Food & Drink: La Bottega better than ever after renovation

The goals of the renovation were to open up the space and make it more user-friendly. At the front are the deli counter with meats, cheeses, olives, salads, as well as a cooler filled with to-go items like ravioli, broth, fresh pastas and sauces. There’s also a glass case filled with such desserts as Cara Cara orange cheesecake, cannoli and cappuccino pot de creme. Sandwiches and food from the cases can be ordered there and taken to go.

The retail area, with Italian delicacies like bags of dried rice for risotto, tins of Ortiz anchovies, and jars of Toschi’s Amarena black cherries in syrup, was moved to the left as you enter. The boxes of wine that were stacked on the right have been moved into a new climate-controlled wine cellar that is sandwiched between the front dining room and the new back dining room. Most notably, the space in the main dining area is wider and the artwork has changed. The Doughertys found some Chagall reproductions that were for sale and filled the walls with large pieces of the artist’s vibrant work.

The new climate-controlled wine cellar has around 470 bottles from Washington, Oregon, California, Portugal, Spain, France and various wine regions of Italy. Lesser-known wines from South Africa and Israel are also represented. The Doughertys’ daughter, Nichole, who serves as their sommelier and dining room manager, plans on adding wine from even more countries to fill the new space. A refrigerator outside the wine cellar is stocked with bubblies and roses.

The back dining area is a more intimate version of the front. It’s a good spot to rent for a party or just hide out. Peter Dougherty made all the wood tables. The walls are painted a deep Tuscan mustard color and filled with artwork to add to the Italian theme. Two elegant chandeliers bob and sparkle from the ceiling.

Behind the scenes, the kitchen has substantially expanded. This allows food to get out faster to the increased number of tables. It also makes room for more catering and take-out. The added space lends itself to new culinary possibilities. A large carved item like a whole pig may be on the menu in the near future.