Trattoria Isabelle (Yishabei'er)

Description:

• Miss this little trattoria hidden and you'll miss out on some of Shanghai's tastiest Italian home cooking. This is a thoroughly charming and unpretentious restaurant all the way from its simple decor -- wooden floors, pink tablecloths, and fresh flowers -- to its discreet and friendly service, to its uncomplicated and comforting food. Steak and fish are available, but it's the pastas -- relying on simple sauces such as tomato, pesto, seafood, and chicken and mushroom -- that keep the expats-in-the-know coming back. That and the beef carpaccio. It's hard to find a better deal in town than the set pasta lunch (¥38-¥58/$5.45-$8.30/£2.70-£4.15, including salad and coffee), or the ¥40 ($5.70/£2.85) and under cocktails. Benissimo.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010