NYC Tastes

Wow, it seems like September was just yesterday and now Thanksgiving and the holiday season are already upon us!  I started my own personal celebration last week, cozying up to the bar of Otto for their seasonal Pumpkin Coppetta. Two squares of spice cake topped with creamy pumpkin gelato, candied pecans, whipped cream and a decadent maple bourbon caramel sauce that I would like to pour on just about everything.  This is the perfect dessert for any pumpkin lover in your life.  Hope everyone has a wonderful day relaxing with good food and family.  Happy Thanksgiving! Otto Pizzeria One 5th Avenue New York, NY 10003

I absolutely love the change of seasons we're going through right now.  I honestly don't understand why anyone would want to live where it stays one temperature all year round.  Each season brings me back to old favorites; outdoor patios in the summertime, cozy fireplaces in the middle of winter and on a blustery late fall afternoon the bar at Otto calls for a long leisurely lunch. I always begin with their Baby Spinach Salad drizzled with truffle honey butter and chunky ricotta salata.  I'm absolutely obsessed with the combination of bitter, salty and sweet flavors going on here.  Mr. T is obsessed with their Spaghetti Carbonara tossed with squares of pancetta, egg, scallions and butter.  We order these two things almost every visit but then we always pick a third to try out something new- this time the Cacio e Pepe Pizza. Fresh mozzarella, cacio, pecorino and parmigiana cheese dusted with black pepper and extra virgin olive oil on thin, ...

There's only  a few places in NYC that just make me feel all happy and cozy inside...like getting a big warm hug.  Otto happens to be one of these places.  The long marble bar is the perfect spot to dine, the bartenders always seem to know exactly what your in the mood for be a  spicy Chianti or a crisp glass of Prosecco. Of course the perfect thing with a little vino is some meat and cheese.  Just look at these glorious slices of prosciutto... ...and our trio of formaggi.  The bright grassy Muffato, a cow's milk blue covered in hay, chamomile and mint aged in oak barrels for 4 months; Ubriaco the drunken cheese named for the gallons of Prosecco it's bathed in during production and a classic creamy Ricotta....perfect on it's own but best when mixed with a little bit of cherry and honey. Ordering a salad at Otto is a must....my absolute favorite being the Baby Spinach with ricotta salata and truffle honey. It's a fantastic medle...

Can you tell I'm in love with this place again?  Not like I ever stopped loving it.  I just wasn't going as obscenely often as I am these days:)  Last visit we began with a bright, spinach salad complete with ricotta salata, crushed almonds with a drizzle of truffle honey on top. Then it was onto the pasta portion of the evening with the Spaghetti alla Carbonara.  Otto noodles are always perfectly tender with a hearty, satisfying chew.  They're topped with squares of pancetta, sauteed scallions, black pepper and a creamy egg that make this is rich, creamy dish perfect for just about any occasion. Otto Pizzeria

After a long hard day of work sometimes I like to skip dinner completely and stop into one of my favorites places for a decadent treat and a glass of wine.  The most recent stop was back at Otto for their Black and White Sundae made with Milk Chocolate chip gelato, hazelnut croccaante, creme fraiche gelato, chocolate sauce and caramel crema. The tangy creme fraiche is usually on top with the rich milk chocolate on the bottom. Take a spoon and reach down deep to experience every layer in one single bite.  It's silky and smooth... everything a girl needs to treat herself once in a while. Otto Pizzeria

In a city where most places are trying to be the next best thing, it's easy to get lost in the hype.  I love trying brand new restaurants and revisiting when menus have been revamped and chefs have moved...but sometimes I just want to sit and relax with a familiar face.  Spend a cozy night at the bar with a nice glass of red and feel content knowing that I'm going to have fabulous meal that I've had countless time before.  When I feel like having one of these nights I almost always head straight to Otto. There's not much better in life than a plate full of their gorgeous prosciutto...it's so tender and soft it almost melts away with each bite. Pair that with a trio of wonderful cheese like their creamy ricotta, fresh mozzarella and pecorino accompanied by truffle honey and amaretto soaked cherries for the complete meat and cheese experience. I usually throw in a salad of some sort because I genuinely love salad and it's also a refreshing ...

Okay, I have to start this post just by showing these pictures. OMG how good does this food look!! These are the Brussels sprouts con vin cotto and the Octopus, celery and lovage. I honestly had to look up what lovage was(thank goodness for wikipedia) and it's basically a plant that resembles celery. It doesn't really matter because in the end the taste of these two dishes were ridiculously good and I am honestly salivating a little just staring at them right now. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Mr. T and I headed out on Saturday ready to do some shopping and hit up Bottlerocket's Thanksgiving wine and food tasting. We got to Bottlerocket about 2:30 and the line was already huge!! Mr. T is not one to wait in line for anything, so after some discussion we decided to leave the line, do some shopping and go enjoy a nice lunch at Otto instead. For those of you that don't know, Otto is one of Mario Batali's restaurants that is known mostly for it's pizzas and wi...