I like visiting La Vie. It probably is the smallest restaurant in Khan Market, and easy to get into since it is also one of the only restaurants on the ground floor. To make it more irresistible, it feels like one is sitting in a café somewhere in Europe with the fragrance of freshly baked pizzas wafting in the air.

I am here to taste their summer menu. It looks exciting, more so on the vegetarian side, and I, who incidentally is a hardcore carnivore, decide to go veg for a change. And I do not regret it nor do I miss the meats even for a moment.

I start with a not-so-great mushroom spinach tortellini salad (Rs 250) where the tortellini tossed with rocket, roasted peppers, artichoke & sun-dried tomatoes dressed in garlic white wine vinaigrette with shavings of grana padano. It is under seasoned with not enough dressing, but some judicious addition of balsamic and a dash of salt corrects that.  It becomes a good salad, albeit the chalky texture of the tortellini takes something away from it.

                     Mushroom Spinach Tortellini salad

Spaghetti brezza (Rs 350) is fascinating. It is chilled spaghetti tossed in cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, rocket and herbs is light and just the right thing to eat on this warm day. I try chilled spaghetti for the first time, and it is an idea I am definitely going to repeat at home.

                                 Spaghetti Brezza

My favourite dish of the evening is Eggplant parmigiana (Rs 350), an Italian classic with layers of eggplant, mozzarella and tomato sauce and crumb baked with a grana padano crust. It is both vegetarian and meaty, and I just love it.

                                Eggplant Parmigiana

Pizza is strength of this café, and pizza ratatouille (Rs 550) is competent with the contrasting textures of zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes layered on a thin crust pie. The drinks are enjoyable too. Aqua fresca (Rs 250) with cucumber, lime juice and a chilly punch is both refreshing and exciting to the taste buds.

                 Pizza Ratatouille                                       Aqua Fresca

Tamarind rush (Rs 250) is a tangy drink with fire is chatpataa. I end with Cafe da (Vietnamese iced coffee; Rs 250), a Saigon classic made with caramelized milk and freshly brewed coffee, with lots of ice is nice and indulgent, though not really authentic.

                 Cafe da                                             Tamarind Rush

More than anything else, it is the charm of the place that beckons me back. Comforting and interesting food is of course an added bonus.

Please note: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant to taste their food, and no bill was presented to the author. While the author assures you of objectivity, the review may be influenced by the personalized attention the author got.

Ratings (Out of 5)

Food: 4.0 | Ambience: 4.0 | Service: 4.0 | Value: 3.5 | Overall: 4.0

Meal for two: Rs.1400 | Alcohol: No | Credit Card: Yes | Wheel chair friendly: Yes

Address: 51, Inner Lane, Khan Market, New Delhi. Tel: 080101 66000