La Botte Ristorante. Santa Monica

620 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401

310-576-3072

Hours of Operation:

Lunch: Friday 11:30 am - 2:30pm

Dinner: Daily, 5:30pm - 10:30pm

Reservations recommended. Seasonal tasting menus. Private events and catering.

* You may not bring your own wine.

THE ROOM:

La Botte Ristorante gets it name from the Italian word la botte which means wine barrel. The decor of La Botte centers around this theme. The walls and flooring of La Botte are made of the hardwood from the staves of oak wine barrels. Several walls display La Botte's very, very large selection of mostly Italian wines. The interior is warm, and inviting yet sophisticated and contemporary. Certainly one couldn't describe La Botte as trendy or overly decorated. It is a comfortable room to dine in.

THE FOOD:

La Botte descibes its food as Northern Italian and Michelin thinks their food and service is so good they gave then a Michelin Star. Their menu is, thankfully, on the smaller side. Appetizers they describe as Carpacci E Crudi  (thin sliced meats and raw uncooked foods) whose menu items include an Ahi tuna tartar with avocado, cured duck breast with gorgonzola dressing, thin sliced parma prociutto and several fine salads. The Zuppe E Antipasti (soup and antipasti) course includes a cauliflower soup, chick pea soup, stuffed calamari with seared prawns and a grilled polenta with garlic, gorgonzola cheese and portabello mushrooms dish. Paste (pasta) selections are the largest on the menu and they are incredibly fresh with a  melt in your mouth consistency. Selections range from linguini, tagliolini, ravioli, papparadelle, tagliatelle, cavatelli, spaghetti and an wonderful risotto. Not all selections may be available on the menu as the Chef relies on good, fresh ingredients that are often seasonal. Secondi (second after the first) presented are a Berkshire Pork Shoulder, whole roasted duck, filet mignon, Colorado lamb chops and a fish of the day. I ordered the Ahi tuna tartar with avocado as an appetizer and was not disappointed. The tuna was as fresh and as delicious as could be, melting in my mouth. I couldn't resist the cauliflower soup with capers and croutons. This smooth delicious zuppe was so divinely flavorful I could have eaten several more bowls. I also ordered the Il Pesce Del Mercato (fish of the day). I must confess that I cannot remember the name of the fish (could it be the lovely crisp Italian Pinot Grigio) but its flavor was mild and incredibly subtle. The meal was very, very good but in retrospect I wish that I had ordered a pasta. I think it would have made the meal much more memorable. My tablemates were raving (really) about their pastas and I did get to sample. Perfectly cooked and paired with lovely sauces.

THE SERVICE:

The Wait Staff are very attentive, never an unfilled water glass, knowledgeable about the food and quite Italian lending an ambiance of authenticity to the room and the meal. Excellent service.

Ratings:

Michelin *

Food: ****                              Cost****