In a nutshell:

2 visits – both memorable. Both wow. Almost artisanal, slow food, long waiting, limited seats, beautiful interiors, open kitchen, warm & knowledgeable staff who understand food & help well in ordering. 

Address & other details:

Instagram – cafe Dali

Facebook – NA

Google – cafe Dali

Phone for reservations / enquiries: 8882941078

Meal for 2: ₹1200 onwards

Cuisine type :  vegetarian & non vegetarian

Disclaimer: All restaurants / eateries reviewed by YUMMRAJ were visited by YUMMRAJ himself & he has paid for the full Bill & tips also. http://www.yummraj.com does not have even one featured / sponsored reviews. YUMMRAJ believes in going to a restaurant in anonymity, as a normal guest, experience everything & give a honest account of the same to you.

YUMMRAJ rates all the food items & then gives a final overall rating, which is a simple average of the individual item ratings. What the ratings stand for: 5 = Excellent, 4 = Very Good, 3 = Good, 2 = Fair, 1 = Disaster

Short description- in case u r in a hurry 

I heard about Cafe Dali from my ex boss Darshan, who is a vegetarian food connoisseur (from across the world, multiple cuisines) & also from Meenu Nageshwaran (founder, the earth collective). 

We went there on an evening & were told ‘sold out’ so on the next two attempts we went after booking almost a week in advance. To make sure we are serious, we were asked to pay an advance, a move that I appreciate (if people can  plan their movie tickets well in advance, then why not a dinner). 

On both the days we got a table for 2. They do have tables for 4 & more as well. 

The next tables are quite close & one can easily eves drop. Not that we were interested. It’s almost like having a conversation with a friend or a date in delhi Metro. 

The interiors are beautiful. European. Understated. Sober colours soothing to the eye. Many small elements that attract attention. 

The open kitchen added to the ambience both visually & in terms of olfactory senses.

 The ambient light is extraordinarily dim. The table lights do not do any good either. Menu font is small. So we were clicking pictures on our iPhones , expanding & reading the menu.

The menu card is short & simple. There are many good options for vegetarians & there are many good options beyond chicken & basa for non vegetarians. 

On both the days the boys were very warm & nice. We were impressed by their knowledge of the product. Once in a while they would check with the chef & revert. 

Loved the food. 

Detailed description – in case u hv the time to njoy reading:

Day 1

Maine Lobster & Lemon Zest – this was Ravioli filled with Maine lobster meat, pepper & lemon zest in a sea food bisque. 

The ravioli was al-dente (thankfully, unlike most in Delhi NCR). The Robust flavour of lobster in the sauce was mind blowing good. It was probably from crushed head of shrimps / the head of lobster. The bisque was very smooth but it gave a reminder of super fine dust of seafood non meat part. Loved the  very very mild hint of bitterness. 

Loved the Juicy soft & flavour-bomb lobster meat. Overall it was Outstanding to taste.

4.5/5

We then had Burrata di Parma – creamy burrata with proscuitto di parma, arugula & toasted hazlenuts. 

This is a rockstar of a dish. The creamy Burrata

was just outstanding as it is, the parma ham was really a burst of favour & a creamy mouthfeel. Loved both as it is and also in combination. Rate it  4.95/5

Fettuccine Al Tartufo • Flat pasta tossed in a truffle porcini sugo, Parmesan Fondue & Fresh black truffles

Once again the pasta was al-dente. Absolutely enjoyed the strong flavours of truffle. Wah. Rate it 4.5/5

For dessert we had Piemonte Panna Cotta – Italian vanilla cream and homemade blue berry compote. Excellent. Every bit of it. Rate it 4.5/5

We washed down the food with some nice salted fresh lime soda

Day 2

Day 2 we thought of trying different items than what we tried on day 1.

Diavolo Pizza came first. It had a tomato sauce base, fresh buffalo mozzarella, smoked chorizo, jalapenos, red paprika & garlic. 

We were amazed when we took the first bite of the pizza. It had a Very very hydrated dough. Fermentation of the dough was very much felt in every bite. The topping ensured that with every bite we experienced the ingredients burst into juices. After a point the toppings felt like ‘beside the point’. Enjoyed the full flavours of cheese & every ingredient. Perfectly tart sauce. 

Rate it 4.75/5

Raviolo La Anatra came next. We requested to add fresh truffle – Ravioli with confit duck, roasted chestnuts, Parmigiano with merlot wine jus. 

The ravioli was a bit less cooked than Al dente & was a challenge to cut with the knives provided at the cafe – a bit of sawing was needed. The duck filling was brilliant – full blown flavour of juicy duck meat. The sauce with duck meat juices was extraordinarily good. Rate the outer ravioli part 3/5. Rate the duck part 4.95/5

Overall 4/5

Scallop Di Limone was what we had next – Hand dived sea scallops, Mint oil, Lobster bisque, garlic & Verona peach foam. 

Loved every bite & drop of it. Really good scallops & a great dish that celebrated the ingredients very well. Rate it 4.75/5

Borro tiramisu was outstanding. The texture, the sweetness, the bitterness, the lightness of the cream & the proportions of everything – just perfect. Rate it 4.75/5

As we asked for the cheque, an In-house made Ice cream scoop was served from the chef’s end. Loved every bit of it. Excellent. Not rating it since we did not pay for it. 

Overall rating of food at cafe Dali averages out to 4.6/5

Will surely revisit. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by YUMMRAJ. Don’t forget to book a table before you go