Testing the senses in Shanghai to find China's best antitourism and off-beat secrets. Dry and sometimes funny observations from a fixed gear roller, food eater and photograph taker.

My Review in Cityweekend of an Italian newcomer to Shanghai… full listing here

There are two keys to Italian cuisine: good produce and simple preparation. Tivoli manages neither. As a result, they offer a huge menu of mostly bland, completely forgettable fare and a pretty good pizza. The seafood soup (RMB78) is freezer-fresh, doused in a watery tomato base, as is the pumpkin ravioli (RMB78). We couldn’t soak it up even with lashings of too-salty Parmesan.

Marginally better are thin tranches of veal (RMB68) smothered in a creamy, slightly tuna-flavored sauce. Best was the pizza Tivoli (RMB98). Delightfully drenched in gorgonzola and dressed in porcini mushrooms, it packs a punch. Sourcing must be a challenge to chef Palmiro (of the Italian Pavilion)–it will take more than a huge restaurant to attract discerning diners.

Tivoli: 2/F, 889 Nanjing Xi Lu 南京西路889号2楼
Tel: 6562-8555