Finally Eating at Otto's

Until last week, I'd never eaten at Otto's. I don't know why. Maybe because there's a famous chef's name attached to it and my friends and I have always assumed it was too pricey for the likes of us. Maybe because you need a reservation, and my life is more spontaneous. Maybe because it's where you take your boyfriend for a nice birthday dinner after you've been dating for a year or so, and I've never had that opportunity. Maybe because it's for bourgeois yuppies who instantly know it's pronounced "Oh-toe", and I'm certainly not one of those people. Whatever. I went for a birthday dinner, and I can decisively say that my pasta was undercooked.

Of my meal, the dessert was better. I went with the Black & White: milk chocolate chip gelato, hazelnut croccante, crème fraiche gelato, chocolate sauce, and caramel crema. Of the desserts I tried there—we all shared on the dessert front—I deemed it the best. And I wasn't blown away by any of them. The gelato was creamy and smooth, very well made by anyone's standards. But for $11, I expect to be blown away at least a little bit. It didn't help that I had had real New Haven clam pie the night before, so when I saw Otto's version of clam pie I thought it was a joke. There weren't even clams in all of those shells! At least now I know that if you go to Otto's get the pizza or the braised pork shoulder pasta. Maybe now that I know it's not as expensive as I once believed I'll actually make it back there. But I'm not rushing.

Otto Enoteca Pizzeria
1 Fifth Avenue
(212) 995-9559
www.ottopizzeria.com