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The Top Five: Cheap Italian Restos

Italian meals in Italian restaurants for cheap - By Oliver, Sep 03, 08

If it's Italian and in Shanghai, you're probably not going to be able to get a full restaurant experience -- a satisfying meal and a glass of wine in a nice environment – for under 100rmb.

But with these five places you can -- especially if you go to the bathroom right when the check comes and stick your dining partners with the bill:

"How much was it? You got it? Thanks man, I'll get the first round at the bar ... Scoreboard?"

Pane E Vino

A mom and pop operation on Maoming Lu, Pane e Vino is a new favourite of ours after reading good things about it from the SmSh user reviews -- honest Italian food in a down-home but golden and radiant environment. If you're looking for a few simple favourites at decent prices, Pane e Vino won't disappoint, and you can put together a nice meal excluding wine for under 100rmb. It's a great place to go during the week, if you’re looking for a nice night out at a restaurant to cut your working week in half. Of note are the creamy pastas and the pizza, the crust of which is made from imported Italian flour.

To be honest, I can't really tell the difference but it's something to talk about if there's a conversation lull.

Trattoria Isabelle

A staple of the expat dining scene, Trattoria Isabelle offers a warm, laid-back, lived-in dining environment for both large and small parties, with prices to match. It's a simple formula that nonetheless has Trattoria Isabelle on the top of the heap when it comes to budget Italian places, and has us coming back once a month. Wine and drinks, if you get excessive, can add up, but with good-tasting, filling pastas at around 40rmb, it's easy to keep your share of the bill hovering under 100rmb, even if you tag on a dessert (25rmb). Plus you can fill up on that bread too. It's a popular place, though, and it's a good idea to call ahead for reservations.

Bella Napoli

Although, it's smaller, and more singular in character, Bela Napoli just off Nanjing on Xikang offers something similar to Trattoria Isabelle: a cozy, intimate, laid-back dining environment and prices that don't gouge your wallet. Due to its size (if you're on the ground floor), it's more conducive to dining in pairs, and there's a DVD store right next to it and you can pick up Must Love Dogs afterwards to cap off a romantic evening.

Every time we've been, the service has been really friendly and considerate, with the manager (owner?) offering suggestions on food and wine, adding that "family restaurant" touch. Portions are good too, wine was a little expensive - the tiramisu is great - and it won't break the magical 100rmb barrier if you save your drinking for afterwards. Bela Napoli offers a great personal dining experience, and is definitely worthy of return visits.

Cantine Natale Gini

Located in the Jing'An area on Wuding Lu near Yanping Lu (right across the street from well-known apartment complex San He Huai Yuan), Natale Gini provides the full Italian experience – entrée, pasta, main – for dirt cheap. The food reflects the prices -- don't expect five-star cuisine -- and you'll get small portions on the mains and pasta that's real reminiscent of Hamburger Helper. They are, however, offering 50% off their wines, and so it's a great option if you live in the area and are looking for a something different than the Wagas, Cantine, and Shoka, which are right around the corner on Yanping. It feels more like a wine store than a restaurant, and the capacity is like 15 or so, but they've got the cheapest prosecco in town and a full Italian meal for two is well under 200rmb. Prosecco at 20rmb a glass and 74rmb a bottle with the discount.

So to reiterate: with pasta hovering around the 20rmb mark, it's a good place to go if you wish to make the transition from "hungy" to "not hungry" and wouldn't mind a nice buzz while you do so.

Pasti

Almost didn't want to include Pasti on this list because it's been real hit-and-miss for me every time I've gone, it's not all that cheap (despite having paper place mats and mediocre food), and the better choice, Bela Napoli, is right around the corner. But nonetheless the portions are quite large and more than filling (no one on earth could finish one of their risottos, or even eat again for a few days) and despite the fact that it costs about 60rmb for just one main, it's all you're going to need. Service was very nice every time I've gone, the environment is simple but not offensive, and they've stepped up their wine offerings (a few vintages on special) -- but Pasti is definitely one of those restaurants that would piss off real Italians were any to ever eat there. Good thing I'm not one.

To temper the negative with the positive, I've had nothing but good experiences with Sandwich Express on the ground floor.

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