Bottega Louie

Downtown has to be my favorite place in the whole entire world. I can escape the (at times) pretentious, high maintenance Beverly Hills environment and the hustle of West Hollywood, and go somewhere that's a bit more laid back. I love the cool shops that line the streets and the moldings of the buildings. Both work and my moms love for fine architecture keep drawing us back to downtown Los Angeles. But this specific occasion, it was hunger that brought us back!


When I found out Bottega Louie was in Downtown, I was immediately drawn to going here. But I don't think Alena could have said it any better. Because on the West Coast, we really are crazy for 'croons!

I've never been to New York, but I've watched enough episodes of Gossip Girl to know what it looks like! And the Fashion and Jewelry Districts (where my mom works) reminds me so much of New York City.

Back to Bottega Louie. The restaurant is filled with light. And while I can admit, I was pretty ticked off that we couldn't make reservations, the wait was short, and just enough time to take a ton of pics for you guys.

As the appetizers we selected, I got bruschetta, because I mean, I love bruschetta, and my mom eating the light and dainty deliciousness she likes to get, ordered a grilled octopus salad with a lemony vinaigrette. The bruschetta disappointed, because the bread was way to hard and made it hard to eat and that leaf on top of the tomatoes… like what the heck was that? Because it definitely was not basil.

For a main course we ordered spaghetti bolognese which was definitely the most delicious pasta dish I've ever ordered (sorry Fred's Pasta!), mussels with peppers, chives, and toasted rustic bread, and a hangar steak cooked medium with sautéed carrots, bell peppers, and asparagus (and 'shrooms!)

And of course, you can't go to Bottega Louie and just ignore the huge Christmas tree of macaroons, sooooo we got macaroons. And kind of a lot.

Because originally, if you're going to ask me for my justification, I just got the box that fits the 13 macaroons. You know, to share. And then my mom asked what I wanted for dessert, and I just took one glance at the four macaroon choice (of any flavors) on the dessert menu and swooned. So I got that.

But I definitely want to go back. The sun filled, clean white, high-ceilinged restaurant (remember, my mom adores beautiful structures) just made me happy. I don't know what it is. Where there is natural lighting there is happiness. But jokes aside, it was such a yummy lunch and now I'm thinking about the pasta and it's eating me alive. Just like I want to do to the pasta.

See? This is what blogging does to me.


xx Carolyn