All goes well at Va Bene with authentic Italian fare
Print Edition
Va Bene (Go Well) is the place to go for gustatory good times with authentic Italian fine dining in a warm and elegant atmosphere.
The restaurant, with its chic and inviting decor, is a long-time favorite in the Xintiandi shopping and entertainment spot.
The colorful dining area extends over two floors; the tones are olive green and walnut. Service is friendly and attentive.
The menu features imported luxuries such as Wagyu beef, truffle and lobster.
Young head chef Ambra Nataliano, who grew up in Florence, aims to give each customer a fine-dining experience.
“I don’t like too creative a kitchen,” he tells Shanghai Daily. “I like also to give the Italian basics with a little French and Asian influence.”
Nataliano began his career at a quiet rustic restaurant in Tuscany and later joined Massimo Ferragamo’s Luxury Hotel and Golf Club. Before arriving in Shanghai in 2012, he worked in Dubai for the new Armani Hotel & Resort.
“When I came to Shanghai, I worked at a simple and quite traditional Italian restaurant, without too much responsibility. But after a while I came to understand Shanghai and Shanghai people, what they like and what they don’t,” he says.
“When I create a plate, I want to express some of my feelings in it through color and taste. The plate somehow reveals my personality,” he says. “I want my diners to be able to feel some of my emotions through the dish, as when you read a book.”
At Va Bene, the menu keeps pace with the seasons and many ingredients are sourced locally. Every three months, the chef changes around 50 percent of the menu, featuring white asparagus, truffle, chestnuts, or whatever is best and in season.
Quality is always the first priority. Many ingredients are imported, including lobster from Canada, scallops from the United States, mozzarella and pasta from Italy, beef from Australia, New Zealand and France.
“I don’t care too much about the price but I want to give the customer the best choice I can,” he says. If the quality declines, he changes the course and may change the supplier.
Potato gnocchi is the must-try. “I use a very special cheese, Stracciatella, that originated in Andria in southern Italy, and it’s very fresh and soft,” he says.
“The course has no meat and no seafood, so everyone can enjoy it. It’s fresh and tasty and the presentation is very colorful.”
Adding a little Asian influence, he makes carrot soup with lemon grass and uses a touch of ginger in some dishes.
In recent years, Shanghai locals have become more accustomed to Italian food and mostly they want authentic flavor, Nataliano says.
Differences remain, however, in dining customs between China and the West, as Chinese like to have several courses on the table at once and share them.
“I want my diners to have the whole concept of the courses, and presentation is a very important part of it,” Nataliano says. “So, sometimes if two customers ask to share the food, and if it is possible, I will split one portion into two plates so they can enjoy a better fine dining experience,” he says.
The wine list is extensive.
Va Bene is owned by Gaia Group, one of Asia’s leading independent restaurant groups.
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