If you are strong-willed enough to walk away from these distractions, you'll come across yet many additional sections of the restaurant. There is a bar area which was filled to the brim and a cafe section where you can grab a bite without the formalities of a dining room.
We started with a bottle of red wine and ordered some side dishes while waiting for the rest of our party. The wine was well priced. In fact there were many bottles of wine in the $30s and less.
The corn was fresh and sweet, and the bacon was smoked. A great start to the meal.
This could have come out a bit hotter. The meatball was fine but the sauce was a bit too sweet.
What a huge portion; we each had a slice and it was starting to fill me up. Yes, I had pizza! I HAD to try it since our waiter and reviewers had raved about it. At first I thought, greaaat, sausage pizza. Generic and greasy. I was about to scrap off the cheese but noticed that the cheese looked very fresh and a little taste test did not induce the gag reflex. My issue with cheese on pizzas is that they are usually congealed and greasy, and that combination makes me ill. But the cheese on this pizza was fresh mozzarella and was absolutely delicious! The crust was thin Neapolitan-styled and the sausage was spicy. Surprisingly (to me), a good pizza.
The starters came out pretty quickly up to this point but the entrees seemed to lag a bit, although that's expected when trying to coordinate seven diners. Our waiter was great however and he came over to tell us that the food would come in a couple minutes even without us asking.
The fennel was fresh, crispy and not wilted.
This came highly recommended by our waiter; apparently this is someones grandma's authentic recipe. The lasagna was densely layered, hearty and very delicious. In fact, it was my favorite of the night and once again, Bottega Louie helped me overcome my cheese issue. This is the type of dish that you should probably share with someone because it's rich and heavy.
I liked everything on the plate. The beef was tender and cooked with mire poix that added crunch and color to the dish. The pasta was actually fried and crunchy. It kind of reminded me of the penne on the top of a pasta casserole that is browned and crispy, and arguably the best part of a pasta casserole. The shaved Parmesan was slowly melting in the thin broth. It was a very surprising dish and not at all what I had expected. I thought the meat would be shredded and mixed into the pasta (like a short rib or oxtail tagliatelle) but instead, the dish was a little soupy. Very delicious and flavorful dish.
Not overly rich and also very delicious.
You just can never go wrong with fresh pasta and thick, hearty meat sauce.
This was a very generous serving of clams and mussels. It was supposed to be cooked in a white wine sauce but instead was tomato broth. I thought that the shellfish were good but I didn't care for the broth. It was a bit too smokey and apparently was made with brandy, consomme and herbs. The smokiness really overpowered the whole dish and I didn't even want to finish the dish.
We had to order separately as they were not served with the mussels and clams. The fries weren't very good, in fact they weren't hot and were a bit soggy.
The sausage was moist and not dry at all. The bread was fresh, soft and crunchy.
It was still bustling when we left at 9.30pm. I can see why. Bottega Louie reminds you of the lively Manhattan scene, the food is good and prices are affordable. Our waiter gave us some good wine recommendations and he was very attentive despite having to manage a bunch of other tables. He also wasn't pushy and annoyed when part of our party was late. Despite the busyness of the restaurant, I never felt rushed. The bill came up to $37 each including tax and tip. Are you kidding me?!?!?! With starters, entrees, a couple beers and 2 bottles of wine? After factoring in everything from ambiance, to food, to price and to service, Bottega Louie is definitely a place that I would recommend to friends, if not for a formal dinner, then for breakfast pastries in the morning or a light lunch at the Cafe.
Hits: corn, lasagna, beef pasta, price
Misses: mussel and clam broth, fries
Rating: ****
Bottega Louie
3 comments:
Hi stuffycheaks,
Thanks for the review on Bottega. I still haven't made it out to visit yet. Hopefully soon. :)
It was a fun time; food and ambience. Would love to read about it on your blog when you do end up going :)
I have not been here for dinner, but the food looks great...very rich!
The brunch scene is also just as packed. The food is light, the drinks, especially the juice mixes, are hand-made, tasty and refreshing. Lemonade even comes with the simple syrup on the side, so you can sweeten it to your liking. I liked all the attention to detail. The staff is knowledgeable, attentive, but not overbearing. A great spot!
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