Otto

We managed to get 8:30 reservations at Otto on a Friday night so we braved the possibility of torrential downpours (there were none!) and walked down to Greenwich Village for dinner.

We were welcomed by a cacophony of sounds -- voices of locals and tourists alike waiting in the large bar area to be seated, the click clack of one of those old-timey flip schedule boards (like you see at a train station) to indicate when your table is ready, and 80s tunes blasting. Not exactly what I expected of a Batali restaurant! But what I wasn't surprised to see was a whole station dedicated to cured meats, house-cured olives and Italian cheeses slicing each plate to order. The minute we eyed that up, we knew we would have to order some.

The waiter's recommendations did not disappoint, from the bottle of Montessu Punica ($44) down to the most amazing Coppa ever. Apparently the meat was flavored by fennel, chilis and various spices and melted in your mouth. For $9 we got a generous portion. The pizzas were also delicious, even a simple Margherita D.O.P. or a more involved Napoletana with big pieces of whole anchovy, reasonably priced at $11 and $12, respectively.

I felt bad for ordering the chocolate budino for dessert since B's allergic and I was crazy full, but I ate every last bite of it and was happy that we walked home so I wouldn't feel like a complete glutton. The chocolate was smooth except for cocoa nibs which added some texture and a soft whipped cream. Mmmmm.

I've never been to any of the other Batali restaurants (except for Bar Jamon for wine) so I can't really compare, but for the value and deliciousness, I <3 this place. Reservations are a must -- the party that came in just before us didn't get a table until we were paying the bill! No photos because it was too dark, but I'll be back!