Douglas Williams/Shanghai Daily news

As with Chinese restaurants, Italian restaurants are to be found the world over.
La Gondola at 16 Henan Road M., is precisely the type of Italian restaurant to be found from Adelaide, Australia to Aberdeen, United Kingdom; San Diego, United States to Stockholm, Sweden with the one exception of perhaps Italy itself.
The Italians much like the Chinese make natural restaurateurs coming as they do from a culture which is traditionally heavily food centric. Hence, over the last 100 years, the "Italian restaurant" has evolved into an entity unto itself and La Gondola represents this very well; so much so in fact that this two level cosy joint just along from the Westin Hotel is bordering on a cliche.
Whilst some Italian restaurants continued evolving beyond the mid 1980s La Gondola seems stuck in that era, waiting staff bedecked in black and white, dubious standard issue "Italian restaurant amour songs and pseudo Italian art on the walls making this restaurant seem like something from a comedy sketch, all be it a good natured one.
The fresh warm bruschetta, diced tomatoes with garlic, basil and olive oil on slices of baguette were excellent the service perfectly, if formulaically, acceptable. We chose to stay simple, avoiding the meat and fish section, and simple was what we got. The house Pinot Grigio, good value and well chilled, but devoid of crispness. The soup of the day, broccoli, was a good consistency and well seasoned. The beef carpaccio, however, seemed to consist of a singular, very thin slice taken from something like a rump steak.

The beef carpaccio tasted better than it looks.

Fortunately it tasted better than it looked though the parmesan would have benefited from a little more oomph. My partner's mushroom risotto had mushrooms and rice, some of the afore mentioned under powered parmesan and butter. No amount of black pepper could lift it from an altogether pedestrian rendition; comfort food shouldn't really figure on a menu. My fettuccine with zucchini, prawns, tomato and basil was ok. More basil and more zucchini would have helped but the pasta was well cooked.
Atmosphere wise there did seem to be a certain humor to the place the night we ate, coupled with perhaps a smidgen of fatigue. The dishes were well presented, the tables classically laid out and despite it being a Tuesday night there was a healthy smattering of diners who seemed to have the staff at almost full stretch.

Chocolate souffle

My chocolate souffle was rich and moist and though unexceptional, enjoyed never the less, perhaps a metaphor for La Gondola itself. The surroundings are underwhelming, the service indifferent and much of the food pedestrian but there's a humor and a relaxed lack of pretense to the place that would allow for an entertaining evening without surprises.
A perfectly pleasant meal can be had but there is better available at a similar price, Trattoria Isabelle and Pasti to name but two.
Dinner for two with a bottle of house white came to 440 yuan (US$54.32).