Bottega Launches In Selfridges

Confidentials 5 November 2013

THERE needs to be a new word invented that describes the opening of a restaurant that hits the ground running, doors open, tables full, food singing. (I think the word is ‘successful’. Ed)

The result is sunshine coming out of the food as well as through the windows of the beautifully situated second floor restaurant.

Gordo experienced this last Wednesday, having been invited to the launch of the sparkling Bottega, in Selfridges, Exchange Square. He walked into a press lunch, expecting last minute stuff happening, in a slightly dusty, yet to be promoted restaurant. But at least Gordo was confident the food would be good.

Bottega is owned by the masters of Italian food in Manchester, the Distefano family, Marcello and his father, Carlo. This pair own San Carlo and Cicchetti, the west of Deansgate destination restaurants. With the father and son team at Bottega was Franco Bellamusto, a brilliant architect of some of the finest dishes this writer has eaten over the years.

Carlo and Marcello Distefano

The food makes for an intriguing development in the city. With the urbane and well-known chef Aldo Zilli joining the kitchen team at the very top, seafood is a serious player but this time supplemented by Riviera style cooking from, wait for it, France. The result is sunshine coming out of the food as well as through the windows of the beautifully situated second floor restaurant.

A shellfish casserole would have knocked the socks off people dining with Gordo on his holiday in Cannes earlier in the year.

Bottega

But it’s not just seafood; Aldo showed off a weird sounding dish, basically a broccoli risotto, heavy with flavour topped by a lovely marrowbone. The latter begged to be attacked with a teaspoon to get at the marrow inside. Terrific.

Impressively the restaurant was full with real people as well as press liggers.

Back to the new word. ‘Doing a Distefano?’ Ok, that’s three words.

Bottega is on the second floor of Selfridges in Exchange Square, formerly the site of Aubaine.

You can follow Gordo on Twitter here @gordomanchester

Bottega