Otto Enoteca Pizzeria

[phaelon56]

I found the Gorgonzola gelato to be even more astounding (and I was duly impressed by the olive oil version). I mistakenly expected the Gorgonzola offering to be a bit of a gimmick - perhaps very good but too extreme to be enjoyable for more than a few bites. Not true. It was subtle and had slowly developing but lasting undertones of the cheese flavor yet retained the fundamental sweeetness and silkiness of a great gelato.

[docsconz]

Alas, that wasn't on the menu the evening we visited.

[Luckylies]

I live a few blocks away and have watched otto transform into a loud disorganised space, to what now feels like a well run restaurant. Last night our waitor was very "with it" almost robotic. he knew, and could describe all of the specials, and made sure that everything was timed right. it was early, but this was a feat that they wer unable to bull off last winter for sure. We had (I had help) the cprese, the carbonara, and the pizza margharita with mozzerella (actually i'm not sure, I think it was marghrita but i wanted garlic chilis and cheese on it so it was a bit of a bastard pizza) I would have ordered a meat insted of the caprese, but decided to let my friend "help" with the ordering.

The caprese was excellent as always. I think the mozzerella is now smaller, which I appreciate, because before the mozzerella, tomato, pesto ratio was a bit off. this was perfect.

The carbonara with leeks was a bit too salty, actually, very salty, all throughout. I'n not sure if it's the type of pancetta batalli uses, or if it was pancettta at all. it tasted like snausage, which is not to say I didnt like it, I did, just when I think carbonara i think crispy pancetta (remember the carbonara thread?) anyhow this was good and i would have it again, but i'd double love it if it were a little less sausagy.

The pizza is finally right. The crust is chewy, crispy, flovorful and just thin enough to support toppings. also I think the cheese ratio might have gone up a bit. the thing is not caked in cheese or anything but now each slice has some on it (before two people had to fight for the cheese). the sauce was always good... so this pizza rocks. it is just right in my book.

goooooo Mariooooooooooooooo!

[Stone]

Back again with a large crowd. As usual, people raved about the antipasti, enjoyed the charcuterir, were somewhat mixed about the pizza, and loved the gelato.

To satisfy the palate of a Red-Stater, we ordered some chocolate and vanilla. The vanilla was very good. I didn't think the chocolate was anything special, but i'm not a fan of chocolate ice cream. It didn't have the soft, creamy texture of the other flavors. The olive oil and pistachio were excellent. My favorite of the night was the pumpkin. I love pumpkin and this was laced with wonderful spices .

[Suzanne F]

Luckylies, I'm not positive, but I think they may use house-cured guanciale in the carbonara. The same stuff we had on our pizza on Sunday. It is pretty strongly flavored, being meatier than pancetta. Not sure about salt levels, though (didn't seem overly salty on the pizza).

The pizzas are now more like what we generally think of as pizza -- unlike the "unusual" style they tried to introduce when they first opened. In a way, I'm a little sad that the general level of taste won out, rather than their being able to bring us all over to their side. Don't get me wrong, I really like the pizza there; I just wish they'd been able to perfect what they were trying to do, to the point where WE would all see their point.

[Stone]

I just wish they'd been able to perfect what they were trying to do, to the point where WE would all see their point.

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I think they did perfect what they were trying to do, to the point that it was good. I don't think their original pizza, or more accurately the crust, was a "style" that they were trying to sell. I think it was just a poor crust created by the (rumored) limitations on cooking method.

[lambretta76]

When first debuted, the pastas were reported to be "overly salty" and "overly al dente". I'm planning on hitting Otto tonight and was wondering if I should stick to the veggies and pizzas, or if a sampling of the pastas may be in order.

[Daniel]

Went to lunch yesterday at Otto.. Place was great. Simple, unique dishes, with fresh ingredients.. It was a pleasure.. First of all the ciabatta bread they bring to the table is outrageous.. Its charred on the outside and beautifully chewy on the inside.. My only regret was I didn't order ricotta cheese and olive oil to spread on the bread..

We started with the fish antipasti. I ordered all five because if you want more then two you are saving money by getting all of them.. I thought they were all terrific.. I thought a few of them had similar flavors and were repetitive when served all together.. But individually they were all great.. The lemoned anchovies served with scallions, and crutons were excellent.. The octopus and the calamari had subtle differences, both were excellent, but i didn't need both. I really enjoyed the king fish served with onions and currants.. It was a really interesting taste. It had huge whole chunks of king fish.. They were great.. The cold mussels were served with sweet red peppers and onions.. I think a little balsamic was added.. The dish was sweet, fruity, delicious..

We then had the Potato, Anchovy, Ricotta pizza.. I was really impressed with the pizza.. You can tell they use a super fine flour.. It was light, airy, crisp and chewy..(Must get caputo flour). It held on to the ingredients really well. I wish i had tried a different pizza because i was a little fished out by that point.. The anchovies are the same cured anchovies from the appetizer.. Terrific none the less. I also had left over coppa from the meat antipasti i threw on.. It was great.. Interested in getting the Lardo pizza.

Dessert was awesome! Again, in keeping with simple, fresh ingredients, philosophy, the gelatti came out terrific.. We ordered olive oil, meyer lemon, and goat ricotta. The olive oil came out with sea salt on it also.. Fluer De Sal? Fantastic. Everything was creamy, fresh, and tasted like what it was supposed to.. Imagine that..

(Funny, now i am looking at the picture, i dont remember trying that cookie.. I think my dinning guest stole the cookie..but i am sure it was good)

The vanilla gelatti was really good too.. In fact, we had a double fisted four year old with us..

We then finished off with espresso and fig grappa.. They infuse there own grappa here..

All in all the place is great.. This place is running at 100 percent of its potential.. Its nice to see someone's vision come to life.

P.S. Just to be completely slothful we walked to Eisenberg's so the four yesr old could have her first chocolate egg cream and lime ricky.

Edited March 14, 2005 by Daniel (log)

[SobaAddict70]

Well, a lunch at Wu Liang Ye morphed into a late dinner at Otto. A friend dropped out at the last minute so I went by myself.

I can't remember what wine it was but it was a bit on the sweet, fruity side, and a white.

Octopus, celery, lovage

Cauliflower "alla Siciliana"

I'm of the opinion that their vegetable antipasti is way better than their seafood, but that could be me.

Rigatoni with sausage, Tuscan chard and pine nuts was a nice special. Great balance of spice and garlic, carrying the flavors of the sauce through the pasta.

On Jason's recommendation, I had the taleggio pizza with wild mushrooms. It's ok, I'll probably get one of the tomato ones next time.

Gelati for dessert: tangerine sorbet, ginger gelato, milk chocolate chip gelato with an egg wafer.

My only criticism is that I shouldn't have to wait 15 minutes to get a bartender's attention just to get the check especially if there were five people remaining at the bar. Don't spend an inordinate amount of time schmoozing with the customers when there are people who just want to leave, and maybe the next time I'm there, you won't get less than a 15% tip.

Soba

[juuceman]

I've been eating at Otto at least weekly for the past several months.. i hated it when it first opened, and i was subjected to the Taleggio and mushroom pizza.. it's gotten much better..

agreed, the vegetable antipasti are the way to begin.. anything Batali and friends do with cauliflower has been great.. the white bean bruschetta on tuesday's is awesome, better than any other rendition, at any of his other spots, that i've tasted.. of course, here it's $5 while it was free back in the day at Po..

Tuesday night's meatball pizza special is wonderful.. the pastas are uniformly great and for gelato it's the place to go.. i've spent hours drinking at the bar alone with a book, and i've drunk bottles with the doctors from Mt. Sinai who have a semi-regular residency here as well.. it's casual with great food.. it's accessible in that i can snag a same day reservation for two if needed, or we can wait at the bar for a while and enjoy life..

it's what Lupa should be, but maybe a bit too pretentious for a pizza place.. outside of nyc this place would fall flat, but it works here, and the location is genius..

[mikeycook]

I agree with the recent sentiments. It has improved since opening. And the best thing is they do delivery.

[Jukim]

My friend and I had the dinner at Otto tonight. We ordered:

Octopus appetizer - in my taste, octopus was cooked too much and lost its own texture

Lentil Tuscan style - excellent

Cauliflower Sicilian style - tastes great but a bit salty to me

Pizza Bianca - plain pizza with olive oil and sea salt; I liked it, but my friend did not care for it at all.

Chocolate hazelnut pudding with whipping cream - small, not too large portion and very tasty

We did not get to order any of pasta dishes. Next time I will try one.

I will definitely come back with more friends. It's a comfortable hangout place with good food, extensive wine list and fair service.

Jukim

[Pan]

[...]it's what Lupa should be, but maybe a bit too pretentious for a pizza place..  outside of nyc this place would fall flat, but it works here, and the location is genius..

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Lupa is one of my favorite restaurants in New York. What do you mean by "it's what Lupa should be"? (I still haven't been to Otto yet, by the way.)

[juuceman]

[...]it's what Lupa should be, but maybe a bit too pretentious for a pizza place..  outside of nyc this place would fall flat, but it works here, and the location is genius..

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Lupa is one of my favorite restaurants in New York. What do you mean by "it's what Lupa should be"? (I still haven't been to Otto yet, by the way.)

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I love Lupa.. it's one of my favorites as well.. what frustrates me a bit, although i deal with it pretty well, is that it's all but impossible to walk in and sit down for a meal without a reservation made a month in advance or a experiencing a lengthy wait.. coupled with the fact that the bar isn't really an option for waiting, and it's not the most comfortable of waits..

otto is huge.. the bar area is probably a bit larger than the entire front room at Lupa.. the dining rooms are at least the same size.. it's got a more casual vibe and offers some of the same antipasti and primi.. i just wish they'd offer the full Lupa primi menu at Otto, and then this would be the ideal restaurant..

[ned]

My friend and I had the dinner at Otto tonight.  We ordered:

Octopus appetizer - in my taste, octopus was cooked too much and lost its own texture

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I'm surprised to read this. I've eaten that dish maybe fifteen times and always loved it.

[gaf]

Terminal Condition New York Entry #66

Does anyone eat at Otto twice? A friend and I visited Molto Mario Batali's pizzeria/enoteca last Friday night ans asked this question. Otto fashions itself an Italian train station, loud and crowded. Diners are called to table on an arrival board. By the time our entree arrived, I was ready to embark. All that was lacking was fumes.

Granted this was Friday evening but the acoustics touted sign language and aspirin. One party at a table near us were screaming at each other, not a domestic tiff, but the only way to converse. With each table howling we caught snatches of conversation throughout the room. We could everyone but each other. This dazed reality puts the lie to my opening query: crowds do find Otto energizing. But after visiting numerous establishments in which I was the grayest head in the room, youthful buzz is not necessarily a cause of complaint. But at Otto the chaos is contagious at the tables and perhaps in the kitchen.

Service was cheerful, and we appreciated the sommelier making wise suggestions for two carafes of wine. When the server brought anchovies in place of parsnips - a mistake anyone could make! - they quickly apologized, letting us keep the fish. We did feel pressure to turn the table, particularly from an overeager busboy, who felt that a clean table was more to be treasured than a clean plate.

The food, which some admire, was hit and miss. We began with Anchovies, Breadcrumbs and Scallions; Roasted Beets and Saba; and Parsnips "Agrodolce." A fine line exists between respecting the culinary sophistication of diners and organizational pomposity. Agrodolce and Saba (sweet-and-sour sauce and boiled white grape must, respectively) felt pretentious, especially in a restaurant aiming at a wide audience.

Best of the trio were the parsnips. Both the sweetness and the sourness revealed complexity of this often ignored root vegetable. It was the most completely satisfying selection of the evening, a creation that appeared simple but was built upon levels of taste. Our chunks of beets were inoffensive, and not deeply flavored. The anchovies were deliciously fresh, but this pesce was sabotaged by stale cubes of bread (by no means "crumbs," just crummy). And the bread brought to our table was far from hot and chewy. Bread is the canary in the mine of Italian kitchens. When the bread dies, call the coroner.

Our pizza was Fennel and Bottarga - tomato, fennel, bottarga (salted tuna roe), pecorino, and mozzarella. The thin crust was too dry, and the topping lacked pizzazz. I love fennel's bitter bite, but this tang was not much evident; neither was the salty bottarga. The topping was a thin gruel of cheese and tomato.

Our pasta, Linguine with Broccoli Rabe, Pine Nuts, and Garlic was unbalanced. The pesto was dominated by the taste of ground broccoli. The pasta was, as promised al dente (we were advised - warned - of this), but, as with the pizza, the flavor combinations were off.

Dessert was on the right track. Olive Oil Coppetta (a small cup, or Italian Sundae) was composed of olive oil gelato, tangerine sorbet, blood orange, dried cherries, capezzana olive oil, and Maldon sea salt. Batali deserves iron points for his spunk in advertising sea salt in a dessert, but his fortitude paid dividends. Dessert was the only moment in which one could see the chef's mind at work. Batali extended the range of dessert flavors beyond what might be considered decent. He begins from strength with his tangerine sorbet and, especially, the subtle and sublime olive oil gelato, and adds the contrasting tastes of olive oil, oranges, cherries, and salt. It is inspired. If every course could have been dessert, I would have accepted my malaise as the price of genius.

Otto is a cross between a roadhouse and madhouse, and not dazzling enough for its bedlam. Perhaps a quieter moment would have been more auspicious, but the craziness seems integral to the meaning of Otto. Its volcanic tumult is molten Mario. Otto, pronounced Oh-toe, might otherwise be whispered Uh-oh.

Otto

One Fifth Avenue (at 8th Street)

Manhattan (Greenwich Village)

212-995-9559

My Webpage: Vealcheeks

[SobaAddict70]

I've always found the front to be slightly quieter than the rear.

That's not saying much.

[Nathan]

2 quick comments:

1. the ONLY way to eat comfortably and enjoyably at Otto is at the bar (at least on a weekend). the service is also considerably better.

2. Meredith Kurtzman is responsible for the gelato...she develops the flavor combinations.

[juuceman]

1.  the ONLY way to eat comfortably and enjoyably at Otto is at the bar (at least on a weekend).  the service is also considerably better.

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don't know that i agree with that.. i have grown to really enjoy this place over the past few months.. i've had many enjoyable meals on Friday and Sunday evening's at tables either right at the doorway between the two rooms or in the back room and never been rushed or felt like my table was being pushed to turn.. my girlfriend was prompted to leave her table (with 9 others) on a saturday night recently, but they provided them with a few drinks at the bar afterward in compensation..

[Daniel]

I've only eaten at Otto on Saturday afternoons.. 4 in total.. Each time was quiet and really not hectic.. Its hard to imagine it packed.. I think it would lose alot of its appeal.

[Eatmywords]

I've never been when it wasn't packed (at night, during the wk or wknd) and I've never been disapointed by the anti's esp the caponata, brussel sprts and cauliflower and any pizza esp the nightly specials (-finished w/a sunnyside egg ofcourse). Though, I've only ever dined at the bar, I'd say it's the best place to be should you want to sample (all the) wines or grappas before choosing. The bartenders are awesome.

[Nathan]

I've never been when it wasn't packed (at night, during the wk or wknd) and I've never been disapointed by the anti's esp the caponata, brussel sprts and cauliflower and any pizza esp the nightly specials (-finished w/a sunnyside egg  ofcourse).    Though, I've only ever dined at the bar, I'd say it's the best place to be should you want to sample (all the) wines or grappas before choosing.  The bartenders are awesome. 

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specifically, it is the Thursday special guanciale pizza that should be ordered with an egg on top (not a menu option).

[SobaAddict70]

1.  the ONLY way to eat comfortably and enjoyably at Otto is at the bar (at least on a weekend).  the service is also considerably better.

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don't know that i agree with that.. i have grown to really enjoy this place over the past few months.. i've had many enjoyable meals on Friday and Sunday evening's at tables either right at the doorway between the two rooms or in the back room and never been rushed or felt like my table was being pushed to turn.. my girlfriend was prompted to leave her table (with 9 others) on a saturday night recently, but they provided them with a few drinks at the bar afterward in compensation..

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A weeknight dinner there a couple of years ago with pim was one of the most unpleasant dinners I've had in quite a while. We could barely hear each other. Quite frankly, if I can't hear my tablemate even though she was sitting not more than two feet away from me, then something's not working.

A recent dinner on a weekend (see above) was at the bar, and though I arrived at 9:30 pm, the noise level was this much the side of raucous. Lord knows what it was like in the rear.

Soba

[dRock]

Been there once. Loved it!

[NYC Mike]

Had a really nice lunch here today with my wife and son #2. It is a very kid friendly place which is rare these days outside the chains. For this aspect alone I will be back to Otto with my other children. Mario was at the bar holding court when we walked in but it did not seem to affect the staff at all. Service was casual and calm and attentive but not overly so.

The bruschetta of the day was really good and so were the sicilian olives. #2 son had the kids pizza and I had the lardo , man is that good!

My wife had the pasta alla norma, also good, tasty and very fresh but way too skimpy on the eggplant and I prefer wet pasta sauces in bowls and not plates, makes it easier to mop up!

Stole a spoon of the kid's vanilla gelato on the way out, it was amazing. I had no room left but next time I'd like to try the olive oil gelato.

-Mike