Restaurant Review: OTTO Food & Drink

OTTO FOOD & DRINK

11405 95th Street ~ ottofoodanddrink.com Instagram: @otto_yeg Co-Diner: Tim Golem

When I first heard about Alberta Avenue's Otto I couldn't help but draw comparisons to WVRST in Toronto. What I didn't expect is that Otto would be doing it better. Named Best Family Dining 2019 and Best Neighbourhood Gem 2020 by Avenue Magazine, this was a place that I had to try. Self-described as a neighbourhood meeting place, this restaurant is all about large communal tables and family-style plates. There's a German bierhalle type of vibe to the place but it's also more current than that. I visited on a Saturday evening and was excited to try it all! The interior of the restaurant is laid-back and easy with blond woods, school house chairs, and giant white letters that spell OTTO on the cinder block wall. It's also bright and airy, with light flooding in from the open garage-style door. If you would prefer a total outdoor experience, you can opt to dine in their adjacent garden - which is gorgeous. Picnic tables are fully surrounded by a bounty of vegetable patches, fruit trees, and flowers. On a nice day, I could imagine no better place to enjoy a meal. Suffice to say, the garden is where I found myself seated. The people working at Otto are very warm and friendly, clearly taking pride in their restaurant. The beautiful weather called for a cocktail and I easily chose the Cherry Gin Collins ($9.00)... I was sitting under a cherry tree, after all.

Eau Claire cherry gin, sour cherries, lemon juice, sparkling water.

Refreshing and playfully effervescent, this seemed like the ideal beverage. First, because gin is a bit of a "thing" at Otto, and second, the aforementioned cherry tree atmosphere. This drink was sweet and tart and I found that it went well with everything. Speaking of gin, Otto does gin flights which feature four carefully curated varietals. What caught my eye is that one of the included gins is STUMP Coastal Forest Gin, a type that I have previously enjoyed. I'll need to try a flight the next time that I visit! The main thing to eat is sausages, made fresh in-house, using responsibly sourced Alberta-only meat. The regular menu boasts five different types to choose from (there's even a vegan one!) and there are usually two or three special ones. There are also a bunch of sides to consider, six of them, and they all sound like excellent options as well. I began to build the perfect plate. Otto Sausage ($9.00), Smoked Mac & Cheese ($8.00 for small), Braised Red Cabbage ($7.00), and Brussel Sprouts ($7.00).

The board arrived, laid out in all of it's appetizing glory. Of course I had to try the restaurant's namesake sausage (Sylvan Star smoked gouda, caraway and garlic). This sausage was delicious. It was incredibly juicy and simply oozing with cheese. So much flavour! Probably one of the best sausages that I've ever eaten and it had a lot to do with how well it was cooked (it wasn't dry at all). A must-order. I was very impressed by each of the sides as well. They can sometimes end up as an afterthought but in this case each one of them was expertly prepared. The mac & cheese (with caramelized onion) was such a wonderful version of this simple dish. Super cheesy, each bite exploded with a smokey flavour that wasn't overdone. Maybe some of the best mac & cheese in town?? The red cabbage (caraway, clove and juniper) is a very traditional German dish that I happen to be obsessed with. It tastes like Christmas and this version was slightly bitter with a finish of warm spices. Lovely! Finally, the brussel sprouts (sautéed with sweet mustard glaze, apples and onions) were light and very fresh. The sweetness from the crisp apples created a beautiful balance. This whole entire board of food was a giant win in my books. But there was more! We also ordered the Currywurst ($18.00) from the Large Plates section of the menu because I ate currywurst in Berlin and loved it... And also because more sausages.

The Allspiced Beef Bratwurst served with sweet curry sauce and garlic-herb fries.

So what is currywurst? It's a German fast food dish that consists of steamed then fried sausage, cut into bite-sized chunks, and served with curry ketchup on top. It is typically served with fries covered in mayo. The version at Otto is clearly a more elevated take on the dish, which I wasn't upset about. The only thing that I found myself missing was the specific preparation of steaming and frying the sausage. However, the bratwurst (onion, lemon and parsley) was quite tasty. Denser than the Otto, this one was packed with savoury bold flavours and was still juicy. The ketchup was promoted to a fresh curry sauce, similar to a homemade fruit ketchup with a spicy twist. Part of me missed the down 'n dirty regular ketchup (which they also can serve you!) but I can certainly appreciate that this was much nicer. The fries were great too, cooked to a perfect golden-brown. It was imperative that I try Otto's Crème Brûlée ($8.00) because this is the dessert that they are known for. The feature flavour changes all the time.

This time the flavour was maple and thyme. Cracking through the caramelized glass-like top was as satisfying as ever, reveling the creamy custard below. This dessert was light and the sweet maple came through with a hint of herbaciousness. I was pleasantly surprised by Otto and the stellar quality of their food. Everything was fresh, full of big flavours, and tasted amazing. Certainly a restaurant that I will keep on my radar and will return to in the future. I could just do Otto sausages and mac & cheese all day.