[New Eats] Nono's from Brains Behind Yaya's

New Eats is a semi-regular articles dispatch from Shanghai's eternal buffet of the brand-new. We're here to catch the sparkle before it fades – the bowls of noodles worth worship, the bars mixing more than just overpriced gimmicks, the spots that might actually survive past their first rent cycle. Strap in. Shanghai's appetite doesn't nap, and neither should you.

The Snapshot

The older sister to everyone's favorite Yaya's, Nono's has officially landed its own brick-and-mortar spot on Yongfu Road following a series of successful pop-ups that began in April of last year. Think white tablecloths without pretension. "It's all about fun dining, not fine dining," lends co-founder Andrew Moo. "Come to Nono's to dress up and let your hair down."

The same team behind Yaya's (Andrew Moo, Dan Li and Mike Liu) are doling out a pizza-heavy menu, plus woodfire grill mains and homemade pasta, all in the same Italian-Chinese fusion vein. Chef Chris Zhu (previously of Blaz, Sundays) is manning the kitchen daily, with his take on the amalgamation of these two culinary powerhouse cuisines.

On the drinks front, Franklin Chiang (previously of Alors) is covering all things wines, with a strong emphasis on natural and low-intervention vino you won't find elsewhere China, and creative cocktails are curated by Tommy Wong (CMYK, Hope & Sesame Group).

And why the cherry? With celebration of all kinds, regardless of rhyme or reason, at the heartbeat of Nono's ethos, the cherry motif found throughout the décor and menu symbolizes that extra dose of indulgence, the guaranteed cherry on top that takes your night to the next level.

The Food

Following in the same footsteps as Yaya's, Nono's culinary identity is all about technique-driven, ingredient-forward, upscale takes on Italian plates with thoughtful use of Chinese ingredients. With an established tenure in Shanghai's dining scene, Zhu pulls on his culinary connections from around the country to source the highest quality and most unique ingredients – from seasonal produce to proteins – that you most likely won't have ever seen before.

A fan favorite from Nono's numerous pop-ups, the latest iteration of the Mud Snail Cannoli (58 yuan/US$8.4/3 pieces) features these chewy Ningbo mollusks, typically eaten with congee for breakfast, instead tossed with zaolu-confit leeks (a nod to Shanghainese "drunken" crustaceans) piped with mascarpone inside a crisp Italian cannoli vessel.

A similar coupling of Chinese and Italian signatures, the Xuecai Jiaoyan Fritto Misto (138 yuan) is the Italian street food staple fritto misto (fried squid, shrimp and codfish) – squirt of lemon and all – but garnished with Jiangnan (the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River) xuecai, a dried, salted and fermented mustard green.

For those in the know (and now you know), the chef's secret menu Chicken Wing and Caviar (68 yuan each) is not to be missed, a succulent, deboned and shrimp mousse-stuffed wing. Roasted in the Combi oven before being finished over charcoal and wood-fire flames, the wings are finally painted in a caramelized miso glaze and crowned with glistening beads of caviar. It's sweet, sticky, salty, smoky and oh-so scrumptious.

Do note, wings are only available sometimes, as they are clipped from the Claypot Roasted Chongming Yellow Chicken (238 yuan) main dish that has already garnered quite a loyal following.

Zhu has been honing his meat curing skills for years, reinterpreting traditional Italian cured meats with Chinese flavors. Sample a rotating selection of his creations with the Salumi Plate (88 yuan/50g), such as spicy salami aged with a trio of Guizhou chilis, chengpi (fermented citrus peel) marinated duck prosciutto, cured pork neck braised in a Shaoxing zaolu (a fragrant, savory Chinese brine made from fermented rice wine lees dregs, mixed with Shaoxing wine, spices and aromatics), and aged Shandong beef bresaola marinated in chengpi.

Playful uses of these meats can also be found sprinkled throughout the menu – house mala salami on the Mala Diavola Pizza (128 yuan), Cantonese lap mei sausage on the Claypot Rice Pizza (128 yuan) and housemade nduja in the Baked Rigatoni (198 yuan).

Onto the main event, the pizzas. Zhu uses a 48-hour fermented, high-hydration dough, so that the crust is a draw, rather than just a means to end to get to more toppings. It's Napoli style but cooked slightly longer for more of that bubbled charred edge. Options range from conventional – Margherita (98 yuan) or Quattro Formaggi (118 yuan) – to creative – Guizhou Mussels (128 yuan), Onion Party (98 yuan) and Claypot Rice (128 yuan), a 'za topped with Cantonese sausage, fior di latte, rice bechamel and crispy rice puffs.

Despite carving its own niche in Shanghai's diverse dining scene, Nono's does lean into pasta, just not as strongly as Yaya's, with equally appetizing offerings like Baked Rigatoni (198 yuan) in a fiery housemade nduja crushed tomato sauce and stretchy straciatella cheese. Raw Taizhou red prawns adorn the top, complimented by layers of fontina melted throughout, it's funky aroma emulating shrimp paste.

The Charcoal-Kissed Suatew Squid (208 yuan) sees 500 grams of sashimi-grade Shantou squid par-cooked for that requisite bounce, smothered in a velvety Shanghainese-style tangcu (sweet and sour) brown butter balsamic reduction.

It would be remiss to miss dessert, with a showstopper lineup beginning with rich Dark Chocolate Mousse (88 yuan) scooped-to-order from a family style tray and paired with parmesan ice cream, preserved cherries, biscoff crumble, and a more-than-generous shaving of fresh parmesan.

Do not sleep on the silky Milk Panna Cotta (58 yuan), layered with white chocolate and zingy ginger granita, the ideal not-too-sweet winter treat.

The Drinks

Cocktails are classics with a Chinese twist – notes of chengpi here, a hint of Shaoxing wine there, and a hit of Zhejiang vinegar where you least expect it. The program focuses mainly on low sugar, savory-leaning, higher ABV drams. "It's the kind of cocktails we like to throw back after a long shift," adds Moo.

An ode to the dirty martini for carb lovers, the Double O Dirrrty (98 yuan) is the filthiest of gin martinis, with olives and homemade pickle brine (of course), plus dry and white vermouths. But the kicker (and body) comes from the curious yet welcome addition of pasta water, perfectly paired with a side of aged parm.

The Atmosphere

Nono's is all about the intimate bistro feels, in a modern minimalist manner – white walls, white tables, warm lighting and art deco design elements like an ornate chandelier hanging over a black geometrically-patterned, candle-lined table at the entrance. The underlying red glow, emitting from the cherry logo neon sign, private dining room, and kitchen, hints at what's to come as evening marches on into the witching hour...

Unlike the relaxed neighborhood ambiance of Yaya's, this 50-seater space is designed for long lunches (set to launch in the near future), special occasion dinners and late-night parties coupled with hip vibes at all hours.

Historically this area was a late-night hangout, housing underground club Shelter back in the day, so the team wants to keep that sentiment going with Nono's via late night parties replete with cocktail pop-ups and guilty pleasure grub to match. Think Friday and Saturday night DJ sets with food and cocktail pairings, wine pours with pizza, and more, into the wee hours of the morning. So much to look forward to.

If you go...

Nono's

Address: 2/F, 47 Yongfu Rd (by Wuyuan Rd)

永福路47号二楼,近五原路

If you want to book a table, scan to access their WeChat mini-program to make a reservation.