About six weeks ago, I attended a two-day travel blogging conference in New York City, called TBEX. Far be it from me to not scout out the area’s good eats before I go. I was over the moon the find out that Mario Batali’s Otto, was located only about a block away from the venue. I excitedly put it on ‘the list’.
Incidentally, Otto {pronounced oh-toh} is the Italian word for the number ‘eight‘. And Otto happens to be located on 8th Street, in New York City. Clever. The menu is all in Italian, with English translations, which always scores extra points in my book.
On the first day of the conference, I blew off the free lunch in order to sample Batali’s less expensive, casual, enoteca/pizzeria which as the name suggests serves up pizza, pasta and wine bar food, all at great New York City prices.
Three of us eagerly sat a table. And sat. And sat. And waited. And waited. Forty minutes later, with our allotted lunch time ticking away, and after several failed attempts to flag down wait staff to take our order, sadly, we departed. Hungry and disappointed.
Though my excitement had waned, and Otto had certainly done me wrong, I decided to give them another try the following day at lunch. And I am so glad that I did!
A handful of us dined on individual pizzas and pasta dishes.
The lunch menu offered about a half-dozen pasta choices, all priced at $9. Pizza options, including classics like Margherita and Pepperoni, as well as more inventive pies, all used fresh Italian ingredients and ranged from $7 – $14.
Another option was the $13 Pizza del giorno – a pizza special that changes daily. There were also plenty of cheeses and side dishes to choose from if you were more interested in sampling little noshes, rather than chowing down on a full meal.
The moment I saw Pasta Carbonara on the menu, I didn’t have to look any further. It’s my all time favorite Italian pasta – when it’s done right.
And I’m happy to report that it was.
Lots of ooohhs, mmmms and aaahhhs emanated from the table that afternoon. The wait staff was pleasant, accommodating and efficient. We had no problem getting a table, ordering or waiting for food. And no problem devouring our flavorful dishes either.
The wine list was extensive, but certainly not cheap. My generous pour of by-the-glass Barbera, which equaled a large glass and a half, was a reasonable $13.
We were assured by many that had dined at Otto before, that our first-visit-debacle must have been an unfortunate fluke. And based on the results of my second visit, I am inclined to agree.
Though my first visit left me disappointed and almost angry, I am very glad I persevered and decided to give Otto another try. Had I not, I would have been even more disappointed knowing that I missed enjoying a rich and creamy Carbonara, just steps away from my home-away-from-home for two days.
I never would have forgiven myself or Mario ‘orange-crocs‘ Batali. But luckily, I don’t have to worry about forgiveness. In fact, thanks to Otto, the only thing I am consumed with now is hatching a scheme to get back there, and deciding which authentic Italian food and wine combo I’ll choose next time.
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Otto
One Fifth Avenue
New York City, NY 10003
212.995.9559