When we got there at lunch time on a weekday, the store was absolutely deserted

New restaurant
La Dolce Vita
Shankar Mahal, Sophia College Lane, Breach Candy,
Telephone: 9820661322
**

When we got there at lunch time on a weekday, the store was absolutely deserted. It occurred to us that La Vita Tranquilla (the quiet life, in Italian) may have been a more fitting name than "La Dolce Vita" (the sweet life or the good life).

And with no table in sight and children's clothes and bric-a-brac for sale all around the room, we believe the four chairs positioned in the middle of the small space are highly unlikely to ever be filled by anyone other than some bored child who has been dragged along on a wearying shopping spree.

There isn't much variety here as far as the baked goods were concerned, but a menu suggested the possibility
of placing orders with Zena Mavji, a Breach Candy resident. All the four items we sampled -- a Lemon Square (Rs 30), a chocolate Brownie (Rs 35), a Lemon Cupcake (Rs 30) and a Chocolate Cupcake (Rs 40) -- were absolutely delicious, so if that's an indication of Mavji's talent, it's worth your while to drop by here just for the menu, if nothing else. The Lemon Square in particular, was simply superb; its icing packed a pretty powerful citrus punch.u00a0

Shelves on either side of the store were stocked with interesting gift options, like an adorable Peanuts two-cup set (Rs 550), waterproof Manchester United bags (Rs 100) and Real Madrid mousepads (Rs 150). The Football line also included wallets, metal plates and stitch-on patches, all of which can be ordered from Brats 'n Angels. So, if you're planning a kiddy party, this could be your one-stop shop for your child's birthday outfit, cupcakes
for the buffet and for your return presents.

We're at a loss to understand why the security guard made us walk past all the little stores on the ground floor and around to the other side of the building, to get to La Dolce Vita, but if you plan to visit, simply ignore his advice. Walk around to the side of the building that faces Sophia College, rather than Breach Candy and you'll find Dolce Vita right beside a darzee's station. Parking is always a problem in the Sophia College Lane, so it's advisable to walk here or just take a cab.

Pastries for 2
Rs 135

Worth it?
Yep