Bottega Angelina — Restaurant in Laguna Niguel

My wife and I went for dinner last night for the first time. The view of the sunset was very pretty. The food was actually good. Usually when my wife drags me to a "fine dining place with a view" the food is so underwhelming that I can't wait to leave. But this place, the food was actually so good that I could enjoy the view.

Our octopus appetizer was delicious. I don't remember if there were a ton of octopus pieces because I was too busy enjoying the olives that were part of the dish. This dish really set the tone for the rest of the meal.

As for my personal meal, I ordered the lamb cooked to medium. To my surprise, it was actually cooked to a medium temperature. There was a good amount of the juice still in the lamb and it didn't leave a trail of myoglobin on the plate when I cut into it. The flavor had a hint of sweetness that I assume was from brown sugar. The lamb was accompanied by the mini carrots. The carrots were tender and gave a nice juxtaposition to the texture of the lamb.

Now the steak knife that came with my lamb...... That was the highlight of my dinner. Often when I order steak, lamb, or veal, the knife that comes with the dish is utter trash. They are usually dull and worn out serrated knives that use the serrations to tear the meat apart instead of cutting the meat. When the servers first brought out the knife, I noticed the balance of the steak knife felt off to me(slightly front heavy). The balance felt more like a chef knife instead of a steak knife. Additionally, I thought it was weird to use metal on the handle because aluminum can become very slippery if your hands are wet. I was so surprised at the design that I googled the knife. The knife was a Rada Cutler utility/steak knife with aluminum handle. But once my lamb arrived I realized why none of my concerns mattered. The knives were very sharp. The knife with the slightly front heavy design and sharp edge allowed less pressure and more control. This meant I didn't need a ton of pressure to cut the lamb or the carrots. This level of control allowed me to prevent the knife from making contact with the plate. The aluminum handle had a stain finish that provided the right amount of resistance while still feeling smooth to the touch. As a result I don't hear the metal on ceramic noise that is common in a lot of restaurants. I was so impressed with the knife I mentioned it to the server. He said the knives were less than a month old. Hopefully the manager will keep the knives sharp for other people to experience. Overall the knives were a huge addition to the positive dining experience.

In terms of service, our server(s) was not overbearing but noticed when we ran low on drinks and refilled proactively. This is exactly what I like to see.

Overall, this is the first time in a long time I felt the food and the service matched the view and price. We will be back in the future to try out various other dishes.

I forgot to mention, I had a late lunch at 3p.m. and our dinner arrived around 6:30p.m. I left the restaurant...

Another "Orange County" restaurant trying to be an "Orange County restaurant." All the great restaurants are special because they have a simple core theme that they execute constantly well. This, this is way to complex. You cannot be all things to all people. This place tries to be an Italian corner store, bakery, gelato, cafe, market, trendy American bar, OC patio with a view. . . etc. The staff doesn't even know what the restaurant is trying to accomplish because the priorities of the business model are all over the place. Don't get me started on the cheap gelato - its really ice cream at the end of the day but whatever. The wine list is decent. The food is good but terribly inconstant - you want to judge the quality of an Italian-American restaurant? Try their margarita pizza or home made pasta. This was a doughy under cooked mess.

Solutions, segment the business into its proper channels - not to get too 1990's Arthur Anderson here. . . make the market a separate market; want to effectively upsell? I get the idea of walking through the market to the restaurant. If that is what you really want then design a more effective funnel. Don't put the wine in the corner behind the gelato. Make a proper funnel. Make it so we can buy a bottle of wine, cheese, crackers, sopressata, cantelope and prosciutto on our way to the table and then let us either get our own desert on the way out or reference it at the end of dinner and bring it to us.

Only 1 kid needs to run a market, not 3. Make the bar a bar. Only 2-3 bartenders need to operate that bar, not 5 to 6. Make the servers bus and serve their own tables. Take the extra staff from the front of house and the back of house and get them out and about walking around and waiting on the indoor causal seating area. FFS, make sure people are not forgotten. 1 poor kid who didn't know how to bartend let alone run a section properly attempted to handle 6 or 7 couches and 6 or 7 small tables that I could see? Ouch.

Lastly, Owner, do not make excuses. I heard from multiple people - patrons, not staff - about your grand plans to reorganize and retrain your people in April. Why wait? This doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out. This is business, not art. Beautiful businesses feel like art when they take simple and rich business plans and execute them fast and flawlessly with human nature in mind. In Orange County we've had unrealistically high expectations of everything since the 80's. You only make your life more difficult when you sell the hype before you've earned it.

I wish you the best and truly hope to see you succeed - Southern South County needs its own 90's era Bistango or 2000's Bayside. Your ideas are good enough. Don't rush or complicate the execution. Just focus on simple and fast. . . and get rid of that ridiculous gelato machine. Check out Gelato & Co - they would love a...

Bottega Angelina was the first stop of my Laguna Niguel trip, and it couldn’t have been a better choice. I originally came for lunch after seeing the beautiful pictures of the restaurant—bright, airy interiors with a spacious layout and a patio offering lovely views. As a pasta lover, I was excited to try it.

For lunch, I got seated at the bar, ordered the bolognese and an affogato. Both exceeded expectations. The bolognese sauce was rich, hearty, and plentiful, with pasta that was clearly house-made—perfectly al dente, springy and full of bite. The affogato was beautifully presented with the espresso served separately, poured over ice cream and whipped cream. It came with a little biscuit that, surprisingly, didn’t get soggy but turned almost jelly-like in texture, still delicious. Even though I wasn’t very hungry, I finished every bite. The bartender chatted with me throughout and even recommended local spots to explore, while the manager checked in multiple times to ensure everything was to my satisfaction. It was such a pleasant experience that I decided to return for dinner the same day.

For dinner, I sat at a table and started with the octopus, which was tender and perfectly prepared. My main dish was the clam pasta, featuring large, fresh clams with perfectly cooked pasta once again. The seasoning included Calabrian chili, adding just the right amount of subtle heat that elevated the whole dish. To pair, I had a cocktail called Boschetto, personally delivered by the bartender who explained its flavors. It was wonderfully balanced, with refreshing floral and fruity notes—light, sweet, I think it's even approachable for someone who doesn’t usually enjoy gin. For dessert, I chose my favorite French pastry, the Millefoglie (Napoleon). The almond puff pastry was incredibly crisp, the sweetness just right, and it ended the meal on a perfect note.

Service was excellent from start to finish. My server, Caroline, was sweet and attentive throughout. At one point, another table was being very difficult with her—so much so that even I felt upset watching—but she remained calm, professional, and graceful the whole time.

Overall, Bottega Angelina far exceeded my expectations. With outstanding food, warm service, and a welcoming atmosphere, it has easily become a must-visit spot for me in Orange County. I’ll definitely be back next time...