Tucked away in the gardens of the Italian Cultural Centre in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri district, is the delightful Diva restaurant, where they serve their signature good food, as well as pizzas cooked in the outside pizza oven, and have a small, good (though pricey) wine list.
The charm of this branch of Diva is its garden setting – there is also an indoor restuarant, but the diplomats and cognoscenti who patronise the Italian Cultural Centre restaurant do so for the garden. Sitting out under the shady trees on a summer evening, with lanterns twinkling and candles glowing, and the resident sleek cats curled up at your feet, you feel more as though you are dining at a friend’s home than in a restaurant.
A recent visit, though, revealed that the lawn has been paved over. Undoubtedly more practical, but not half as pretty as sitting on the grass.
We had a mousse di formaggio to start with – 4 smallish pieces of toasted bread with a rather industrial-tasting mousse – for Rs 210. Not to be repeated. The excellent grilled fish with mashed potatoes will, however, be repeated – Rs 330.
Rs 1900 for a bottle of chianti classico was expensive, and the wine was fine but not breathtaking.
With taxes and service, the bill for 2 for the items described above came to Rs 3,536.
Be sure to have photo ID with you, for a serious but polite security check as you enter the ICC.
The entrance to Diva is on Chandragupta Marg.
Phone : 011-2467 4575