Lunch at Bottega Louie

We took some friends downtown to Bottega Louie at 700 South Grand Avenue, Corner 7th Street, LA.  We had called in there once before to get some cakes.  What an amazing selection.

"Bottega Louie's owners have their sights set on building 'a lifestyle-enhancement brand' - a high-end, mid-priced restaurant and market in one, with several locations in L.A. and beyond, says Bottega Louie co-owner and President Daniel Flores.

No detail has been overlooked. More than three years in the making, Bottega Louie is 10,000 square feet, has 20-foot ceilings, more than 2,000 feet of brass millwork, marble-tiled floors, custom deli cases and tables, and about 200 employees. The kitchen handles 600 recipes for the Italian menu and the pre-prepared dishes to go for the market. The bakers turn out 800 pastries a day; stacks of pastel boxes tied with silk ribbon decorate the windows along Grand Avenue.

There's a full bar, a counter devoted to 20 kinds of breads, a brick oven churning out pizzas and a carving station.  Three hostesses armed with a laminated map of the tables and stationed at a gilt Baroque-style, curve-legged console in the middle of the restaurant, greet and seat patrons."

The sad thing is that the week before Bottega Louie opened on 6th April, the company that developed the 11 stories of loft-style condos above it filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and the building faces foreclosure.   This apparently won't affect Bottega Louie.

So... we couldn't wait to come back for lunch.  Our friends were concerned about going downtown, having not been there for some years, but like us, were really impressed at the change.  Very New York!  Lovely dining room, although very noisy.

Having seen the huge pizza oven, we had to share a pizza.

As one of our party was vegetarian, we then chose a selection of their Small Plates.

We only wanted a glass of wine, but loved the way they served it in a mini carafe.

The pizza was half Pepperoni (Mozzarella, Grana Parmesan, Tomato Sauce, Oregano & Fennel Sausage) and half Bianco (Ricotta, Mozzarella, Grana Parmesan, Roasted Garlic and Wild Rocket Arugula).  Lovely light crust.

We then had the Modena Salad (Butter Lettuce, Candied Walnuts, Crumbled Goat cheese, Shallots, Garden Herbs & Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette).  Really lovely.

Then Kennebec French Fries and Fried Calamari.  Served with two different mayonaisse dips and a homemade Tomato Sauce.  The Calamari was very tender.

Then followed the Portobello Fries, large slices of delicious mushrooms.

The Sauteed Broccolini was perfectly cooked with lovely pieces of cooked soft garlic. 

The Grilled Artichokes were the standout - a really smokey BBQ flavour, with fresh Capers, Caperberries and pitted small Olives. 

The Grilled Sausage & White Beans was interesting, although the sausage a little full on.

And because of their amazing array of cakes, decided to try ONE dessert to share.  A Butterscotch Caramel.  Very very rich.

Next time I would like to try some of their pasta dishes.  Suspect they would be very good indeed.

Lovely bright airy room, efficient service, good food.  And I gotta say one great thing about America is - the Valet Parking!

Recommended.
8.5/10