Otto's

Awesome food and very courteous staff.. Loved every bit of food.. Kudos.. Well done guys.. Will surely visit you back once I'm here again in few months..

Otto’s is one of those restaurants that seriously doesn’t follow trends. The food is as dated as the decor, yet the whole thing, from the handshake you receive as you walk in the door, to the perfectly cooked classics, makes you fall in love with the place. As we were going for the pre ordered canard a la press (£140 for two), something of a signature dish by owner Otto, we were seated near the kitchen on a grand, antique settee. The springs had however boinged so I was provided with a cushion with Audrey Hepburn’s face on it; all a little bizarre but in a charming way.

Otto’s is one of those restaurants that you may have heard about without really knowing where it is. It delivers the true meaning of the word “restaurant” by serving “food that restores”, but not in a food-for-food’s-sake kind of way, but in a classic, chic style. When you enter Otto’s, you’ll get a sense of a typical corner Parisian bistro that has been running for years, with its timeless, slightly rococo decor. Its generous menu has something to please everyone. Maybe you’ll start with the sublime, creamy raviolo of langoustine, with the shellfish cooked wonderfully, keeping its fullness of flavour. The products used at Otto’s are really high quality. For mains, the lapin à la moutarde (rabbit with mustard sauce) is elegantly presented for a slow-cooked dish. Normally very bistro, the rabbit is sumptuously moist and cooked to perfection, melting, swimming in a delicious light and velvety mustard-based sauce. Strong in flavour, it’s served with lovely, sweet Jersey royal potatoes. An

They had me at the Kir. Regular readers will know that Kir is my aperitif of choice. On the menu, Kirs Royale, Vin blanc, Impériale and Pêche. With these Kirs you are spoiling me. I would never have tried this, had I not read the glowing reviews. And as I walked through the nondescript door, I was transported straight back to rural France,to one of my many get in the car and see where we end up holidays, and of those local restaurants you come across by pure chance, serving well-cooked classic dishes for thrumpence. Not that you’ll be paying thrumpence here, mind. The décor may best be described as eclectic. Ornate and chintzy, with red velvet banquettes, lots of dark wood and cushions in Warhol’s Marilyn, bang on trend this is not. Over-bright lighting and bizarre figurines on every table are also less than welcome. But it doesn’t matter; just accept that you’re having an old-fashioned dining experience and let yourself go.

We was here last night for the Valentine's Day and it was just perfect !! We are French and the food is just amazing !! Thank you everyone :)

The walk to work from my last house went via Gray’s Inn Road. There’s a funny old mixture of places when you get towards the crossing of Clerkenwell/Theobald’s Road, but definitely no trendy restaurants. There is a little, seemingly unassuming, place called Otto’s, which I only noticed towards the end of my Gray’s Inn Road route (pre-Farringdon flat). Over the last few months, I have seen more and more mentions of Otto’s by the great and the good of the food world (Simon Hopkinson’s is apparently a fan, and he is very particular and rather brilliant, as shown by his precise and perfect recipes).

It’s rather eclectic inside, with a very old-school, and very French feel. Definitely no bare brick walls, brown paper menus or social media flurry here (red velvet and strange little table statues instead). The menu is all very classic, and they like a little theatre at the table. I started with the smoked salmon (£12.50), hand-carved from a silver platter next to you, before being daintily garnished with little grassy piles of parsley, cornichon and caper.

The steak tartare (£24) preparation was even more fun. The sweet French waiter brings over a tray, full of little dishes and jugs. After cracking the egg, he made a mayonnaise in the wooden bowl (explaining each ingredient), before mixing in the other additions (parsley, shallots, a bit of spice etc) and the fillet steak. He then artfully shaped and squashed into a perfect round on the plate, alongside a green salad and crunchy golden potato rosti. It’s a rather special experience, and the best steak tartare I have had.

We also tried from their set lunch menu (two courses for £24, three for £28). To start, a carrot and lentil soup with dainty poached egg perched in the middle, then an expertly cooked rump steak with Pommes Anna (it went all the way to converting a very recently non-vegetarian).

The bread is of course French, warm and very delicious, with a little pot of salty pike taramasalata. We skipped the desserts (managing to just about turn down the fine fig tart, with almond ice cream and caramel butter sauce). But they then brought a little plate of homemade chocolates and tiny pastel meringues to finish. The wine advice was spot on, bringing a few for me to try before deciding on the glass.

If you’ve got a spare £140 for a bird, they have a couple of decadent dishes to order in advance. The first is La Poularde de Bresse Demi Deuil, a Lyonnaise speciality with black truffle slices under the chicken skin (using the special ‘Black Diamond’ truffle). The other is their pressed duck, the recipe first created at the beginning of the 19th century in Rouen by a restaurateur named Mechenet and famously served at the Tour d’Argent Restaurant in Paris (Otto’s use their duck suppliers). For both, the tidy sum provides a couple of courses for two of you – have a read on their website for more history of the dishes.

A wonderful find, and worth the (albeit a little under the radar) raving. You wouldn’t want too many people to find out about it – I’ve only been singing its praises to people I really like. And I’m even going back again next week.

Otto's is some of the best French food we've had! We're visiting London from NYC and were impressed. Oliver knew the menu from top to bottom and delivered truly exceptional service. My wife is pregnant and he was able to guide us through food restrictions. A gem of a restaurant for sure. Some very light background music may be a nice addition to the dining experience!

Would give more stars if I could. A whole sky of stars for Otto's! We went for a meal to celebrate my dad's birthday, and were absolutely blown away by our evening. The atmosphere, service and attention to detail were amazing, and the special thought taken for the birthday celebrations was really moving. The restaurant itself is beautiful, it felt like we'd stepped into another world. Everyone was so polite, helpful and above all genuine. There was a feeling of being truly welcome which means we can't wait to come back. Believe me when I say this is a restaurant experience like no other. And the food. The food! The best steak I have ever eaten in London. Heavenly scallops, beautiful snails, ambrosial white burgundy and the perfect vodka martini. The crepes suzette are a must. We can't wait to come back - thank you Otto and team!

Amazing restaurant, with a duck menu to die for! We all enjoyed the service and the ambiance!

French charm, exquisite cuisine, great service. It feels almost like a time travel. It takes you to good old times, somewhere in Paris. The noise of the city is left outside. Nice and cozy interior. Attentive staff. Top quality French cuisine. Feels very authentic. They do Canard de Rouen a la Presse, which is quite rare these days. I had their signature Simmenthal beef tartare. It is skillfully prepared at the table. We had it medium spicy and it was out of this world. The taste, the texture is just a perfection. I also ordered Agneau en Croûte or Lamb Wellington which was an absolute delight. Another dish mastered to a perfection. At one moment I had an illusion of being a jury member at the French cuisine competition and served with a champion dish. Wine list is well balanced and I liked it had some fine half-bottles as well. The only remark I have is for the plateau de fromages. I wish the selection of cheese could be even better. My strong recommendation for anyone looking for an old fashioned small French restaurant in London. And sincere thanks to the team.

Wow. This place is spectacular. Had dinner with my partner and my parents for graduation. Amazing traditional French cuisine. We had the pressed duck and roast chicken (you must reserve this ahead of time by phone as the preparation time is quite long). The service was stellar. My dad had the lobster bisque as an appetizer. I’m not a fan of shellfish but this was amazing!!! The three courses for the duck were sublime and desserts were the perfect end to an exceptional meal. Will definitely return!!!