Azul Italiano is an Italian-inspired restaurant by the people behind Azul and Colca, located in Sinar Mas Plaza in Hongkou. It’s an impressive new direction of Azul, a restaurant name with nearly 20 years of history in Shanghai.
Previously a multi-functional event room across from Colca Sinar Mas Plaza, the space has been transformed into a vibrant dining room of nearly 200 seats.
There’s an open kitchen, a full bar, and multiple private rooms to accommodate groups of 30 and up. Since opening in July, the restaurant has been buzzing with diners.
The Food: What’s On The Menu
Founder and chef Eduardo Vargas and group Executive Chef Willmer Colmenares have put their own spin on Italian food, fashioning a comprehensive menu of comforting Italian-inspired dishes. It’s all very tasty, and they’re insistent on keeping their prices approachable.
Here is what’s on the menu and what to expect.
Meatballs (¥48) – Giant fluffy meatballs in a rich tomato sauce dusted with parmesan alongside black olives, arugula and crispy garlic. Excellent. A must-order.Tuna Tartare (¥98) – Fresh chopped tuna, avocado smash, quail eggs, basil, wasabi mayo, mascarpone lemon cream and ginger soy dressing. It’s not typical of Italian food, but it sure is tasty.Wagyu Beef Carpaccio (¥98) – Thin slices of wagyu with parmesan cheese, truffle oil, tiny capers and roasted pine nuts. A classic.Spicy Italian Pizza (¥88) – Spicy sausage crumbed with jalapeños, red chili, sundried tomatoes and mozzarella.Red Crab Pasta (¥128) – One of the best sellers. Pasta in a cooked with fragrant tomato-seafood sauce topped with crabmeat, spicy prawn oil, shiso leaves and nori.Mushroom Alfredo (¥78) – Chewy troffie pasta in a creamy alfredo sauce with fat chunks of cured bacon, mushrooms, parmesan, and a dash of truffle oil. Also excellent.Black Angus Rib Eye Steak (¥468) – 500g of 150-day grain fed beef served with truffle chips, confit onion, and garlic.Cioppino (¥248) – A heaving pot of tomato-seafood stew loaded with tiger prawns, scallops, halibut, black mussels, and clams, served with garlic bread. Cioppino is actually an Italian-American dish that’s similar to many Italian seafood stews. This is delicious. Savor every last drop!The Fallen Garden (¥88) – A deconstructed tiramisu with berries, gelato, cookie crumbs, and an edible chocolate pot.Lemon Pie (¥58) – Meringue, lemon curd, and lemon sorbet.White Chocolate Semi-freddo (¥68) – Whisky, chocolate, berries.
Drinks Situation: Cocktails & Wine
They also have cocktails, which are mostly low-ABV, alongside wines (from ¥48/glass, ¥198/bottle) and mocktails (¥48).
Veneto (¥68) – Gin, Aperol, fresh ginger, lemon juice, pineapple juice, and egg white. Citrusy and smooth, a refreshing drink.Piedmonte (¥58) – Limoncello, vodka, lime juice, dill, elderflower syrup, soda. A tall and refreshing drink, leans on the sweet side.Toscana (¥198) – This is a sharing cocktail, made with Campari, grapefruit juice, grapefruit syrup, lime juice, and soda water.
It’s refreshing to see a timeless brand reinvent itself. Azul Italiano has made an impressive turn around of the space, and the bustling speed of the kitchen and busyness of the restaurant is a testament to their success. The food is comforting—Italian done their way that is also satisfying and tasty.
Azul Italiano Address: 3/F, Sinar Mas Plaza, 588 Dongchangzhi Lu, near Lvshun Lu 白玉兰广场3楼, 东长治路588号, 近旅顺路 Tel: 65251636 Hours: 11am-3pm, 5pm-11pm
Rachel Gouk has been writing about food and drink in Shanghai since 2011. She is a food critic, writer, photographer, and F&B consultant based in Shanghai. Nomfluence was founded in May 2018 as a means to express her love for the Shanghai F&B scene. Follow her blog www.nomfluence.com or on Instagram @nomfluence.
