Hopeful as we were when we entered, Tiramisu is not a sigh-at-every-bite kind of restaurant. But their fairly extensive menu of pizzas, pastas and mains are simple, rustic and wholly recognizable as Italian. That may not seem like much, but it does at least keep Tiramisu out of the sizeable body of restaurants unsuccessfully attempting foreign cuisine in Shanghai.

We started with the minestrone soup (RMB38). It should have been a hearty introduction to the meal, but instead left us hoping the watered down base was not a sign of things to come. Luckily, the pizza margherita (RMB65), with its thin crispy crust and perfect cheese-to-sauce ratio, was quickly devoured and was one of the meal’s high notes. Next came the pastas, which felt truly homemade. Unfortunately, this is more in a “I could have made this at home” than a “My 85-year-old Italian grandmother could have made these at home in Italy” sort of way. Still, the uncomplicated flavors of the eggplant, tomato and ricotta pasta tubes glistening beneath a simple sauce (¥68) and the fusilli con zucchini e gamberetti, which came with a healthy serving of shrimp and zucchini (RMB78), were perfectly melded—a treat for the taste buds.

We finished with the tiramisu, thinking that if ever there were a moment for the restaurant to wow us, it would be with its namesake. We weren’t knocked off our feet, but the traditionally decadent dessert was on par with the rest of the meal—satisfying flavors and generous portions, just without the extra kick that would have guaranteed a return visit.

Our rating: 3/5

DETAILS

What: Tiramisu

Where: 100 Xuanhua Lu 宣化路100号

Tel: 3250-7188

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