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Piccola,the Italian word for baby or little one,is the bon mot for the eatery that opened just last week in the Capitals bohemian quarter,Hauz Khas Village. Piccolas menu is a homage to its progenitor,Diva,with some tweaking here and there. The restaurant is tiny (as is apposite) at 25 seats,with an open kitchen and a pizza oven facing the entrance. The music,décor and the smiling staff,all trigger an instant recall of the familiar habitue for Italian food lovers in Greater Kailash.
We decide to start with a Spaghetti with Prawns,tossed in white wine,olive oil and bits of tomato. The pasta is al dente,dripping with olive goodness. The prawns are cooked with their tails intact,which is pretty unusual for a pasta dish. The fact that they still retain a portion of their shell helps to lock in the flavour,giving the spaghetti an added sea-food dimension. Sort of like a seafood pasta plus. A definite thumbs up.
The next course is a Piccante Pizza (I know,how trite to visit an Italian restaurant and dine almost exclusively on pizza and pasta,but once in a while,one likes to keep it simple). The pizza comprises spicy salami and crumbled sausage with chilli flakes (hence,the piccante) with a base of tomato sauce,wood-fired and served. While the pizza is delicious (as anything with pork usually is),its really the shape that catches the eye. Forgoing the traditional round or square shapes,its an interesting oval served on a rectangular wooden platter. This makes it much neater and easier to eat. All pizzas in the restaurant are shaped the same way.
Our final course is a pork Piccata,which is sauteed and sliced pork,served with cheese and ham in a red wine reduction. The pork is really well-cooked,the fat melting in the mouth,with strong accents of the wine and cheese. The dish is accompanied by potato medallions,which provide a nice balance.
For dessert,we choose the Torta della Nonna a combination of rich pastry,delicate custard and toasted almonds. Simply sublime,this dish takes our respect for the almond to a whole new level. Easily the best course. One should visit Piccola simply to try their rendition of this classic Italian dessert.
Meal for two: Rs 2,000 (excluding taxes and alcohol) Address: 1st Floor,30,Hauz Khas Village Contact: 40536001
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