Basilico Trattoria & Grill
By Leslie Ruskin (bestfoodinchina.net)
Updated: 2011-01-04 10:20
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A truly memorable night – attractive environment, well-presented and prepared food paired with fine wines, supported by great service.
BFIC was extremely fortunate to have been invited to a fabulous promotional Wine Maker’s Gourmet Dinner at the Basilico Trattoria & Grill in the new Intercontinental Shanghai Expo Hotel. This night was truly memorable – glamorous environment, succulent, well-presented food perfectly paired with impeccable wines, and supported by friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive (but not lurking) service. The restaurant is very tastefully decorated with lots of dark wood, leather chairs, gleaming display cases of over 2,000 bottles of vintage wines and Italian cold cuts. The restaurant also offers three private dining rooms, a balcony, and an incredible view of the colorful Nanpu Bridge. Yet, perhaps one of the most striking elements which brought the whole dining experience together is the brick and tile decorated open kitchen and round wood-fired pizza oven placed in the middle of the main dining area. These elements really enhance the feeling of eating a home cooked meal in a classic Italian kitchen.
The night began with the guests being greeted at the restaurant entrance with a glass of the New Zealand Auntsfield Long Cow Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (213RMB). This light and refreshing wine was a delightful and appropriate aperitif with a clean and crisp taste of berries and citric fruits, leaving our appetite eager for more.
Shortly afterwards, the guests were invited to indulge in the Welcome Antipasti self-service counter, comprised of a smorgasbord of delicious classic antipasti. The selection included various classic Prosciutto (Italian cold cuts) such as velvety soft, nearly transparent slices of slightly smoked Parma ham and Spanish Iberico ham, which was also sliced wafer thin but still maintained a meaty chewiness with a well-balanced hint of salt. Also on offer were some assorted seafood dishes such as melt-in-your-mouth seasoned smoked salmon and a garlic-rich tuna puree and white bean salad. The antipasti bar was with a variety of house preserved vegetables, including succulent marinated artichoke hearts, plump and tender sun-dried tomatoes, marinated Italian olives, well-aged crumbly parmesan cheese, and a selection of breads. Everything was so tasty that I required incredible self-discipline to not indulge in a return trip for a second portion, so as to leave enough room for the five more courses to soon follow.
The next course after the antipasti was seared scallops with Romano artichokes accompanied by a celeriac Sambuca sauce. The scallops were substantial and the sauce was a creamy concentrate of root vegetables. This first seafood course was well paired with the crisp, clean, intense pure stone fruit palate and the subtle sweet French Oak aroma of the Auntsfield Cob Cottage Chardonnay 2008 (306 RMB).
The pasta dish was a portion of three plump lobster raviolis wrapped by a light and tender skin in a spicy chili seafood broth accompanied with garlic buttered grilled scampi. The broth had a fresh, subtle fishy taste without being too fishy and its flavors were highly complemented by an Auntsfield Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2007 (306 RMB). This Reserve vintage is a truly unique New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, oak aged for over 12 months for a full nose with a smooth, well-balanced, clean taste with just enough acidity to make the mouth water.
The I Secondi or main course of this incredible Tuscan dining experience, was Osso buco (slow braised Australian veal shank) on saffron Gremolate risotto paired with an Auntsfield Heritage Pinot Noir 2007 (982 RMB). This wine was truly special for several reasons, starting with its remarkable taste. The pairing of this wine was well chosen given the light, complex flavors of the Osso buco complemented by the complex and deep berries and slightly-leathery tongue of the Pinot. Another element making this a memorable wine is that a small percent of their 1905 vintage is blended in! Only 2,000 bottles were produced and each bottle is numbered with a Pewter neck seal and an embossed Pewter label is hand applied to each bottle.
The 2nd entree served was melt-in-the-mouth grilled Australian wagyu beef tenderloin with a dark porcini mushroom sauce, roasted rosemary baby potatoes, and arugula salad. The tenderloin cut like butter and the chosen Grade 5 wagyu balances enough marble to enhance the taste with enough fiber to remember that you are eating steak. This course was paired with a powerful, yet not over-powering, Australian Pertaringa Over the Top Shiraz 2006 (480 RMB). The luscious sweet berry fruit, well integrated oak, fine silky tannins, and opulent aromas of dark plum, prunes and mocha with spice undertones of this top Pertaringa Shiraz ideally complemented the meaty steak juices and the deep, concentrated porcini sauce.
Rounding out the evening was a sampling of a remarkably semi-soft and creamy Taleggio DOP cheese served with a slice of full-grained, crusty, raisin bread, home-made tomato chutney framed by an aesthetically pleasing streak of toasted pine nuts. A semi-sweet, sparkling Australian Stella Bella Pink Muscat 2009 (168 RMB / 375ml) well complemented the sweet tang of the fruity, sticky chutney and the raisins in the bread.
In summary, I couldn’t ask for a more satisfying experience. Great food paired with great wine was served by professional staff. Enjoying all of this in a stylish and comfortable environment offering amazing views of the Huangpu River and Nanpu Bridge was truly like a dream come true.
Location
1188 Xueye Road, Pudong //世博洲际酒店内，上海浦东雪野路1188号 Tel:+86 (0)21 3858 -1188
Service quality:
excellent
Food quality:
excellent
Price per head (RMB):
200-300
Environment:
excellent
Feature dish or menu:
Pizza, pasta, and home style authentic dishes
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