14 February,2022 08:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Sukanya Datta
Diva’s classic tiramisu
When this writer imagines her Italian holiday, a collage of a margherita pizza served on a chequered cloth-draped corner table, graced by slanting sun rays, comes to mind. Not walking into a cold mall. Yet somehow, in her second outpost in the city, at an upscale BKC mall, chef-restaurateur Ritu Dalmia has managed to capture a bit of the Italian sun and warmth. It streams in at the far end of Motodo, amid an array of greens, through giant glass windows onto cosy rattan chairs, a cluster of pasta-making posters, and shiny salt-and-pepper holders shaped like aubergines - the chef's favourite, we're told.
Agnolotti
"I used to always say we'll never open a restaurant in a mall," chuckles Dalmia, loudly proclaiming herself as a "hypocrite". "But malls have changed now, along the lines of what you have in Dubai, Istanbul and Italy," she reasons. The Italian restaurant is a partnership between Dalmia and Jio World Drive.
After staying away from the economic capital for years, it's the celebrity chef's second restaurant in the city, after Tasting Room by Diva, in a span of a little over three months. The brains behind the Diva chain of restaurants reveals she's always admired Mumbai's energy and work culture. "I was too much of a coward before, and didn't want to make life more difficult by having to move around. But during COVID-19, we had to shut down three to four units in Delhi, so my workload there has halved. I've started spending a lot of time in Goa, and shuttling to Mumbai from there is much easier. And if I say never, it means nothing!" she admits, laughing, before flitting away to the open kitchen, around which the cosy restaurant is designed.
Like Dalmia, the fare and ambience at Motodo - an acronym for mozzarella, tomato and dough - is unpretentious, hearty and wholesome. "This is not fine-dine. It's a high-quality ingredient-driven place, that's not intimidating," she reminds us, nudging us to eat first, photograph later. And we yield, biting into a thin, smoky slice of Diavola (Rs 840), relishing the spicy salami topping, sharp jalapeños and stringy mozzarella. A plate of bruschetta with tomato and basil (Rs 390), and with a dollop of pesto, roasted peppers and caramelised onions (Rs 390), is elevated by the surprising freshness, crunch and juiciness of the produce.
As a nod to the elegant Italian flavours, the bar comprises aperitivos featuring negronis, cocktails, Italian spritzes, bellinis and wines. Our gin-forward Mamma-mia (Rs 695) offers a boozy punch of passion fruit purée and pineapple juice. It complements our next fruity escape - a heavenly agnolotti (Rs 790). The pasta, originating from Piedmont, Italy, is a sweet and slightly acidic combination of roasted pears, ricotta, burnt butter and sage.
Among the mains, we try risotto saffron, lamb ossobocco (Rs 990). The saffron-laced risotto alla Milanese offers a homely comfort with its sweet aroma, creamy rice and slow-cooked lamb. We wash it down with a glass of negroni erbe (Rs 895), a refreshing, bitter infusion of gin, vermouth, dry campari and herbs.
Put on your stretchy pants for dessert, because just one Diva's classic tiramisu (Rs 540) - subtle and light as air - isn't going to be enough. The crispy, melt-in-the-mouth bombolini (Rs 490), packed with chocolate and hazelnut ganache on a bed of runny custard, is a worthy competitor, too. We suggest you order both - especially if, like us, your Italian holiday is currently the stuff of dreams.
Opens Tomorrow
AT Level 2, Jio World Drive, BKC, 12 pm to 1 am
Call 8591802205
