Review Summer Menu at Olive Festival at Italia DLF Promenade New Delhi

From past few months Blogger table has become an integral part of my life, love the company of our chatty bunch for a lively conversation and our shared love of food. This week we met at Italia {a fine dining Italian restaurant, DLF Promenade, New Delhi} for preview of upcoming Italia Olive Festival {24th Aug-2ndSep}and taste their summer menu.

Never been to Italia before, as I loved the warm and cozy ambiance, would have loved to sit outside if it was not a humid summer day. May be sometime in October or November will be right time to enjoy the beautiful terrace seating.

After décor` first thing which I noticed was warm welcome by, Priya Sharma, Vikas Sehrawat {manager} and Chef Somopriyo Basu and later on Abhijit Bose {GM Park} who is a music lover too joined us for a drink and some chit chat.

After our famous photography session as Sushmita calls it “Food paparazzi” {restaurant staff was thoughtful enough to plate food on one counter for food photography}.

Another of antipasti platter arrived, baked Artichoke hearts with Parmesan and Pine nuts which was good but I liked mushroom skewers and small serving of rocket salad better than artichokes. Hubs tried chicken skewers which he says were good but next time he would go for my option of veg-antipasti.

We were also treated with four varieties of olives, each with their unique taste and amount of olive oil. As much as I liked every variety I just can not ditch my favourites Kalamata olives (I was too busy eating to photograph them:).

Next we were served Four cheese and Four olive pizza that was baked in wood oven. Loved the smoky flavours on really thin but not so crisp crust {Just the way I like it}.

Main course for vegetarians included Spaghetti with Trapanese Pesto and Pan Seared Polenta with Asparagus Spears and Mix Mushroom Sauce.

I did not find Spaghetti interesting mainly because pesto was little different which my palette is used to of, but on  loved Pan seered polenta which I was craving after looking at Sangeeta’s recipe just the right amount of moistness and doneness {most recommend this} Hubs had Tenderloins Medallions with Garden Vegetables & Rosemary Foam which he say were good.

By the time our dessert arrived {Chocolate Truffle Cake served with Extra Virgin Olive Oil Gelato with Olive Dust} I was so full, that I just tasted the spoonful from hubs dessert platter. May be it had something to do with my “already eaten my dinner feeling but did not enjoy the dessert much”, Cake was good but did not quite liked gelato ( though I am great everything olive fan) somehow this olive oil gelato did not agree with my taste buds. Deeba {the passionate baker} recommends Tiramisu which she had tried on her another visit to Italia.

That’s beautiful Ruchira loved her hands hence this shot

All in all loved the good food, conversation about life of journos and journalism, and found out that Nivriti was same journalist who published my first newspaper interview 3 years ago{small word}. Amidst usual carefree banter and laughter associated with our table , I just love this lovely bunch which is very beautifully glued together by Mr Favicol {Sid Khullar}.