6 minute read
Semplice elegante
from CCR Issue 5 - 2022
A special supplement to:
Shokoufeh and Filippo Fusco
Semplice elegante
By Chris Hennessy
Bottega Angelina takes inspiration from the past while pushing the envelope forward and reinventing fine dining in 2021 and beyond. The 10,000 square foot space is dynamic—guests can enjoy a cup of coffee in the on-site café, purchase fresh homemade goods in the mercato, enjoy a glass of wine on the patio or receive the full fine-dining experience in the ristorante.
The restaurant is a premier culinary destination that caters to all and exemplifies and puts to action the direction the future of dining is taking, immersing guests in an array of experiences that invokes all senses. Shawmut Design and Construction’s craftsmanship was integral to transforming the unique space for those immersive, captivating experiences and equipping the Bottega Angelina team with all the elements needed to create an authentic Italian dining destination.
Nestled into the hillside within Laguna Niguel, California’s Ocean Ranch Village shopping center, Bottega Angelina is hard to miss. Approaching Laguna Niguel’s newest culinary gem transports visitors to a trattoria in Italy. Guests are greeted by olive trees, Italian cypress trees, potted citrus, lavender and an exterior that features a Santa Barbara stucco facade with added stone accents. This beautiful transformation required design and construction team to take the property down to the studs as it was previously an old, dimly-lit steakhouse. The two patios on the property are perfect for guests to soak up some California sun rays, whether they are sipping a morning coffee, or enjoying early-evening cocktails. Encapsulated by the traditional Italian landscaping, the front patio paints an artistic portrait of a true Italian café’s ambience. The back patio, which boasts breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, is complemented by an exterior fireplace with custom board from concrete finishes, and chimneys refinished in concrete with a copper accent at the top. Patios in Laguna Niguel are few and far between, so Bottega Angelina’s 3,000 square feet of outdoor seating places it in a category of its own. As the world continues to navigate the pandemic, the demand for outdoor seating is increasing and Bottega Angelina’s reconfigured outdoor dining areas ensure that guests can feel comfortable and safe when visiting the restaurant. The color palette of the coastline extends into the bar and restaurant, seamlessly connecting the interior spaces and creating a unique open concept. The bar is crafted from calacatta marble with waterfall edges, which creates a continuous flow of marble and makes it a focal point of the lounge. The bottle riser is custom marble-clad with an antique mirror finish and lit with LED lighting, building the perfect balance of modern and vintage. Adjacent to the bar is the staple of the ristorante, the Stefano Ferraro VPN-certified custom pizza oven from Naples which sits next to the restaurant’s open concept kitchen. The pizza oven is framed around columns and clad with custom mosaic tiles that come together to form the Bottega Angelina logo. It also features a custom stone hearth to fit the circle frame and is topped off with a light cove to create a truly dramatic lighting effect. Patrons can watch as the Bottega Angelina team works their culinary magic, which creates a deeper appreciation for the fresh ingredients being used and delights the senses.
Ringing in the coast
The features in the dining room were crafted with extreme attention to detail to bring the colors and feel of the Pacific coastline into the space. More than half of the dining and bar areas are spanned by a custom lighting feature—4,000 individual brass tubes hanging from the ceiling that took more than three weeks to install. The construction team used an articulating boom lift to install the tubes, as each individual drop had to have a template built before they could be installed one-byone. Within the brass tubes are hand-blown custom light bulbs. The ceiling over the dining and bar areas also has an artist’s custom cloud finish with a copper barrel to complement the intricate lighting feature. The mercato is the differentiating element in the space that brings the Bottega Angelina one-stop-shop vision to life. It is where guests will be transported by the aroma of fresh baked breads and pastries, and find homemade pasta to fill their pantries, as well as artisan goods, spirits, and wines to bring a piece of Italy home. The mercato is also the home of Bottega Angelina’s cooking classes, tastings and demonstrations.
With walls that feature custom mosaics—including the Bottega Angelina logo and the salumeria station—paired with large-format marble flooring, the detailed interior works to create the look of an authentic yet modern Italian mercato. The flares of yellow and orange bring the California sunshine into the space as guests enjoy the authenticities of their corner of Italy in Laguna Niguel. Bottega Angelina’s management team has strong ties to Italy, and an extensive history of demonstrated culinary creativity in the kitchen. The team’s passion revolves around creating authentic experiences— from expertly-crafted cocktails and cuisine to unique courses and educational seminars—that truly embody Italian culture. Most of Bottega Angelina’s team members were raised in small villages across Italy and have used their immersive experiences with Italian cuisine as inspiration for the idea to create a destination, not just a restaurant. Bottega Angelina’s owners, Shokoufeh and Filippo Fusco, also the owners of Angelina’s Pizzeria Napoletana in Irvine, California, are steadfast in their desire to share Italian cuisine and culture. What better way to do that than with an all-encompassing destination? Bottega Angelina is revolutionizing the dining scene in Laguna Niguel and sets a precedent for the future of experiential dining in the area. The detail-oriented execution of authentic cocktails and cuisine, and the dedication to craftsmanship within the space, create a one-of-a-kind establishment that can appeal to all who appreciate food, art and tradition. An Italian one-stop-shop that boasts a Southern California view, Bottega Angelina has been called a “stunner” by Eater LA and is sure to impress its visitors and create unforgettable experiences one-by-one. CK
Chris Hennessy is Senior Director at Shawmut Design and Construction, a $1.3 billion national construction management, setting the strategy, goals, and execution plan for the hospitality business in Shawmut’s West region. His 16 years of combined hospitality and construction experience working on both the client and operations side enables Hennessy to provide an approach to the construction process that not only considers all technical aspects, but the intricacies of the guest experience.
