Casanova

Ask a food lover in Shanghai for their favorite Italian restaurant and the answers will vary across the board. The reasons are endless: best value for money, best pizza in China, most authentic, hottest chef...the list goes on. However, if you crave top quality, attention to detail and a comfortable atmosphere, Casanova is highly recommended.

The cuisine at Casanova is primarily central Italian, with other regions represented by weekly seasonal specials. The focus on ingredients is obvious. Everything is imported, mostly from Italy, and the restaurant strives to retain the genuine essence of a dish, as if you were eating in Naples itself. The wine selection is mostly Italian, with pairing recommendations available from the maitre d'.

We began with a delicate octopus salad. The tender slices were a delightful surprise, combined nicely with soft potato chunks, chickpeas, fragrant thyme, cherry tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil. Overall, one of the more impressive dishes on the menu.
Our pasta dish - long flat noodles of tagliolini, darkened with black cuttlefish ink and mixed with soft shell crab and baby octopus - was also delicious. The fresh seafood taste, heavy black pepper spice and white wine sauce combined to create a strong, but not overpowering, flavor.

For meats, we were served a classy take on surf and turf: baked sea bass and grilled Kobe beef. The sea bass filet – boneless and fresh - was topped with a generous portion of capers, olives, sun dried tomatoes and white wine sauce, which gave it a nice tangy kick. The Kobe beef was cooked almost rare and served without distraction, allowing the freshness of the flavor to shine. Lined with a slightly charred edge, the marbleized flesh melted on our tongues.

Giving our stomachs a rest, we were treated to a plate of cantucci, hard almond and honey cookies, and passito, a sweet dessert wine from Sicily. This treat is served to all customers, a sweet ending for those too stuffed to order dessert. However, skipping the dolci would be a big mistake.

Although already nearing food coma, how could we deny an Italian dessert? Or five? First, the tiramisu was fantastic. Ironically, it isn't easy to find a proper tiramisu in Shanghai. Look no further. If you prefer other sweets, Casanova can provide your fix. Terrina di zabaione, an orange-flavored pudding with raisins and cream, was rich and filling. The flourless chocolate cake in ginger sauce and balsamic ice cream provided very unique flavors, while the melted chocolate cake with blueberry topping was a classic hit of decadent cocoa heaven. Although you'd be missing out on the rest of the wonderful choices on the menu, you'd be forgiven if your entire meal consisted of these tasty morsels.

While some complain that the prices are a little steep at Casanova, the food is worth it for those selective palates willing to indulge in some high quality Italian dining. Value for money, restaurant atmosphere, kitchen staff, ingredient selection and real Italian authenticity can always be argued, but food quality is of utmost importance, which is where Casanova excels.

Service: very good, well-trained, bilingual
Atmosphere: quiet, relaxed, warm, charming
Price Per Head: 300-400 each
Purpose: date, meal with friends
Prices:
Starters: under 100 RMB each dish
Primi (First course): 100-200 RMB each dish
Secondi (Second course): 150-200 RMB each dish
Grill: 200-300 RMB each dish
Desserts: about 50 RMB each dish
Pizza: 90-130 RMB each
Wine: about 40 RMB per glass; bottles start around 200 RMB

By Neil Yeung