Tis Me Michelle

My friend and I had this spot on our lists for months, truly since last year. We held out on giving it a try until we could go together. I was excited to try, but went in with low expectations because I had heard mixed reviews. Almost 99% of the people I’ve talked to about Otto’s said the drinks are great, but the food is just okay. You know I was gonna eat, though.

The Parking: We’re starting here, because it can be a nightmare. It’s a tiny, tight parking area shared with Sideward Brewing and Stasio’s Deli. I entered through a side I’m not sure I was actually allowed to, thought I was going to get stuck, but thankfully I made it through. By some miracle, I found one spot as someone was leaving. Just know that if it’s a peak time, it will be a struggle.

The Atmosphere: It’s smaller than I thought, but another stellar interior design. A high-end dive vibe. Loved the tiling, checkered floors, and especially the wood bar shelf. Even though it is more upscale, it felt chill. Really loved our server, she had great recs and steered us in the right direction.

The Drinks: They have a great selection of drinks, but I had scouted before I went, so I knew where I wanted to start. First drink of the night was the Elote Bebe, which includes: Mezcal, Elote, Vanilla, Baking Spice, and Citrus. For a mezcal-based drink, it was pretty smooth. It was well-balanced, but leaned more citrusy. I don’t recall tasting much of the other ingredients, but I was hoping to get more elote – was thinking it would be corn-y. I believe my friend got the Guava Pastelito, I’m not huge on guava, but it was light and refreshing. It had a hint of floral, which I’m not usually into, but it was done well.

For the second drink of the night, my friend went with the coquito, which was dangerously good. It’s a strong traditional Puerto Rican cocktail, I believe, usually served around Christmas time. If you haven’t had a coquito before, worth a try here. I, surprise, surprise, went for another mezcal-based drink. This time the Arturo Fuente: Reposado Mezcal, Tuscan Amaro, Madeira, Coffee and Tobacco. Another super well-balanced drink, but what I loved about both was that the mezcal was rather smooth. I know mezcal is known for its smokiness, but I always prefer a smoother liquor. This is definitely a stronger drink, think old-fashioned type cocktail, but with mezcal. I was happy with both my choices and would get them again, but would also explore more of the menu.

The Food: I was preparing for the food to be a miss based on others’ reviews. My friend and I were fully ready to eat, so we ordered quite the spread. We started with the bread service and the croquetas de jamon pastelitos. The flavor of the croquetas was good, but the consistency was the only thing that threw me off. The bread service was okay. The Cuban bread was decent, but most of the main dishes also came with Cuban bread, so it felt like a bit of a repeat item. The only reason I’m giving the Cuban crackers a pass is because my friend I was with is Puerto Rican, and he said it was very nostalgic. Otherwise, they were basically saltine crackers. The dips were decent. You can’t go wrong with a good butter, and the seasoned oil was good too. If you like guava, the guava jam is not bad. I’m just not huge on guava. The star of this spread was definitely the plantain cornbread. The perfect balance of both plantain and cornbread, and both flavors come through. A more structured texture, but still moist and delightful. It’s not overly sweet and pairs so well with some butter. Honestly, I would have been happy with just this, preferably more of it. There were only two pieces, so perfect for my friend and me, but at a bigger party, you may be fighting for it.

There were so many dishes that sounded yummy for the main course. Obviously, we went with two things to split, the Ropa Vieja and Lechon Asado. Both came with Cuban bread, white rice, and black beans. The beans were interesting, not a basic cup of black beans. There were spices added to it. At first, it was unique, but I didn’t actually love the flavor of it. The meats, on the other hand, were both fantastic. Tender and perfectly cooked and seasoned. The Lechon Asado was a roast pork with chimichurri sauce, nice juicy cuts of pork. The Ropa Vieja, a braised short rib with the namesake sauce, was the winner for me. I’m not a big short rib person because it can be overwhelmingly meaty for my liking. Definitely a hearty meal, but between the sauce and the tenderness of how it was cooked down, it was very comforting. The addition of olives to the sauce was such a great touch. I believe it’s a traditional addition to this dish, but one I haven’t had before, and it was a great experience.

I was too stuffed to try a full dessert. There was an orange tres leches or flan duo. I’ve started liking tres leches over the last couple of years, but the flan was what I would have leaned towards. They had espresso and sweet pastelitos, so that’s how we ended the night. I ordered a cortadito and a quesito. The quesito was okay, not the best I’ve had. On the dessert menu, it’s a couple of dollars cheaper than as an appetizer. I’m not sure if there is a difference, but either way, it’s not a must-try. The cortadito hit the spot.

Overall: I loved the atmosphere at Otto’s. I would agree with the general consensus. It’s a great spot for cocktails, and there’s plenty I’d come back to try. I do think the food is being slept on. Or maybe folks are not ordering the right things. There are a few items that weren’t my favorite or were a bit lackluster, but there were some great standouts. I want to try out more of the food menu, just as much as the drink menu.

Rating: 8.8/10

Address: 2304 E Robinson St, Orlando, FL 32803