ecns [expanded by feedex.net]: deCanto

ecns [expanded by feedex.net]

ecns

deCanto
http://www.ecns.cn/experience/2013/08-12/76832.shtml
Aug 12th 2013, 02:03


deCanto
2013-08-12 11:03   




Industrial-chic Italian in Six on the Bund


What with Mercato, Capo, 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Bocca and now Goodfellas, you'd be forgiven for thinking The Bund's Italian dining quota is full. Yet it seems there's still space for another one. In deCanto's case, that space is nestled under the eaves of 6 The Bund, home to Dolce & Gabbana's flagship Shanghai store.


Backed by Wenzhou-born but Italy-raised restauranteur Simone Zhang, deCanto's self-proclaimed concept is to bring the 'true' Italy to China (presumably none of its competitors have accomplished this yet). Executive chef Catia Busa, who hails from Italy's Piedmont region, isn't planning anything revolutionary, though: the focus is squarely on simple classics using top-notch ingredients that are either imported (organic olive oil, meats and cheeses prefaced by D.O.P. or D.O.C.) or made in-house.


Perhaps thanks to this straightforward approach, just five days after opening, the industrial-chic interior is packed with well-heeled Chinese giggling over glasses of prosecco (78RMB/glass). While the central part is lively and good for groups, if you're dining a deux, request one of the two date-centric window tables, which sit in dark little nooks overlooking the Bund. Better still, nab a seat on the roof terrace.


Despite the maitre d' falling over himself to apologise for soft opening blips, waitstaff don't put a foot wrong. The basket of delicious rosemary-infused bread (baked in-house) and a decent Negroni (78RMB) are a good start and things get even better with our appetiser of 'exotic tuna tartare' (58RMB). The imported Indian Ocean-caught tuna, layered with chopped mango, tomato, avocado, and pine nuts and seasoned with orange juice is presented like a still-life. Each delicate bite is prettily topped with a powdery dill seed-head.


A long list of antipasti stalwarts, home-made pastas and pizzas align with the chef's focus on unpretentious, fresh flavours. Baked in the restaurant's own pizza oven, the thin-crust pies are priced similarly to Mercato's, but skew towards more traditional toppings: the house speciality (148RMB) features grilled eggplant, pancetta, mozzarella and 'dried sunny' tomatoes.


From the pastas, the signature 'quintessential' ravioli (98RMB) is a worthy challenger to Mercato's beloved lobster version. Six plump packages of handmade egg pasta are full to bursting with a creamy, sweet puree of beetroot and house ricotta. They come cooked to al dente perfection, puddled in a sage-flecked, lemon-infused butter that tastes of sun-soaked Italian herbs.


Other pasta options include the intriguing seafood spaghetti (128RMB) with sea cicadas � tiny crustaceans with shrimp-like meat which can only be found on a handful of Thai islands.


Secondi feature imported meat and fish, with price tags to match, including a 488RMB veal shank, braised for seven hours in Barbera d'Asti red wine. For a lighter bite � both on the waistline and the wallet � the Australian red snapper (168RMB) is a generous sized piece of firm, juicy fish, skin seared to a crackle, served atop a mound of chipped potatoes with a slick of fava bean puree. Pecorino cheese and an intensely salty shard of crispy pancetta is all the seasoning this dish needs.


To finish, it would be easy to plump for the more unusual cherry cake on Champagne gelatin (78RMB) over the inevitable tiramisu (138RMB) � but that would be a mistake. Busa's version is a glorious trifecta of coffee, mango and raspberry. While the mango is a touch sickly-sweet, we practically lick the other bowls clean.


So does The Bund need yet another high-end Italian restaurant? With this combination of quality, solidly-executed food, backed by switched-on service and that fantastic roof terrace, we're confident deCanto can plough its own furrow despite the crowded Italian market in this neighbourhood.


Details


Open 11am-11pm daily


黄浦区中山东一路 6号4楼, 近广东路


Telephone 6346 3686


Metro Nanjing Dong Lu


English address Fourth floor, 6 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu near Guangdong Lu, Huangpu District





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