choose a main course instead (108 RMB gets you both).

Osteria, the warm and wonderful new Italian restaurant on Jinxian Lu, is having its grand opening tonight at 6 pm, though it appears to have already built up a following in its soft opening phase. Certainly co-owner Eduardo Vargas can move large swaths of diners with his involvement in any restaurant, mostly because his brand (and it's now definitely a brand) connotes an immediate sense of comfort and quality. Osteria easily clears the bar, but this time greatly due to the help of the charismatic Zoltan, partner and sommelier/wine journalist who zealously preys on empty wine glasses both downstairs in the lounge and upstairs where the main courses are served. This is a man who loves his wine and relishes in sharing it with his new friends. And you, dear reader, will be made to feel like a new friend right when you walk in.

Kelley Lee and Eduardo Vargas have teamed up again to give us Closed Door. Well, not exactly all of us. Their new little wine bar and Italian restaurant is willing to share its coziness with only those who call ahead and reserve a table at this purposefully tiny and hidden place. And they seem pretty serious about this initial round of exclusivity; prospective diners are queried first through a sliding peep-hole in their large, inconspicuous front gate.