Help me order off this restaurant menu

[janie1234]

My 10 year anniversary is coming up and my husband and I want to have lunch at this Italian restaurant down the street. Thing is I don't really understand the menu. What would you order? I want to look like I know what I'm ordering. Please forget about the clean eating calorie thing, . . this is my anniversary me and my gut are going to celebrate. Wine pairing recomendations too please. Thanks in advance everyone!

http://www.botteganapavalley.com/dinner.html

By the way I'll eat just about anything.

 

[TeTe]

For lunch, I'd get the Brussels Sprout Salad and the Ribolita. But I love risotto, so if the version they were serving that day was something I REALLY liked, I get that instead of the soup.

ETA for wine, I'd get a Brunello di Montalcino or a Rosso di Montalcino.

Congratulations and enjoy!!!!

 

[pjlippert]

Hi Janie!

Yummmmarama!! Heck, just order one of everything and save yourself the trouble of making decisions!! It ALL looks delicious!!

Happy Anniversary!

Pam

 

[Gayle]

Oh my gosh! I think I'd need more than one meal there!! Don't be intimidated about ordering. If I don't know what something is, I always ask. The servers in a nice joint are usually happy to explain the menu items.

If it were me ordering right now:

Anitpasti - Warm Frisée & Goat Cheese Salad pancetta-sherry vinaigrette & sour cherries

Secondi (because I hardly ever get the chance to have crab) - Garlic & Calabrian Chili Roasted Dungeness Crab crab-saffron aïoli, bruschetta, with a side of Truffle-parmiggiano fries

I'm lousy when it comes to wine/food pairings...I'd ask them for a suggestion...or just order a martini.

Happy anniversary!!

 

[Ly10up]

I would RUN to the salmon. But everything looks delish!!! I don't think you can go wrong. Happy Anniversary!!!

 

[Janis]

Janie!

I live on the other side of Mount St. Helena.

I'd order:

Roasted golden & chiogga beets, Point Reyes blue cheese & pistachio vinaigrette

and

Wood-Oven Roasted Whole Fish with Meyer Lemon, Forno roasted Delta asparagus & Romesco sauce

and

gelato (the dessert pdf won't open, but he must have gelato on the menu.)

Have a scrumptious celebratory meal!

 

[janie1234]

Oh my gosh! I think I'd need more than one meal there!! Don't be intimidated about ordering. If I don't know what something is, I always ask. The servers in a nice joint are usually happy to explain the menu items.

If it were me ordering right now:

Anitpasti - Warm Frisée & Goat Cheese Salad pancetta-sherry vinaigrette & sour cherries

Secondi (because I hardly ever get the chance to have crab) - Garlic & Calabrian Chili Roasted Dungeness Crab crab-saffron aïoli, bruschetta, with a side of Truffle-parmiggiano fries

I'm lousy when it comes to wine/food pairings...I'd ask them for a suggestion...or just order a martini.

Happy anniversary!!

Thanks Gayle thanks everyone, . . .does antipasti mean first course? Secondi second course? I was thinking the crab, . . . . I didn't know if you were supposed to order a bunch of everything and eat "family style" and share or if it was supposed to be plate per person. Some Italian restaurants do "family style." I don't speak Italian so I didn't really understand what some of the wording on the menu meant.

 

[janie1234]

Howdy neighbor!! Have you eaten there before? I've been dying to hike Mount St. Helena but I know it is a full blown uphill all the way.

Janie!

I live on the other side of Mount St. Helena.

I'd order:

Roasted golden & chiogga beets, Point Reyes blue cheese & pistachio vinaigrette

and

Wood-Oven Roasted Whole Fish with Meyer Lemon, Forno roasted Delta asparagus & Romesco sauce

and

gelato (the dessert pdf won't open, but he must have gelato on the menu.)

Have a scrumptious celebratory meal!

 

[Janis]

Howdy neighbor!! Have you eaten there before? I've been dying to hike Mount St. Helena but I know it is a full blown uphill all the way.

The hike up Mount St. Helena is easy peasy, not tough at all, take your children. There is even a huge group that goes every full moon.


I haven't eaten at Bottega, yet. But now that I have seen the menu, I am going to request we go there for mother's day.

You can order Antipasti, Pasta, Secondi, etc to share and ask for share plates, or you can order them single plate. If you order to share then you might want two antipasti, one pasta and two secondi. Napa portions do tend to be small.

The quail also looks fabulous.

Enjoy.

 

[betterallthetime]

I have eaten there and everything is delicious. You can't go wrong. I am actually moving to Rutherford.

 

[cindi1]

I would order whatever you want and tell the waiter the order that you want it in. I'm sure they would be happy to accomodate you. Don't worry about picking from different sections just order what appeals to you.

I often order 2 appetizers for my meal if the main dishes don't appeal to me. I always ask the waiter how big are the portions so I can decide if I will share with DH or not .

Even in very high end French restaurants, I've never had a problem ordering this way. You are paying for it - don't feel intimidated or think there is a right way and wrong way to order.

I always liked Micheal's cooking shows and enjoyed watching him on Top Chef Masters. I bet this restaurant will be fabulous!

 

[fit44]

Even in very high end French restaurants, I've never had a problem ordering this way. You are paying for it - don't feel intimidated or think there is a right way and wrong way to order.

ITA, same with ordering wine. I don't care if it's suppose to go with what I'm eating. I like wine before my food and prefer to drink water with my meal. I'm weird.

Happy Anniversary Janie!

 

[nancy324]

My 10 year anniversary is coming up and my husband and I want to have lunch at this Italian restaurant down the street. Thing is I don't really understand the menu. What would you order? I want to look like I know what I'm ordering. Please forget about the clean eating calorie thing, . . this is my anniversary me and my gut are going to celebrate. Wine pairing recomendations too please. Thanks in advance everyone!

http://www.botteganapavalley.com/dinner.html

By the way I'll eat just about anything.

"Italian restaurant down the street"!!!! LOL!!! That's a Michael Chiarello restaurant! I'm so jealous. It doesn't matter what you order, and the wait staff will do your wine pairing for you. No matter what you order, it's going to be one of the best meals of your life. Let us know all the details!

 

[spicegirl]

Janie1234.....Looks like you and hubby and in for a treat!!! This menu looks AMAZING!!!! and way too many incredible items to choose from......so, being a bit of a food snob....so I've been told.....I'd start with the....

Silver Oak Cab "Bin 322" (this cab is a little spendy....but, it's your anniversay!!! go for it!....it's super smooth and very yummy.....you won't regret it.)

Insalata del Bosco....
Confit of Duck.....Yum
and finish with the.....
Chocolate Almond Molton Cake

You are so lucky to have a restaurant like this so close to home! Enjoy! and Don't forget to let us know how it was......

 

[janie1234]

The hike up Mount St. Helena is easy peasy, not tough at all, take your children. There is even a huge group that goes every full moon.


I haven't eaten at Bottega, yet. But now that I have seen the menu, I am going to request we go there for mother's day.

You can order Antipasti, Pasta, Secondi, etc to share and ask for share plates, or you can order them single plate. If you order to share then you might want two antipasti, one pasta and two secondi. Napa portions do tend to be small.

The quail also looks fabulous.

Enjoy.

Thanks Janis, . . .that helps a lot. I like to order a lot of everything and share so I can taste everything, . . esp desserts.

Hey thanks also for the advice on the hike. Now I really want to do it. I always thought it was to hard because the elevation is pretty high.

Thanks again everyone I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Miss Lee]

"Italian restaurant down the street"!!!! LOL!!! That's a Michael Chiarello restaurant! I'm so jealous. It doesn't matter what you order, and the wait staff will do your wine pairing for you. No matter what you order, it's going to be one of the best meals of your life. Let us know all the details!

What Nance said!!!! Enjoy, and be sure to come back and tell us all about it!!!

Oh, and... HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!!