This article is dedicated to all those foodies whose fondest word is pasta, as is mine!
In fact, I have a feeling Italian cuisine was only discovered to be relished.
If you have a yen for pasta, do try out these pasta haunts in Delhi, a super city for dining out.
Chill with spicy Italian treats
The best Italian restaurant I have visited in Delhi is the Big Chill Café. Though it continues to remain the hangout of college students and holds on to its retro image with zest, the food is delectable. I am yet to meet a person who has not left BCC with a satiated stomach and a smile on his face.
Must-haves include Chicken Piri Piri (pasta in a spicy sauce), Prawns in Vodka Sauce (a tomato cream-based finger-licking dish), Chicken and Penne with Mozzarella (loaded with cheese but oh-so-good) and Lamb Chops Rosemary.
Perfectly flavoured iced tea is served in tall glasses.
If this were not enough, the finishing touch can only be the squishy Chocolate Cake or the Mud Pie -- sinful!
The damages
~ The pastas cost between Rs 200-250.
~ Main course dishes like lamb chops cost between Rs 250-400.
~ The drinks are priced between Rs 50-100.
~ Desserts are reasonably priced between Rs 100-Rs 200.
~ The overall cost per head should be somewhere between Rs 300-500.
Back to the seventies
The ambience at BCC is that of the seventies, American style. Posters and relics of classic Hollywood movies like Psycho, Godfather, etc, adorn the walls. There is also a cosy veranda that seats three to four people.
The service takes some time and they occasionally mix up the orders but, trust me, it's worth the wait.
More pasta picks
For those of you who would like to try other restaurants before declaring Big Chill as the king of Italian food in Delhi, here are some close contenders.
Diva
Very up-market. Has a classy, formal setting with tall backed chairs. The dishes as authentic as they come.
The owner, a lady with impeccable taste, can be seen taking rounds of the restaurant when she is not in the kitchen.
You could try the beef preparations and wash them down with red wine.
The seafood dishes are delectable.
Do not forget to have the chocolate soufflé here. Visualise a hot gooey chocolate soufflé with chocolate sauce and ice cream -- heaven!
Cost per head: Rs 700-800
Flavors
Almost hidden under the Defense Colony flyover, this Italian joint is another favourite. Though the dishes are fairly good and can be complemented by alcohol, it does not stand out in terms of taste.
The ambience is informal and colourful with bright walls, but nothing to write home about. They do, however, have a nice garden outside.
The cost per head would amount to Rs 400-600
So what are you waiting for? Don't take my word for it -- go try them out for yourself!
Addresses
Big Chill Café
East of Kailash
Near LSR
New Delhi
***
Diva
GK 2 (M Block Market)
New Delhi
***
Flavors
Defence Colony Market (under the flyover)
New Delhi
Harnoor Channi, 23, works in the corporate marketing division of HCL Technologies in Delhi. The views she has expressed here are personal.
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