Italo Trattoria Brings Back Italian Classics & Brunch
On December 10, 2022
This venue is now closed. For more restaurants in Shanghai, click here.
The FUNKA Group welcomes Fabio Camilloni as the new chef consultant at Italo Trattoria. He’s bringing back rustic Italian classics, adding salt-crusted whole sea bass, confit duck with merlot sauce, and pizzas to the menu.
Italo Trattoria
Chef Fabio Camilloni hails from Fano, a charming town facing the Adriatic Sea in central Italy. He’s spent the last 21 years in China, working at some really iconic venues back in the city’s heyday, including Casanova and Velvet Lounge. Fabio is also a part of the Slow Food International Organization and Slow Food Greater China as an instructor and expert.
Fabio Camilloni
His style of cooking is homey, rustic, and traditional, but with a modern twist. His ethos is to not overcrowd the plate, and to use a few high quality ingredients to create maximum flavor.
On The Menu
The food at Italo is simple and good—a compact menu of Italian favorites featuring antipasti, pastas, pizzas, and heavy hitting mains, including a rarely seen whole salt-crusted sea bass.
Here’s what to order:
Parmigiana Estiva (¥118/four) – Instead of the hefty baked casserole, eggplants and lightly coated in breadcrumbs and fried, then topped with freshly diced tomatoes, olive oil, basil, slice of buffalo mozzarella, and parma ham. Crispy breading, cool and juicy tomatoes with creamy with cheese. A traditional Italian dish made elegant.Carpaccio di Gamberi Caviale (¥138) – King prawn carpaccio with caviar, capers, basil oil, and lemon oil. Fresh, crunchy and velvety prawn carpaccio with sparkles of acidity and brininess from the capers and caviar. A classy carpaccio from the previous menu.Tartufo e Burrata (¥118) – Pizza time! Italo has five 9’’ personal pan sized pizzas on the menu. This is the most popular by far. Burrata, mozzarella, black truffle paté, and tomato sauce on an excellent dough that has a chewy base and a crispy crust.Cappellacci (¥128) – Large globes of house made dumplings stuffed with braised veal, served with parmigiano cream. A comforting dish of substantial portion.Chitarra e Scampi (¥158) – Handmade green spaghetti “alla chitarra” with seared scampi and shrimps with garlic and chili sauce.Polpo ai Ferri (¥148) – A whole salt and pepper crusted octopus leg cooked directly on the grill with a bit of char, served with potato cream, red onions, balsamic vinegar sauce, and herb oil. The octopus has a bit of a bite, which I like—not too fluffy and not too chewy.Anatra al Merlot (¥138) – Confit duck leg served with a merlot and blueberry sauce with mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. Crispy skin and tender meat and a well balanced sauce. An excellent winter dish.Brazino al Sale (¥488) – The pièce de résistance. A whole sea bass crusted in sea salt baked in the oven, served with roasted vegetables and potatoes. This is a typical Italian dish, one that’s usually reserved for family-style meals and celebrations.Chef Fabio serving tableside.Italo received fresh-never-frozen whole sea bass daily sent in from Zhuhai. The 1.4kg fish is cleaned then crusted in salt and baked with nothing except for a wedge of lemon and a sprig of thyme. The result is a juicy fish that’s been cooked in its own essence.It’s served tableside, filleted and presented atop a bed of argula with a healthy glug of olive oil. A delicious showpiece and great for sharing. The sea bass also comes with a side of roasted vegetables and potatoes. Tartufo Limoncello (¥58) – I’m a sucker for lemon desserts, and this ranks high on my list. It’s a lemon semifreddo ice cream with a limoncello center and crusted meringue. Refreshing and bright.
Christmas at Italo
Looking to celebrate Christmas? Italo has you covered with dinners and brunches! On December 24, Italo will be serving a six-course dinner for ¥688 per person, including one glass of prosecco.
On Christmas Day, it’s a brunch buffet for ¥288 per person, ¥128 for kids. Brunch includes a buffet spread of antipasti plus one main and one dessert. Details in the posters below, scan to book!
Brunch at Italo
Italo also has their regular semi-buffet brunch available every weekend, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30am to 3pm. It’s ¥198 for the antipasti buffet plus one main and one dessert. Add two hours of free-flow for ¥168.
Nomfluence Readers Deals
The deal below is valid from now until January 15, 2023 for Nomfluence Readers when you book via the QR Code below!
Complimentary selected drink. Limited to one per person with dinner.
*Drinks include Spritz, Negroni, house wine, mulled wine, beer, and soft drinks. Deal is not applicable on December 24, 25, and 31.
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.
