Apps Only: Otto Enoteca Pizzeria
Editor's note: In "Apps Only," Ben Fishner will be eating his way through New York's appetizer, bar, and lounge menus as your guide to fine dining on a budget.
[Photos: Robyn Lee]
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Otto Enoteca Pizzeria, the most casual restaurant of celebrity chef and serious eater Mario Batali, toes the line between pizzeria and wine bar—a large standing-room only area next to the bar, a sizeable dining room in back. Both share the same menu, which is divided between antipasti, pizza, and pasta. Certain items are on the pricey side, but for the most part dishes range from about $4 to $15—making it an Apps Only dream.
[Photo: Ben Fishner]
Everything is served family style, and items are brought to the table as they are ready. I decided that the best way to get the most bang for our buck would be to order the least expensive pizza—the minimal Bianca ($7), topped only with olive oil and salt—and then spend the rest of our cash on antipasti and pasta. The Bianca was perfect: for a plain round of dough, it's remarkably flavorful, thanks to the tangy olive oil drizzled on top. The crust is very thin, but it maintains its crispiness remarkably well and provided a wonderful bed for all of the antipasti ordered.
A selection of veggies. [Photo: Robyn Lee]
The vegetable antipasti are all four bucks a pop, with over a dozen seasonal options on the menu. We decided to go with Salsify with Blood Orange ($4), White Beans with Sofrito ($4), and Celery with Bagna Cauda ($4). The salsify, a root vegetable, was the least notable dish of the evening. Absorbing the hue of the blood oranges, the color was magnificent but the flavor didn't match. It wasn't terrible, but it didn't stand up to the other dishes. The white beans with sofrito, however, was the most delicious bean salad I've ever had in my life. Tossed with olive oil, onions and carrots, the beans were tender and bursting with flavor. A little heat made things more interesting.
It was the celery that emerged as the star of these veggies, lightly cooked so they were tender yet crunchy, and served with bagna cauda on the side. It's not far off from a really good Caesar dressing, but far fishier and far more tasty. The anchovy flavor is not for everyone, but if you like it as much as I do, this is probably the most memorable celery dish you'll ever eat.
[Photo: Kathy YL Chan]
Also recommended for anchovy lovers: the Anchovies, Breadcrumbs and Scallions dish ($8). The breadcrumbs are really more like croutons, sizeable chunks of crunchy bread, with fresh-tasting anchovy fillets. The dish was fishy, sure, but it was also fresh and springy with lots of citrus overtones—a welcome respite from the freezing weather. This dish reminded me more of pickled herring than it did of any anchovies I'd ever eaten. (And I say that as a fan of pickled herring.)
We also ordered a plate of the salumi ($9). Charcuterie isn't usually the best way to go for the tight budget crowd, but we received a big plate of the stuff, and I have to say, it would have been a deal if they'd given us even half that portion. Though dry and almost tough, the salumi's resistance was the best part, making you chew and chew, forcing the meat to reveal layers and layers of changing flavors, almost like jerky—if jerky ever tasted this good. The longer I chewed, the more flavors came to the fore. It wasn't overly salty, either. For me this was a revelation in dried meats.
[Photo: Ben Fishner]
The last item to come to the table was the pasta dish we ordered, Penne Con Noci E Zuca ($9), in a buttery sauce with butternut squash and toasted hazelnuts. But the name of the dish fails to mention its star ingredient, something I will now dedicate a lot of time to seeking out: smoked ricotta. With a semi-soft consistency, it doesn't look like your standard ricotta, and the smokiness is so palpable I initially thought there was bacon involved. There wasn't, and I didn't mind a bit. The dish was rich without being overdressed, and the sweetness of the squash and the crunch of the hazelnuts added both depth and texture. This was probably the most interesting thing we ate all night.
All in all, Otto passed the Apps Only test with flying colors: before tax and tip, our food totaled $45 (there were three of us). Not only did I assemble a whole meal, I left feeling more stuffed than I have in a very long time. I don't mean full—I mean laying on the couch, moaning, for a full hour afterwards. The menu lends itself to assembling a full meal of interesting and varied snacks, which is exactly what I look for in a place. If you're looking to gorge on some really tasty appetizer size portions, Otto is the place to be.
Otto Enoteca Pizzeria
One Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10011 (map)
212-995-9559
ottopizzeria.com
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16 Comments:
I love the charcuterie but I think the best deal here are the pastas. I don't know anywhere else in the city where you can get a plate as good for 9 bucks.
bobbob at 12:27PM on 02/02/10
Apps are the only way to go at Otto. Their small plates and (particularly) gelatos are excellent, but over years of sampling my friends and I find their pizzas to be decent at best. At worst they're downright mediocre.
rodalpho at 1:07PM on 02/02/10
what rodalpho said. wine, appetizer, gelato, check is the only way to go at otto.
infomofo at 1:50PM on 02/02/10
I remember having their olive oil gelato (this was back when they first opened)...thought it was wonderful!
italianyc84 at 1:55PM on 02/02/10
You can buy balls of smoked ricotta imported from Italy (and they're quite cheap) from D'vine Taste on 7th ave in Park Slope.
rrakes at 2:30PM on 02/02/10
@rrakes: thanks I will check that out.
Ben Fishner at 2:32PM on 02/02/10
I'm surprised the cheese plate isn't mentioned. I love the condiments they serve wtih the cheese, but I'm not a cheese expert.
cb1414 at 2:42PM on 02/02/10
Echoing cb1414--Cheeeeese!! And for me, the condiments: especially the brandied cherries. I could eat those for breakfast lunch and dinner.Truffled honey ain't bad, neither! :)
dbdtron at 2:55PM on 02/02/10
Really, you're safe ordering everything except the pizza. It's all excellent.
rodalpho at 3:00PM on 02/02/10
cheese cheese cheese
not a huge lover, but completely agree with dbdtron
the cherries and the honey are excellent
i always order apps at otto and skip a main
norman at 3:17PM on 02/02/10
Salumi at Otto - you've come a long way from buying jerky at the gas station on the Lab ski trip.
sparklestone at 4:33PM on 02/02/10
Trust me, I wanted very badly to try the cheese plate, but it was ~$15 and as such I didn't think it was Apps Only friendly. The condiments sound incredible.
@sparklestone, it was jerky chew, and I regret nothing.
Ben Fishner at 4:48PM on 02/02/10
okay excused
norman at 4:54PM on 02/02/10
God, this restaurant is so good. Their corn salad (pictured) is also delicious. Great review!
teenagefoodie at 5:39PM on 02/02/10
Fair enough, Ben! It's a great review, can't wait to try some of these apps out!
dbdtron at 9:59AM on 02/03/10
Sounds great. I would only correct one thing in the article. That dish you called Penne Con Noci E Zuca should be written Penne con Noccioli e Zucca. Noci are walnuts. Nocciale are hazelnuts, and zucca is spelled with two "c"s. Does the menu spell it that way? Anyway, I am glad you've discovered the joy of smoked ricotta, something we folks in the Veneto have used for years to accent and enhance pasta, usually penne but not always. This dish sounds very much like the same dish served at Osteria alla Zucca in Venice. If so, it's worth a journey. We're looking forward to a visit to Otto try the penne but also the Bagna Cauda, that Piemontese classic.
gondoliere at 12:04PM on 02/21/10