Hidden gem serves outstanding Italian
Print Edition
CASA Mia is the kind of traditional Mediterranean ristorante rarely found in the increasingly stylish food scene of Shanghai. It’s genuine, homey and friendly with authentic Italian flavors tailored every night for each table.
Opened for about four months, Casa Mia is one of the best-kept secrets in town, being hidden in the basement of a building in the Donghu Hotel compound at the corner of Donghu and Huaihai roads. The 30-seat trattoria is decorated in living-room style with a mixture of European and Chinese furniture and items placed randomly throughout the space. It is easy to imagine such a place in a local Mediterranean home, where an Italian grandmother stirs a pot of ragu and mixes in sheets of fresh pasta. The space gives off a unique homey charm with a lived-in feel.
Tom Yu, who previously opened the popular Italian restaurant Dolce Vita on Fumin Road, started off on this new project after a short break. This time, he runs the kitchen himself. “We have no menu here. I cook according to the available seafood arriving each morning from my supplier. I would like to share with my guests something authentic, without pretense; Italian fare with the main focus on seafood dishes,” Yu said.
I started off my dinner with a delicious seafood salad featuring octopus, celery, tomato, olives and onions. It had a genuine Mediterranean flavor and you could absolutely taste the freshness.
This was followed by steamed mussels in a slightly spicy broth – a simple yet delicious plate for sharing.
The crab-meat tagliatelle was the highlight of the evening. The house-made tagliatelle was tossed with crab meat and cherry tomatoes, plus just the right amount of olive oil and black pepper. Strong in flavor, it was one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had in town for a long while.
The dinner set also included a main course: grilled prawn and meatballs mixed with mashed potatoes. As delightful as the other dishes, it was an ideal winter comfort food.
Portions are on the small side, but ingredients are high quality at Casa Mia. Each dinner set per head costs about 350 yuan (US$50), including appetizer, pasta course, main course and dessert. The rather private dining room doesn’t accept credit card.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
