“Frank’s Favorite Cake” is one of Bottega’s many decadent dessert options. (Photo by Jackson Hyde)Jackson Hyde - Features Editorfeatures@insideuab.com
Bottega is an Italian restaurant in Birmingham known for its high price tag, masterfully prepared food and distinguished atmosphere. It is a sister of two other well known, sophisticated restaurants in Birmingham, Chez Fonfon and Highlands Bar and Grill. Although Bottega’s cafe opens at 11 a.m., its dining room doesn’t open until 5:30 p.m., where the more expensive meals are served.
Preparing to dine at Bottega is a trial of its own. The official dress code is business casual, but when people in Birmingham get an opportunity to dress up, many do. As long as you don’t wear shorts or sandals, you’ll be admitted to Bottega. However, may feel awkward wearing a T-shirt and a pair of khakis while other diners are eating in jackets and dresses, so I’d recommend wearing something that makes you feel sophisticated. Also keep in mind that Bottega has mandatory valet parking in their lot, so if you don’t want to pay for that make sure you can survive a trek from wherever you found a free spot.
Once you do make it to the front doors of Bottega, you may be awed by its imposing structure. The building is solid, showing off a stone exterior, massive Ionic columns and hard, precise edges to Roman arches. Bottega pushes its Italian theme pretty hard.
Walking to the left side of the entrance and past the more casual groups enjoying Bottega’s cafe, you will enter the doors of Bottega’s dining hall and be greeted by a host and asked if you have a reservation. A word of advice: reserve a table, especially on a Saturday night. If you reserved a table or one is available, you’ll be led through a dining room featuring dark woods and low lighting until you arrive at your table. There are giant mirrors on the walls of Bottega, and facing them you can accidentally get a little too intimate with the diners next to you, so if you don’t want to eavesdrop I’d recommend facing away from those.
Once you’ve been seated you’ll order your food. The entree menu changes daily, so if you pick up a favorite it can be hard to catch it again, but the food will be good regardless. If you don’t know what to order, ask your server. I ordered the halibut with late spring vegetables, it’s pricy but if you dress up to eat then go big or go home.
The entree was delivered quickly to my table in a deep, steaming dish. The halibut was practically falling apart on its own when it was set in front of me, a knife would not be required for this meal. The fish sat on a bed of fresh carrots, turnips, asparagus, peas and carrots that made it appear to be surrounded by its own personal garden. Not an image I’m used to seeing with fish in this steak-loving country, but it looked good regardless. As predicted, the fish fell to pieces with just a few stabs of my fork. The halibut was tender, buttery and fatty, an indulgent meat to say the least.
The greens it rested on were all just cooked enough to bring out their flavors, but were still firm and crunched in my mouth. The carrots were my favorite of the veggies, they were cut into little heart shapes and incorporated the stalk like a little apple stem. It’s the little things.
In between bites you’ll hear the southern diners around you gossiping and discussing personal subjects that you really shouldn’t care about. The old woman’s retelling of her first honeymoon to her grandson and his bride-to-be will still intrigue you, though. I’m not going to pretend that you can’t hear every word spoken by the tables next to you, I just suggest that you pretend you’re not paying attention like everyone else.
After you finish your entree, you’ll be able to order a dessert if you so desire. I did so desire. I ordered “Frank’s Favorite Cake,” a sponge cake layered with red wine-infused cream and topped with meringue. It’s a strangely light dessert for how rich it tastes. Frank’s cake is served with strawberries and a strawberry sauce, so it might remind you of a huge strawberry shortcake. After my entree it was hard to stomach the whole cake, but I persevered.
In conclusion, Bottega is what you should expect from an expensive restaurant in Five Points: good food, good service and a cultured atmosphere. Bring a friend or a significant other for a fun night, because although the food is good, it’s the experience you’re paying for.
