Once upon a time, there was a glamorous waterfront restaurant in Sydney serving up plates of Italian. It’s name was Otto Ristorante – and 20 years on, it’s still going strong.
Back in the year 2000, the world was recovering from the Y2K scare, our eardrums were being assaulted by Britney Spears’s Oops…I Did It Again and Sydney was getting all spruced up to host the Olympic Games. It’s also the year, Otto Ristorante opened its doors.
Since then, Otto’s been combining it’s dazzling waterfront views with a Sydneyfied Italian menu, attracting a roster of celebrity folk and proving a mainstay of Sydney’s restaurant scene. (No easy feat, given the scene seemingly has a new hair colour each week).
Via a gifted Red Balloon voucher, I recently found myself trying Otto Ristorante for the first time.
Prime waterside real estate
Tucked into the A-lister locale of Woolloomooloo’s Finger Wharf, this Italian fine diner sits among a prized stable of other well-respected Sydney restaurants. Places like China Doll, Manta, Criniti’s and Aki’s – all offering equally incredible harbour views.
And there’s definitely a hint of old Sydney about Otto, with the white tablecloths perfectly pressed and the staff exuding an air of competent confidence.
Dress circle seating is outside on the wharf itself. Where you’re met with a scene of boats bobbing in Woolloomooloo Bay and the twinkling lights of the city skyline. And, if you miss out on alfresco seating, there’s the stalls (inside) and grand circle (upstairs).
Image credit: Destination NSW
Italian sans the rich sauces and lashings of cheese
Otto Ristorante’s menu offers a light, sophisticated, very Sydney twist on Italian, starring fresh house-made pasta and lots of local seafood that’s charred on a woodfire grill. There’s an à la carte, vegan and seven-course tasting menu, as well as a BYO wine group menu for $95pp.
But, I was here for a special six-course seafood degustation. And, because Jude and I were spending Red Balloon money, we decided to add on the $70pp wine matching because why the heck not.
Here’s what happened:
Half a dozen natural rock oysters served with lemon | Paired with 2016 Ermes Pavese Blanc de Morgex Prie Blanc, Valle D’ Aosta, Italy
Salt and pepper calamari, with lemon aioli | Paired with 2016 St Michael Eppan Anger Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige, Italy
Pepper seared Hiramasa kingfish, with broccolini, grapefruit, caperberries and orange dressing | Paired with 2017 Paradigm Hill Riesling, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Spaghetti, with Claren River braised octopus, cherry tomatoes, olives, capers and spicy bread crumbs | Paired with 2016 San Lorenzo di Gino Verdicchio dei Castello di Jesi, Marche, Italy
Grilled lobster tail, with lemon and black pepper butter | Paired with 2015 Bird on a Wire Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Amedel dark chocolate mousse, with raspberries, hazelnuts and raspberry sorbet | Paired with 2016 Braida Brachetto d’ Acqui, Piedmont, Italy
The final word…
Given it’s world-class waterfront setting, realistically Otto doesn’t have to try too hard in the kitchen. It ticks the glamour and luxury box by default, and some people would be quite content with that alone. They’d be happy to pay the $400-odd (for a meal for two), and get the harbour setting, the social proof of dining at Otto and the chances of rubbing shoulders with the celebrified in return. What’s on the plate almost irrelevant.
Yet, Otto tries harder than it has to, providing a quality dining experience, with produce that’s fresh and prepared with skill. For me, Otto is the perfect destination for long lunches charged to the corporate card, tourists day-tripping from the Ovation of the Seas and any aspiring glitterati.
But, if you’re a serious foodie after a degustation full of food theatre, and you couldn’t give a rat’s arse about water views, perhaps try Sixpenny, The Bridge Room or Tetsuya’s instead.
Otto Ristorante | Area 8, 6 Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo, New South Wales
ottoristorante.com.au/sydney
