Life is full of surprises,so when we heard that Diva,doyen of Italian cuisine,has launched a contemporary Asian cafe,we took it with a pinch of salt,or ajino-moto,as it were. Located above the Kitsch design studio in Defence Colony,Diva Kitsch is swathed in dove grey interiors,punctuated with pop art and embellishments like a vintage Penny-Farthing bicycle aglitter with fairy lights. We take a leaf out of Divas book and start our meal afresh with,you knew it was leading to this,salad. To be precise,a Larb from Laos and Bomras Tomato Salad. The Larb comprises shredded duck with banana blossoms (the joys of alliteration) lychees and roasted rice grains. The complementing contrasts in flavours and textures of the soft and sweet lychee,the restrained,crunchy rice and the sour,meaty duck make for the culinary equivalent of a work by Vermeer. Meanwhile the Bomra with its sensuous description (fresh tomatoes massaged with sesame,tamarind and jaggery dressing) has an equally sensual flavour,reminiscent of a glamourised bhelpuri. While were not sure who Bomra is (a veiled reference to the legendary Burmese restaurant in Goa of the same name,perhaps?),its clear he or she makes a killer aperitif. The Big Plates menu is playful,with several irreverent takes on classics such as Fish and Chips and Steak and Egg. Irreverence suiting our palate just fine we order both,as well as a Pork Vindaloo. The fish and chips comprises fresh panko crusted fish with Wasabi fries and Wok fried Edamame,served on a black tile platter with a smear of wasabi. The fish is like your favourite paramour,crisp and sharp on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. Since our mothers told us to always eat our greens we naturally largely ignore the Edamame. Though in our minds,a bean is a bean is a bean,those of the vegetarian persuasion will find them much to their liking. The wasabi theme is further developed with the steak and egg which comprises a wasabi rubbed tenderloin piccata with a fried egg,mash and mushrooms. Whats interesting about the various applications of wasabi in the menu is that none of them are in your face,but very gentle,staying in the background,their presence revealed only by that flaring of nostrils,so characteristic of the Japanese horse radish. The deconstructed vindaloo features well seasoned pork resting on a bed of quinoa pilaf,accompanied by a steamed bao,an amusing substitution of the traditional Goan pao. After such elaborate face stuffing,the law of diminishing marginal utility dictates a simple dessert and the Jaggery Crème Brulee we order is just that. Highly evocative of simpler times when ones grandmother made mishti doi,this one is pure comfort food,gooey jaggery flavoured custard encased in a hard burnt caramel shell. Meal for Two: Rs 2,500 (with taxes,excluding alcohol)Address: Kitsch,D-17,Defence Colony. Tel: 40648861
