What happens when fashion meets food? It seduces both the eyes and the appetite. Move over the flowy gowns, as here high street designer Roberto Cavalli is weaving food fantasies. Located on the ground floor of Delhi’s luxury hotspot, DLF Emporio, is the Cavalli Caffé which serves authentic Italian in a chic and classy setting.
It’s hard to miss the zebra print décor of the caffé even amid the glitz of iconic brands that Emporio houses. The Roberto Cavalli boutique and the caffé are inter-connected and a sliding door is swung open for shoppers who want a break from haute couture. There is also seating in the atrium of the mall, reminiscent of a European style café.
The awe-inspiring interior complete with Cavalli’s signature animal print decor and the plush seating makes the café a visual treat. Then comes the gourmet treat. Authentic Italian done with lot of detailing and presented in a style that one can expect only from a designer of Cavalli’s repute. For instance the soup, Crema De Pomodoro, comes in a bread bowl. “We are a luxury food joint and the presentations have to have the wow factor. Even though the food is authentic Italian, it is prepared to please Indian taste buds. It has strong flavours and is sumptuous. Even though we serve Italian, the portion sizes are American,” says Kapil Sethi, executive chef. The cold soups that the caffé serves are equally good and worth giving a try.
Cavalli Caffé’s menu doesn’t stop at pizzas and pastas. There is Burrata, fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream, the Cavalli Caesar Salad with a dressing that has a lingering taste and fresh Bruschettas that are perfect for starting a meal. A lot of ingredients are imported by the caffé which lends an exotic flavour to the dishes.
In the main course, while pastas and risottos are done well, it’s the super-thin pizzas that have made this caffé in Vasant Kunj a popular joint. “Yes, we serve the thinnest pizzas in town. Soon we will also be introducing flavoured crusts,” Sethi tells us. The menu offers a range, including the classic Margherita, Smoked Salmon Pizza Bianco and the Cavalli Pizza. Grilled Shrimp and Champagne Butter Risotto and the Penne al Pesto Alla Genovese are worth giving a try.
There is an international menu which features the regular shawarmas and falafel wraps. But what will grab any foodie’s attention is the Chili Caramel Basa with Wilted Spinach and Wok Tossed Noodles.
Recently, the caffé added a few more dishes to its menu like eggless desserts for vegetarians and a kid’s menu with a number of options to try out.
If you are planning to skip the dessert here, well don’t. The way they do the Hot Chocolate Foam with Rum Granite feels like it has been imported from heaven. No wonder, the chef tells us, that lot of ladies flock the place just to have this dessert. And we thought the ladies could only drool over Cavalli dresses.