Bottega Louie always looks so pretty from the outside. The inside is nice too, with the colorful macarons by the window display. If you decide to grab lunch here, be prepared – it can get pretty loud inside.
The table is basically wrapped with clean paper, so food can go right on top. The meal begins with complimentary bread and butter. This is so delicious. I usually like to save my stomach for the main entree, but this bread and butter was too good. Definitely eat this while it’s fresh and warm.
Over a few visits, I’ve gotten to try different things on the menu:
A La Carte
Salads
Arugula – arugula, Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved fennel, Treviso, crispy shallots & lemon vinaigrette – Mmm…arugula! I wish there was a bit more lemon vinaigrette.
Louie – baby gem lettuce, wild caught blue crab, avocado, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, hard-boiled egg & Louie dressing – This salad was a pretty normal salad except for the blue crab (which I did find a piece of shell as I was eating).
Pizza
Margherita / Sausage – mozzerella, Pecorino Romano, San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh basil & extra virgin olive oil / mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, fennel sausage, San Marzano tomato sauce, Oregano Siciliano – On this most recent visit, we learned that you can ask to have two pizza halves as long as it’s the same base sauce! We decided to do Margherita and Sausage. The pizza was good. I liked the texture and actually enjoyed eating the crust.
Calabrese – Calabrese salami, fennel confit, pickled Fresno chilies, fresh mozzarella, Pecorino Romano & Malibu honey – Honey on pizza always adds an extra layer of flavor that I enjoy.
Burrata – mozzarella, burrata, Prosciutto di Parma, sauteed rapini, minced garlic, Pecorino Romano & extra virgin olive oil – Garlic, burrata, and prosciutto? Of course we had to try this out. Although I usually prefer having the protein in smaller pieces (it’s easier to take a bite), this combo was delicious!
Pasta
Gnocchi – potato gnocchi, crushed pomodoro vodka sauce, garlic, stracciatella, olio di basilico, Parmigiano Reggiano & micro basil – I liked how this gnocchi was not too dense! I wish the portion was a bit bigger though.
Carbonara – Bucatini, English peas, crispy pancetta, chopped chives, Parmigiano Reggiano & an organic poached egg – Saucy and tasty! Next time I’d want to try this dish all for myself.
Trenne – pan sauteed Trenne, braised beef rib, Tuscan kale & Parmigiano Reggiano – I really liked this dish! The texture of the trenne was unexpected – it made me think of fries at first glance. The sauce and the braised beef rib was so good I made sure to not leave anything on the plate.
Pastries
Fun fact: If it’s your birthday, the server might bring out some macarons for your table!
Celebration – vanilla sponge cake base, cotton candy mousse & strawberry marmalade
Almond Pistachio Cherry – pistachio joconde cake, almond mousse, pistachio mousse & cherry marmalade – This is probably one of my favorite cakes! It’s not too sweet and I love the layers inside.
If I’m looking to treat myself or if it’s some special day, Bottega Louie would be a good option! I’d stop by if I’m looking for some pastries. I’m still thinking about the bread and butter…