Otto
Housemade Pork & Beef Meatballs in Pomodoro Sauce
Mashed Potato, Bacon and Scallion Pie
Three-Cheese Tortellini Pie
Undoubtedly one of Portland’s most well-known entities, eleven locations now found around town or as far as Boston to the South, it was to the original Otto that the GPS was pointed after a quick jaunt to Booth Bay Harbor, the ‘too cool’ service rivaling The Honey Paw for hipster indifference while the Pies themselves are thankfully executed with a far greater degree of passion.
Surprisingly only open since 2009, the Congress Street slice-shop since expanding to one of the full-service restaurants just two doors down, Otto suggests that “Pizza is simple food. But it doesn’t have to be ordinary,” and with this idea in mind the menu spins both classic and non-traditional, favorites such as “the Masher” featuring Mashed Potatoes, Bacon and Scallions without sauce or cheese added while a Pasta-topped pie receives substantial praise for good reason as the lightly baked Tortellini burst with gooey richness amidst little more than hand crushed tomatoes and herbs.
Dining at an off-hour on Independence Day, the soundtrack featuring appropriate American Standard tunes, it was with only two other tables filled during the course of a 60-minute visit that our party of three partook in the ideas of two local friends, a starter of Meatballs a bit meager considering the cost while the pizzas proved a far more worthwhile investment as we focused on the fan-favorites listed above.
Not precisely Neapolitan despite the wood oven, but also not quite as thick as most pies served in the central states, Otto’s pizzas are distinctly their own in terms of the crunchy crust structure than manages to be light without substantial leavening, the light blister only enough to accentuate the ingredients without leaving any sort of charred taste that lingers in the mouth.
http://www.ottoportland.com/locations/maine/portland-225-congress-st
