Not yet time for the shades

It may be some time before this Vile Parle restaurant finds its place under the sun

Le Soleil
At: Vile Parle (W)
Call: 26100202/ 04
Cuisine: A little bit of this
and that
Verdict: Not bad


Angel Hair Pasta with Cottage Cheese Additionu00a0

It's easy to be dazzled by the snazzy interiors of Le Soleil, a name that translates to The Sun from French. The gold and black colour scheme might scream Bollywood movie star's home, and the Shamiana-like ceiling might be more Arabian (nights) than French, but if you believe in admiring things from a distance, there's little reason to complain.

That is, of course, until you do have reason to complain. Skip the Cajun Spice Potatoes Salt 'n' Pepper (Rs 375), which is an answer to every diner who has ever wondered aloud, 'how wrong can you go with a potato starter?' Turns out, very wrong. Dead wrong.

The dried herbs imparted the potato skins an unpleasant taste that lingered on the palate long after we were rattled all the way home in an autorickshaw. Clearly, it's time for the chauffeur driven car. Either that or a change of menu.

We soldiered on, being the brave women we are, and were more than suitably rewarded with the Angel Hair Pasta with Cottage Cheese Addition (Rs 375). The cottage cheese chunks, bathed in a tangy tomato sauce, lay in a sumptuous heap over tangled strands of pasta. This was so good that we were even willing to overlook the desi addition of paneer to the dish. If only we'd asked for our cheque right then.