[Shanghai] 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana (Brunch)
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana | Dianping
Address: 圆明园路169号6-7楼 – Level 6/7, 169 Yuanmingyuan Lu (黄浦区 Huangpu District)
Date visited: 2015.01 for brunch
Price: RMB¥458 + 10% brunch set per person
Will return: Yes
Please note this was an invited tasting
8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana is currently running a brunch series showcasing dishes from various regions of Italy. The menu rotates every few weeks to a different region and is priced at RMB¥458 + 10% per person. This week’s visit featured flavors of Piedmont, a northern region of Italy.
A little rosé to start never hurt anyone.
And seeing Chef Bombana’s face on this bottle of wine, which made my day.
(Please note: set price includes coffee or tea; extra charge applies for champagne or wine.)
Course 1: classic selection of antipasti
Three petite starters of veal “tonnato,” stewed beef tongue with agrodolce vegetables, and marinated bell peppers in salsa verde. The slab of beef tongue was definitely the best.
Course 2: homemade “tajarin” pasta
Meat ragout, butter & grana padano
Tajarin is a narrow, flat egg noodle made using 132547x egg yolks. The dough is rolled into a thin, flat sheet and cut into pieces of noodles. I typically like my pasta to be al dente and I noticed that the pastas I have had during my visits here lean more toward the soft side. I asked why and it was explained to me that since it is freshly made egg noodle that is not dried, it remains tender. Makes sense and I can live with that. The meat sauce was delicious — homey and hearty.
Course 3: traditional “brasato”
Braised beef shoulder, Barolo wine sauce, celeriac puree
Fatty and loose piece of beef saturated with a deep wine sauce. A highlight of the meal and also the plateau that promptly dropped me off the cliff to a food-induced coma.
Course 4: dessert trio
Favorite of this trio was the bicerine, which is hot chocolate & coffee with a thick layer of cream on top. Second was the bunet, a classic chocolate pudding. Not as pleasing was the pear & hazelnut chocolate tartelette, which tasted a bit odd from the (candied?) pear.
