After enjoying two friends & family parties during my birthday week, Hubby and I shared an early, quiet dinner on Sunday at Bottega in Napa. (Btw, if you want great service, early Sunday is an ideal time to visit a fine restaurant.)

Bottega is an Italian term loosely translated as master artist’s studio.  I thought it meant family table because Chiarello talks about family every time he talks about cooking.  (What’s really cool is that my description of what I do is almost identical to his!)

Although Chef Chiarello was in Aspen the night I dined at his restaurant, his welcome-to-my family style and energy was evident everywhere.  The hostess’ were pleasant and efficient, the server professional and warm, and the 5-star dining experience of being completely taken care was spot on.

As I was swept up in the experience, I was also thinking about how he delivered a rich, warm, inviting, 5 star experience; a quote from a professional housekeeper came to mind, “it’s all in the details.”  Here’s some fun details:

• Bread is served on the table, without a plate.
• Dishes look like they came from his Italian Nonna’s kitchen (actually they are new and available at his store, Napastyle).
• Presentation of the dishes are not “fru fru”; they are pretty and yet homestyle.
• He uses Eisch wine glasses, lead-free, breathable and high quality.
• The food seems simple yet Chiarello’s style is one-of-kind (if I want this level of Italian food, there’s no where else to get it).
• The staff isn’t “trying”, they are real people who seem to enjoy being there and doing their job well.

Jenny, our server, and I had fun choosing wines from the Quartino List (1 1/2 glasses of wine served from a carafe) to pair with our courses. Here’s what we came up with:

1. House Cured Salumi with a sparkling red
2. Risotto with Pinot Noir (Burgundian style)
3. Quail with Gamble Family Vineyards ’05 Syrah (Old Vine)
4. Halibut with Puttanesca Sauce with Nero de Avila
5. Chocolate Souffle with hazelnut cream sauce & candied hazelnuts and coffee. (picture’d above)

The pairings were great except for the Pinot Noir, my bad, I should have chosen a Chardonnay. The Gamble Syrah with the Quail was especially delicious.

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