Italian Retreat: The Big Chill Cafe

Got a yen for Italian treats?

Then Big Chill Café in Delhi’s Khan Market is the place to be.

Serving authentic Italian food apart from mouth-watering desserts and shakes, Big Chill has an exquisite charm, and despite being expensive you are likely to drop by every few months to grab something exceptional.

Recalling my first rendezvous with the place that happened to be last year, there was a 30-45 minute wait outside the café before they could seat us – the rush outside was insane! After a long wait, the guard opened the green wooden door for me and my friend and guided us to a steep staircase.  We ascended the stairs to emerge into this buzzing restaurant.

The walls were bedecked with framed posters and relics of Hollywood movies like Casablanca, Godfather, and Hitchcock's Psycho to give a retro feel of the seventies. We spent a lovely time recollecting all the yesteryear’s classics that we had seen or were yet to see! The environment at the café was cosy, and the décor in mustard yellow and deep green attracted a fairly eclectic crowd.

Who knew the menu would be so extensive that it took us over 10 minutes just to read through all the choices that we had to pick from – wow! With colourful movie images and information running throughout the pages, the menu gave out a sense of novelty.

We started with the delicious Tomato Basil Soup, followed by Peri Peri Chicken Pasta as the main course. The pasta was a good preparation with fusilli and chunks of chicken cooked in spicy mouth-watering red sauce. It was served piping hot with a side order of the Greek salad, which was bursting with flavour and freshness….irresistible! The Ravioli with Butter and Sage was specifically sought after with scrumptious flavours that the ravioli filling and butter added to the whole dish.

Next, the desserts started doing the rounds and we were digging in the Mississippi Mud Pie. It is by far the best ice cream cake I have ever had and totally worth the calories. We also tried the Squidgy Chocolate Cake with ice cream. I liked how the cake was served warm and simply melted in my mouth. The chocolate filling and the soft cake served with freezing cold ice cream was purely…..sinful. We had heard that Big Chill offers some really luscious shakes and smoothies, and settled for the Chocolate Oreo one.

The service took time and I had to ask for the bill twice before I got it, but trust me, it was worth the wait. The food was extremely filling and the portions served were good enough for two people, but the highlight of the evening was definitely the Mississippi Mud Pie. The quality of the food, the knowledgeable staff, and the comforting ambiance was a complete value for money. The price may seem a little overrated though – surely taxes kill. Overall, it was a great evening, thanks to Big Chill Cafe for making my experience worthwhile.