Italian osteria Bambino’s slogan is “not like your nonna’s cooking,” however, I beg to differ. Although some of chef Lucky Lasagna’s dishes may stray from traditional Italian cuisine, it undeniably evokes a comforting home-cooked meal.
New dishes on the menu that induce said comfort include the fresh tagliatelle Bolognese, the ravioli with ricotta and pecorino with mushroom consommé, and the ossobuco pie.
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About Bambino Shanghai
If you haven’t heard of Bambino, it’s a humble Italian restaurant on Shaanxi Bei Lu in Jing’an. The ground floor is a large communal table, while upstairs is the main dining room, a quaint and cozy setting for a casual evening.
Steering the wheel of this non-traditional eatery is chef Lucky Lasagna, a gentle giant with a heart as big as his appetite to please. The menu changes often, but rest assured that there will always be handmade pastas, fat slices of topped focaccia, and hearty mains.
New Dishes
New dishes see a smoked beef carpaccio with a cappuccino sauce laced with chocolate, a seasonal ravioli in an umami-rich mushroom broth, fresh tagliatelle pasta with beef ragu, and an impressive ossobuco pie.
The Tagliatelle Bolognese al Tavolo (¥118) is the epitome of the adage “simple is best,” and shines bright with flavorful ragu and thick, eggy noodles. It is a comforting beef bolonese with handmade tagliatelle topped with Parmigiano Reggiano.
Another fresh pasta, the Ravioli of the Season (¥82), is a stellar dish in my opinion. Large pieces of thick-skinned al dente ravioli are filled with ricotta and pecorino and served in a mushroom broth fortified with kombu. Accompaniments of twice-dehydrated Jerusalem artichoke and local mushrooms add a punch of umami. It has a light tasting and delicate profile with clean flavors, enlivened by the mushrooms and Jerusalem artichoke.
Next, is an Ossobuco Pie (¥258), a three-day process dish and labor of love. Beef shank is marinated in lager for a day, then braised with stout beer until its tender and flavor-soaked, then baked with a puff pastry, a section of bone marrow in the center. The bone marrow is then flambéed tableside. Gremolata on the side to cut through the richness. Good for 2-3 to share, as it is a heavy dish.
Other Signature Dishes
Get some of the signatures while you’re at it, including the “pizza,” which is more like a loaded baked focaccia with a super crispy bottom and edges. Pizzas are large, two slices per serving, and great value.
For dessert, a hazelnut tiramisu with roasted hazelnuts, drenched and soaked in espresso, and a vanilla bean panna cotta with house caramel and coulis.
For drinks, it’s mostly wine and a few cocktails. Wines by the glass start from ¥48 a glass, ¥338 a bottle — very approachable!
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Bambino
Address: 600 Shaanxi Bei Lu, near Xinzha Lu 陕西北路600号, 近新闸路
Tel: 13166296689
Hours: Tue-Sun, 11:30am-10pm; closed Monday
WeChat: “Bambino_600”
