Otto specialises in pizzas with a cornmeal base and adventurous toppings. It was set up less than a year ago by two British guys, Tom and Rich, who stumbled across a cornmeal pizza place in Portland whilst on a road trip around the US. On their return they decided to spread the cornmeal joy and so bought a small restaurant in the heartlands of Notting Hill from which to start their mission.
The addition of cornmeal (think polenta), makes for a firmer, less doughy crust than one made solely with traditional wheat flour. It’s also makes the pizza more filling so although you can get a whole 12″ pizza – which they advise is enough for 2-3 people – you can also order a half or even individual slices with different toppings. They have both regular toppings and seasonal specials, and in addition serve a selection of salads.
I was introduced to Otto by a friend on a cold and rainy evening after a thoroughly disappointing trip to a nearby restaurant opening. You would think that if you were to go to the trouble of corralling a cohort of journalists in a new restaurant you would take the trouble to see they were well fed, wouldn’t you? Not, apparently, at this place. Even after we sussed out where the kitchen was, and stationed ourselves just outside it ready to pounce on every emerging tray of canapés, we were still left with woefully rumbling stomachs. We therefore abandoned our posts and headed over to Otto for some real sustenance.
We started with a beetroot, walnut and blue cheese salad, which was nice enough, with a good balance of flavours, but nothing groundbreaking. The service was helpful and friendly, which made up for a good deal of deficiency in terms of speed. When it did arrive, however, the pizza was exceptional. I tried two different slices – and was left genuinely full – the first was topped with roasted aubergine, blue cheese and mozzarella and the second with ham and pear (one of the seasonal specials). Both were delicious, especially the latter which I initially ordered out of perverse curiosity. In point of fact the combination of the fruit and ham worked well and was a good deal nicer than pineapple on pizza, something I’ve just never been able to get my head around.
The cornmeal crust added both texture and flavour. In addition, it allows for a greater depth of filling, making it more akin perhaps to a pizza-pie. Pizza purists will no doubt at this point be squawking with horror at such heresy, but if you are willing to temporarily abandon preconceptions about ‘proper’ pizza, Otto will not let you down.
