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cityweekend

A Take on Tuscany

We got off at the intersection of Wuding Lu and Yanping Lu thinking it was a dead-end street. But with one phone call, a young man promptly picked us up and walked us through to a place that looked more like a wine shop than a restaurant. Selling traditionally produced Natale Gini wines from Tuscany for a year now, the "cantine" portion just launched recently featuring home-style Italian cooking by a Chinese chef who has lived in Tuscany for 10 years. We started off with a bottle of Rose (YY78), a mixed plate of salami served with olive oil bruschetta and grilled vegetables (YY28) and a mixed plate of bruschetta (YY14). The wine told us we were off to a good start although the antipasti fell short of expectations, being rather scantily portioned. The mains, however, provided some redemption. We recommend the house specialties, Penne Bolognese with Béchamel Sauce (YY20) and the Spaghetti Pesto (YY29) or the Butter Steak Fillet with Salade of Rucola, Cherry Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinegar (YY60) whose tender cut of meat was well complemented by the salad's tangy dressing. We capped off the meal with a bottle of Vino Rosso (YY78) and a cheese platter (YY28). Though it could use some improvement in service and ambiance, we give it a thumbs up for effort, and particularly value for money where the wines are concerned. --Sabine Chichioco