Med in Delhi

At The Med,a large tray close to the entrance,laden with fresh sheets of pasta generously dusted with flour,assures us of a homely meal. The quality of locally sourced ingredients has impressed Leopardi enough to attempt a burrata — a popular Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream — in a dairy farm in Haryana. “We have managed to recreate burrata,” he adds with a grin. Our order of Winter Burrata Salad (Rs 345) scripts a success story as a large plate offers two halves of this buttery cheese which comes with a strong egg-like texture and is served with roasted tomato and basil dressing.

The menu lists flavours from the Mediterranean basin,but if you come looking for a plate of Penne Arabiatta or a Margherita Pizza,you will be sorely disappointed. “With the abundance of imported ingredients in the market,anyone can stir up a meal with packed spaghetti and bottled sauces,” he says. So his kitchen rolls out freshly made sheets of pasta and tops them with interesting dressings. For instance,our plate of Prawn Ravioli (Rs 850) is sprinkled with curls of dried lemon shavings,adding a lemony twang to the meal,and Goat Cheese Tortellini (Rs 645) offer a generous dose of orange juice dressing and slivers of dried orange peel — a tad too sweet for the main course.

The dinner menu lists a separate section on carpaccio,with melon and eggplant sharing space with scallops and tenderloin. Pizzas are called flat breads here and asking for a thin crust will make Leopardi frown. “Flat breads originated in Naples and we are sticking to those on our menu.” You can also ask for a tagine,which,Leopardi says,“was introduced to please the Indian palate”. The restaurant also offers 20 wines by the glass.

One the second level of the restaurant,there is a separate Tapas lounge decked with broad leather sofas and coffee tables. The Tapas menu lists a handful of vegetarian and non-vegetarian nibbles and an unlimited serving comes for Rs 1,450 (for non-vegetarian) and Rs 1,250 (for vegetarian). There are mushroom toasts,fried artichokes,asparagus with aioli dip,lamb meatballs with fresh mint and harissa-marinated prawn skewers (Rs 155 for the non-vegetarian dish and Rs 125 for the vegetarian) to choose from. But call up in advance to check the menu,as it changes daily.

Meal for Two: Rs 2,500 Contact: 011-26779191 Location: Radisson Hotel,Delhi