Giovanni Federico walked past every table, chatting with some guests while exchanging smiles with others. He was the master chef responsible for the Little Italy chain and Ai Trulli at Kemps Corner. He then opened his own chain of Italian ristorante Don Giovanni. Though the Worli branch didn't quite click, the Juhu one was popular. It shut down for a while and re-opened near Hotel Kings International in October 2009. His affable nature sure rubbed off on his staff; the service was friendly and attentive throughout.
It took a while to absorb the elaborate ambiance. The restaurant is huge; it has several sections - a luxurious indoor dining hall with a bar area, a private dining area for large groups and a beautiful, romantic al fresco setup. The decor is complete with chandeliers overlooking wooden tables, large paintings, velvet drapes and French windows. We started with complementary foccacia bread while skimming through the menu. The dishes are steeply priced - salads and appetizers at Rs. 300 and mains at Rs.500-600 per portion. The taste and quality is uncompromised. The pizzas are perfectly crisp with fresh, generous toppings. Try the Contadina or the 4 formaggi pizza. The pasta and risotto menu has many options, try the agli asparagi risotto. Wash down with coffee or a tasty wine from the bar collection. A meal for two with drinks will easily cost Rs.2500.
Don Giovanni is certainly not your everyday eatery and it is not even meant to be. It is an expensive speciality restaurant - just right for the family crowd and the businessmen who visit it.
