Restaurant Review: Bottega Louie
Last weekend I went with a group of girlfriends downtown to one of my favorite places in LA, Bottega Louie. None of the other girls had ever been there before so I was so happy when they said they loved it because I hate recommending a place that people don't like and I take my food seriously so I wouldn't lead you astray;) What I love about this restaurant, besides the delicious italian food is the beautiful design. Since I am a designer, that is one of the first things I notice about a place and Michael Rominske at View Design Studio did an amazing job of taking a big space and making it warm and inviting, but upscale and classy at the same time. However, because of the big space and open kitchen, it does get noisy in there so don't be expecting a quiet romantic dinner. I love the white marble everywhere and the subway tiles lining the wall where the kitchen is open. There is a bakery in front that has all their amazing pastries such as their famous macaroons, cakes, and my personal favorite - the Beignets [especially with the chocolate hazelnut filling]. They didn't miss any details in the bathrooms either, they are gorgeous white paneled wood with gold trim everywhere. I give it five stars in my book and an LA must do.
We ordered everything family style so that we could have a taste of a bunch of different things. We had the famous portobello fries for an appetizer as well as the tomato bruschetta and sautéed broccolini. For a salad we had the italian which was delicious, but every salad I have tried there has been amazing. As for the entrees, we had the artichoke and margarita pizzas which are great but have some different cheeses on them so make sure you're aware of that before you order. For a pasta we had the lasagna because it really is the best I've ever had and I never order lasagna at restaurants. Now for the best part - dessert. You cannot come here and go away without trying the chocolate soufflé cake. It is divine. They pour the sauce on top after they bring it out and it's warm and I'm sure just full of sweetened condensed milk that makes it so tasty. And before you leave you have to make a stop at the patisserie for some goodies to go.
Interior images courtesy of View Design Studio
