Makeover brings a whole new Italian flavor
After a year and a half in operation, Italo underwent a facelift and took a new approach – an Italian trattoria where friends and family can savor excellent trattoria food developed by their new chef Lucky Lasagna.
The 350-square-meter space on the upper floor of the Funkadeli building on Fumin Road references the style and sensibilities of 1920s Milan. Venetian terrazzo marble floor tiles and brushed brass dominate the bar while customized furnishings and Fortunato Depero-inspired artworks complete the look. The seating has been re-arranged to give a more chilled feeling.
Italo rebranded itself by launching a whole new menu and brought in Roman-native chef Lucky Lasagna (who is also a tattoo artist) to head the kitchen. Sebastian Dallee is now the group GM and comes from Heritage by Madison.
Beef carpaccio
The new team definitely did an amazing job to present perfectly executed trattoria favorites to Italian food lovers. Each dish respects the classic trattoria recipe yet a modern touch elevates the experience with a pleasant surprise.
The menu changes every 15 days and there are a few off-menu plates as well. The team will follow the seasons and use fresh seasonal products.
For example, the carpacci selection is created for the current season when diners look for fresh, raw seasoned seafood and meats.
From this section, the classic Beef carpaccio (88 yuan) is not to be missed. Although this classic appetizer is available in every Italian restaurant, Italo's version is one of the best I've tried in Shanghai. Fine slices of beef tenderloin are topped with parmigiana reggiano cheese chips, sun-dried tomatoes, capers and a dash of dill oil.
Whole snapper "steamed in bag" with baby potatoes
Vitello Tonnato (68 yuan), another Italian classic from the northeastern region of Piemonte, was excellently executed and beats most of the Italian spots in town. The ingredients are top quality and it only costs 68 yuan.
Order with their Schiacciata (12 yuan) – flat bread flavored with fresh herbs. You can dip some of the crusty bread into the tuna sauce from the Vitello Tonnato.
Linguine alle vongole
Pastas and mains all look attractive but the most memorable was the Whole snapper "steamed in bag" with baby potatoes (228 yuan). The fish is presented in a sealed paper bag and when the paper bag is opened, the irresistible herbal fragrance comes out and the beautiful snapper as a whole is revealed. The meat is extremely tender and the taste is enhanced by a beautiful mixture of Mediterranean herbs, olives, capers and lemons.
Info
Opening hours: 5:30pm-midnight (Sunday to Thursday); 5:30pm-2am (Friday, Saturday)
Tel: 6027-9127
Address: 2/F, 291 Fumin Rd
Average price: 250 yuan (US$38.72)
