Already established in cities like Delhi and Mumbai, Diablo (literally means devil) created quite a stir when it opened its doors a few weeks ago in the city. What struck us first was the contrast in the outdoor and indoor seating areas. The outdoor section was beautifully decorated with lush greenery and white furniture. But, the indoors is where the drama unfolds with bright pink and violet walls, vintage wall art, and golden chandeliers hanging everywhere. The dragon sculptures and gargoyle statues add to the drama. Just like the massive restaurant, the menu too is varied and offers Turkish, Mediterranean, and Iranian delicacies. What else? They have curated an extensive cocktail menu, and it took us over 10 minutes to decide our drinks. We settled for the Smoke Dragon, a whisky-based drink, made with Chivas Regal, orange zest, and star anise.
While we sipped on the drink, our food began to arrive. If first impressions are to go by, the Black Truffle Olivehe is what a comforting salad would look like. The salad was made with chicken, eggs, cucumber, black truffle, greens, and truffle mustard dijonnaise, which was refreshing and light. We recommend you give this a try if you are watching what you are eating, but still want something delicious.
Our next pick was the Hummus and Turkish Balloon. Just like the salad, we enjoyed the balloon-shaped-pita bread that was airy and light. It worked well with the creamy hummus, which had a slight kick of paprika.
On the grill
The Sebze Kebabi platter came with saffron-marinated cottage cheese cubes, crunchy broccoli, and bell peppers. Paired with the Harissa Tzatziki dip, the platter hit the spot. We were coaxed into trying their signature dish — Adana Lamb Kebap, the classic charred lamb kebab, paired with Zafrani rice. This was a match made in heaven, as the smoky flavour of the lamb was quite well-balanced with the subtly flavoured rice.
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From Turkey to Italy
The Spinach And Mushroom Ravioli was perfectly cooked and the ravioli was also generously filled with spinach and mushroom. Though the pasta had a hint of spice, it wasn’t overpowering. The menu also offers a range of pizzas and pide (Turkish flatbread). We tried the Spicy Chicken Pide, which was topped with chicken, pecorino cheese, and basil pesto. We must say that this was a hit-and-miss for us. While the basil pesto as a pizza sauce worked for us, the meat lacked heat.
While we were busy eating the main course, the chef ’s signature dessert arrived. The Bischoff Cheesecake was creamy and decadent enough for us to not share it with anyone.
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If you wish to try authentic Middle-Eastern food, then Diablo ticks all the boxes with its menu.
Rs. 4,000 ++ for two. At Jubilee Hills.
— bsuchitra@newindianexpress.com