Otto’s puttanesca is too sweet from too many tomatoes and lacks the salty kick puttanesca lovers look for from anchovies (barely there) and capers and olives (making a brief guest appearance). Disappointing at best, regrettably.
Tag Archives: Mario Batali
Otto Series 3 and 4: Norma and Gricia
Two dishes on this post: thanks to jury duty, my husband and I were able to have lunch together at Otto’s bar on a chilly, late February day. That was the first time I sat at the bar at Otto and I quite liked it. The burly barman’s service was correct and his demeanor distant; his lack of approachability kept the busy bar’s noise levels pretty bearable at lunch hour. Continue reading
Lunch Special: Lupa
Stern is magically situated a couple of blocks away from each of Mario Batali’s Greenwich Village restaurant trifecta — Lupa, Babbo and Otto. So just to add variety to my Otto series and to take advantage of Restaurant Week, I went to Lupa and had the lunch special.
The "Orata con Cardi"
Now, I am not a fan of lunch specials, at least not those during Restaurant Week. Sure, it’s an opportunity to sample a famous restaurants at a low price, but the sampling they offer often makes me not want to go there and pay full price for it. For the current rate of $24.07 you get a choice of the lowest priced appetizers and entrees, plus dessert. The rooms are crowded, service is grumpy. Continue reading
Otto Series 2: Carbonara
As promised, the Carbonara.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
I am a huge fan of spaghetti alla carbonara. Between the pancetta, eggs, cheese and cream (yes, I like mine with some cream) it’s a cholesterol bomb, and I try to only have it once every few months, and I enjoy every bite of it. Continue reading
Otto Series 1: Fusilli with Escarole and Sausage
I am teaching at NYU-Stern this semester. As such, I have much of the Greenwich and East Villages within a 10-minute walk radius, and I am looking forward to exploring the restaurants and markets in both neighborhoods.
One thing I know for sure is that I’ll be eating at Otto pretty often. With pastas at $9 ($12 for the weekly specials), I think there is hardly a better value in New York.
Otto's Fusilli with Escarole and Sweet Sausage
