La Bella Vita. The beautiful life.

It’s a common phrase, and a familiar name for an Italian restaurant. In the case of the new La Bella Vita Ristorante Italiano, a vibrant new life has been created by two skilled restaurateurs, obviously devoting themselves to the success of a prized, polished dream.

Literally. Co-owner and manager Tiziano Cestari, the one likely to hold open the door as you leave with sated stomach, polishes the silver and folds black linen napkins into fans as he quietly inspects the dining room during service. Young servers bustle by respectfully in starched black aprons, making every attempt to correctly pronounce the menu’s specialties.

They still stumble a bit over the Italian, just as the new kitchen makes a few blunders, but life as painted at this bistro is one to which I could certainly become accustomed. Though I may have to grow accustomed to a few extra pounds in the bargain.

Yes, the beautiful world of La Bella Vita is molto bella, the atmosphere an elegant achievement. Attached to a boxy white office building with a view of a Carl’s Junior off Garden of the Gods Road, La Bella Vita chose to recreate an exterior indoors.

In the middle of the main dining room, a small bar and several tables are enclosed by a faux Italian villa, replete with arched windows and crowned with a picturesque tile roof.

The “courtyard” of the villa is charming, populated with comfy booths of red brocade and stylish black tables. It’s a distinctly upscale environment, which I did not expect, but grew to respect over a bottle of value-priced Bolla Chianti ($26) one romantic evening.

And that respect only grew thanks the kitchen’s leanings toward more refined Italian techniques than its national-chain cousins.

For instance, my palate craves a golden deep-frying as much as most, but La Bella Vita impressed with naked, springing-fresh rings of Calamari Inumido ($10.75), which swam in a light tomato and white-wine broth with rounds of garlic-rubbed bread. While not as shockingly fresh as you’ll get in a coastal region, the Cozze Fresche alla Marinara mussels ($10.75) were equally satisfying.

Plus, boiling up a batch of eggy, homemade fettuccine noodles to perfect al dente is wonderful. (The lasagna, manicotti, tortellini and more are also made in house.)

More ambitious, though, is including two risottos, which are notoriously tough to prepare correctly: Boscaiola with sausage and mushrooms, and Frutti di Mare with clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp and saffron. Success was achieved on that count with a daily special of Porcini Risotto ($20.75), verdant and earthy with fresh and dried ‘shrooms and spot-on-tender arborio.

Another fresh option, the choice of whole-wheat pasta in the Penne Pomodoro e Basilico ($12.75) is refreshingly healthy – and sports a tangy, vital sauce. The homemade creamy pesto is equally delicious, although the Gnocchi al Pesto ($15.75) house specialty is gluey, the opposite of the ideal texture of La Vita Bella’s other noodles.

Next to its successes, some of La Bella Vita’s menu are blunt in comparison. The Veal Scaloppini alla Parmiggiana ($21.75) was hot and crisp, rather unmemorable outside the fried crust, and was served with pale white, mouth-drying oven potatoes. I’m sorry to say that the Rolatine di Pollo ($17.75) – pounded chicken breast wrapped around a center of ham and cheese with a mushroom-madeira sauce – reminded me of a gourmet Hot Pocket: rich and tasty, but heavy-handed.

Then, topping out the menu at $31.75, the peppery beef medallions of the Medaglioni Bella Vita warred with — and even overwhelmed — the dish’s cognac cream sauce. It also took a hunt to find the promised crabmeat topping. While perhaps overpriced (especially considering the beef’s US Foods sourcing), the Medaglioni was appealing in its way.�

On the other hand, the desserts are heavy in the best, sweetest way. The thick caramel sauce on the Panna Cotta custard ($6.50) was a stand out, and the Profitterol al Cioccalato ($6.50) are clouds of delicate pastry.

In terms of attitude, little needs adjustment at this beautiful little life. The genuine good spirit and hopes of the staff are downright infectious. Balancing more upscale preparations with unchallenging but appealing Italian comfort food, the indoor village makes you feel like part of its village, part of the family, and makes you hope this family-owned bistro anchors its corner of Garden of the Gods Road for years to come.

La Bella Vita’s mussels, the Cozze Fresche alla Marinara, are some of the freshest bivalves available in land-locked Colorado. Photo by Kate Jonuska

Cheese and ham ooze from the center of La Bella Vita’s Rolatine di Pollo, an upscale stuffed chicken breast that embodies their style of upscale Italian comfort food. Photo by Kate Jonuska

Piping hot veal Scaloppini alla Parmiggiana proves La Bella Vita’s chefs know their Italian classics. Photo by Kate Jonuska