Bambino is the latest project by Chef Lucky Lasagna and the Juke team, a cozy 30-seater restaurant on Shaanxi Bei Lu that serves “unconventional traditional” Italian food alongside cocktails and wine.
Bambino: A Non-Traditional Osteria by Lucky Lasagna
The face of this new eatery is Lucky Lasagna. He’s joined forces with the Juke team, namely chef Michael Janczewski (Bastard) and Sebastien Dallee on the creative side. This Italian osteria in Jing’an is Lucky’s first independent project.
You might have heard of Lucky Lasagna. He’s a chef and tattoo artist from Aprilia, a seaside town outside Rome, and was most recently the chef at Italo. He’s known for his larger-than-life personality and his tendency for eccentricities, particularly when it comes to his food. If you met him, he’d be impossible to forget. The moniker “cucina furiosa” that goes along with the Bambino name hints at the “furiously playful” theme of the osteria and of Lucky’s personsa.
As for the space, it’s tiny, as the name suggests. Bambino only has 30 seats, spread across two floors—22 upstairs and an eight-seater communal table downstairs. It’s a cozy fit.
On The Menu
The food at Bambino is a blend of old school (Lucky) and modern (Michael). They’re changing up traditional Italian flavors and iconic dishes by adding an inventive twist.
Think arancini filled with alphabet pasta instead of rice and a porchetta made with monkfish instead of pork. It’s new and intriguing—not too crazy for our Shanghai palates, but it might make an Italian nonna’s head spin. It’s a lot of Lucky’s ideas that are then refined by Michael, whose elegant touch is hard to miss.
The menu is small, much like Juke, with only about 12-14 dishes on the menu. Dishes will rotate every two months or so.
As for drinks, it’s a selection of wines by women-only winemakers or owners and cocktails. Wines by the glass start from ¥68. Cocktails are courtesy of bartender Colin Tait (Black Rock, Heyday, Shake). Cocktails start at ¥50 (spritz and negronis) and go to ¥62 for signatures.
I can’t say much about the vibe, seeing as it hasn’t opened yet. However, they aim to be a buzzy, convivial space, similar to Juke.
Bambino is currently open for dinner. Hours will extend after Chinese New Year, by which time they will serve sandwiches as a daytime panini bar, along with coffee and other quick and easy dishes. Upcoming new dinner dishes include a chocolate torta with milk ice cream, artichoke bagna cauda, and octopus putanesca.
Soft opening on December 7.
Bookings recommended. Add “Bambino_600” on WeChat to book.
Bambino
Hours: 600 Shaanxi Bei Lu, near Xinzha Lu 陕西北路600号, 近新闸路
Tel: 13166296689
Hours: Wed-Sun, 6pm-late; closed Mon-Tue (soft opening hours)
WeChat: Bambino_600
