Run To Mi Piaci At Mehrauli For An Italian Experience That Feels Rooted In Culture And Tradition!

‘A tavola non si invecchia,’ translated into English, this Italian proverb simply means that when you are at the table with good friends and family, you do not age. That sentiment echoed inside me as I settled myself on one of Mi Piaci’s plush white sofas. After all, both Italy and India share the culture of community eating with near and dear ones.  At the newly opened Italian restaurant in Mehrauli, conversations flowed freely wherever I looked, and the tables, set with food, looked welcoming as well as appetising.

The brainchild of Priyank Sukhija and Lorenzo Lanzoni, Ambawatta One’s latest hospitality establishment transports you to the trattorias of Italy, where simple and flavourful meals are created using seasonal and local ingredients. The answer might lie in the core team, all of whom hail from Italy. Corporate Chef Mattia Volpari has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe, while their pizza chef Allesandro Citera has worked at Meno Male, one of Europe’s top-rated artisanal pizza chains. Even their manager, the extremely affable Silvia Aserio, has worked at Remulass and Cipriani in Milan.

The Décor

It’s not often that you see fresh pasta being made right from scratch in front of you, and that too, right upon entering it. But at Mi Piaci, they do things differently. The sight of a chef creating fresh, handmade spaghetti from the dough was a treat for the senses.

Olive trees, a few of them real and the rest artificial, lent a pop of colour to the white, minimalistic setting. The vibe at the 65-seater with an alfresco section and soon-to-open rooftop dining area is classic and does not scream for attention, which is how Sukhija wanted it to be. “I want the focus to be on the food served on the table,” he says.

Designed by Natasha Jain of Bentchair and Natalier, the restaurant is spacious, yet exudes a cosy and intimate vibe, thanks to the warm, studio lighting.

The Food

There’s no dearth of Italian eateries in Delhi. Throw a stone and you will probably hit a pizza place, but how many can promise to give you an authentic Italian experience? Just like Goa has its susegad, the Italians believe in la dolce vita, the sweet life of savouring beauty and pleasure, and I was soon to get a taste of it. With the expert Chef Mattia in the kitchen, I prepared myself to savour Italian dishes the way I had never done before.

The Ravioli Fritti, which was served first, gave me a glimpse of how my evening was to unfold. The simple dish is packed with flavours, with fried vegetable-stuffed pasta buttons dunked in Parmesan fondue.

Next up, the chef presented one of his signature dishes – the Risotto allo Zafferano – a saffron risotto, which came with a delicious and creamy lamb demi-glace. Pizza was on the cards as well, and I enjoyed the cheesy goodness of Tartufo with mozzarella, mushrooms, and fresh truffle. 

I had no idea what to expect when the chef wheeled in the Parmigiano wheel to prepare the Tagliatelle Mi Piaci right in front of me! I had never seen a Parmigiano wheel, and it was quite an experience watching the chef ladle hot pasta right into its centre, letting the rich, creamy, melting cheese coat the pasta completely. In Italian homes, Silvia shared, smaller wheels such as these are used to make pasta, and nothing goes to waste, not even the crusts, which are used to flavour broths. The end result here was a hearty and wholesome creamy pasta with fresh truffle that instantly brought to my mind Hollywood legend Sophia Lauren’s famous line: “I’d much rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size 0.”

The icing on the cake, literally, was seeing the desserts being assembled on the table as well. However, the flaky pastry dessert Millefoglie, after all that build-up, did not really meet my expectations when it came to the texture. The Chef made up for it with the Tiramisu Mi Piaci, which again was assembled in front of me. First in went the ladyfingers dipped in espresso, followed by a layer of mascarpone cheese and cocoa, only to be repeated. Easily one of the best tiramisus in the city.

The Drinks

The bar menu takes inspiration from Italian ingredients, while paying homage to Italian culinary heritage and local creativity. My first choice was the Roma 75, a homemade limoncello with prosecco and soda, an easy-going drink which thankfully, was not too tart. If I had skipped the tiramisu, having the Tirami would have probably made up for it – the cocoa-infused vodka drink with espresso and mascarpone syrup was as good as having a tiramisu as a drink.    

ELLE Gourmet’s Verdict

What’s another Italian eatery in a city full of Italian eateries? It is all about the difference that fresh and seasonal ingredients, and traditional, time-tested techniques can bring to a dish and its flavours. And if you can have an authentic Italian experience with a view of the Qutub Minar in Delhi, well, that’s just the icing on the cake, or should we say, fresh truffle shavings on a pizza!      

Address: Ambawatta One, Mehrauli, Delhi

Time- Monday to Friday- 7 pm to 1 am,  Saturday and Sunday- 12 pm- 3 pm and 7 pm- 1 am

Call for reservations - 9717320060

Meal for two: ₹2,500 plus taxes (without alcohol)