Last week I was invited to a lunch at Bottega Del Vino, a northern Italian restaurant in Midtown I had walked by many times, but never entered. I always thought it was for tourists or for "power lunches", but what I found inside last week, was a charming spot with some unique (and pricey) dishes.
You can't judge a book by its cover. You would never expect from the modern glass exterior, a quaint and charming interior with all its furnishings imported from Italy, including aged wood pillars, marble tops, and etched copper antique chandeliers. This setting really transports you from NYC to Verona. And so does the food.
My dining companion and I decided to have the chef send out what he thought were the "classics" of Bottega Del Vino.
We started with a simple Insalata Mista ($16), a mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes and grilled shrimp. It was a simple salad, beautiful to look at, with two perfectly cooked juicy shrimp.
Next came a special ravioli dish filled with veal in a butter sage sauce. Although I could have used some more flavor inside the ravioli, they were perfectly cooked, delicate, and the sauce was light and soothing.
Our next course was the Risotto all'Amarone Vialone Nano ($24), rice cooked in Amarone wine. This was one of the most unique dishes I have had. It was rich and decadent, and the flavor of the wine was really prevalent throughout the dish. I actually got slightly buzzed!
Next came our meat course of Filetto di Manzo alla Griglia ($42), grilled filet mignon in a mixed pepper sauce. This was quite the cut of meat; perfectly cooked, juicy, tender, and succulent. The mixed pepper sauce was a great complement to the meat too.
I was pretty stuffed at this point, but figured you only live once, so we had an apple creme brulee ($14) and a tiramisu ($13). I'm glad we got these desserts because they were spectacular! The creme brulee was fantastic and the tiramisu was one of the best I have ever had; it was truly mind-blowing!
So for some unique northern Italian cuisine in a transporting setting in Midtown, Bottega Del Vino hits the spot. Come for lunch or dinner, definitely stay for dessert!
Bottega Del Vino
7 E. 59th St. (at 5th Ave)
New York, NY 10022
212-223-2724