Ottimo is a wine bar and restaurant backed by some of the people behind uber popular wine bar SOiF. Rustic European and modern Asian fare with an excellent atmosphere, value for money and great service. This is one to put on your radar.
It opened late December and it’s already swarming with diners. Word travels fast when it’s good.
Li Ze, one of the co-founders of SOiF had taken over the lease at Ottimo, gutted the entire place and gave the space a new breath of life.
It’s located in Surpass Court, a place that has been a dead-end for restaurants. But with the arrival of Ottimo, it is most certainly a destination worth traveling to. On a Monday night, it’s already buzzing with the hum of diners. They nailed the ambiance—casual, comfortable and stimulating.
The wine menu is a traditional selection with only a handful of natural wines, curated by sommelier Yonex, who was previously the somm at Mercato. Wines by the glass are ¥65-85 and bottles from ¥250. They also have a cocktail menu. The hospitality team here is also excellent.
The food is casual, a mix of rustic European and modern Asian. Bite-sized appetizers for the wine drinking crowd or as starters for dinner followed by some choice cuts of beef and large main courses to share.
On The Menu
Complimentary house breadComplimentary house picklesTomato Dashi (¥48) – Icy tomato granite, cherry tomatoes and tomato consommé with basil and watermelon.Tiger Prawns (¥68/six) – Prawn cocktail served with wafer-thin crackers and deep-fried prawn heads. The horseradish cocktail sauce is excellent spicy.Beef Tartare (¥78/three) – Beef tartare wrapped with thin sliced beef on a crisp.Sunchoke Broth (¥68) – A creamy, warming broth with confit shallots and truffle oil.Sardines on Toast (¥68) – The only remnant from SOiF’s menu. Fingers of tomato sauce soaked bread with torched sardines. Oh so satisfying.Rigatoni (¥138) – Pasta is cooked in a pig’s bladder with a cream sauce enriched with cheese. The balloon is slashed table side, it’s contents spilling into a casserole then topped with more cheese and shavings of black truffle. The pasta is not al dente—it’s not meant to be—and it’s not as cheesy as it should be. If you’ve had good pastas before, this will probably seem lackluster, as it did for me. It’s more for the show.Ottimo Bucco (¥158) – The house osso buco, served with gnocchi. The veal is fork tender, stewed low and slow in a rich tomato base, topped off with orange zest, parmesan and gremolata. Will definitely order again.Roasted Chicken and Fries (¥98) – Roasted half chicken with super crispy skin and lightly peppered fries. It’s simple done right AND doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg.Dry-Aged Ribeye M5 300g (¥398) – They have a nice selection of steaks too.Grilled maitake mushrooms – All side dishes are ¥58.Andy’s Fish Stew (¥178) – This is a must-order. It’s a whole turbot drenched in tomato-based seafood stew of clams and mussels, perfumed with lemongrass. Expertly cooked fish, great to share. Use bread to soak up all that stew.Basque Burnt Cheesecake (¥178) – The hot trend cheesecake. Their version is light, fluffy and creamy. Pretty darn good.
In Summary: Highly Recommended
Ottimo has a great atmosphere. They have honest prices and the food is delicious. Service is also on par and the curated wine selection is diverse.
Recommended dishes: Tomato dashi, prawn cocktail, sardines on toast, osso buco, roasted chicken, fish stew.
Good for date night, wine drinkers, large groups.
Ottimo Address: 4/F, Bldg 1, Surpass Court, 570 Yongjia Lu, near Yueyang Lu 永嘉路570号1号楼3楼, 近岳阳路 Tel: 64158857 Hours: 6pm-midnight
Rachel Gouk has been writing about food and drink in Shanghai since 2011. She is a food critic, writer, photographer, and F&B consultant based in Shanghai. Nomfluence was founded in May 2018 as a means to express her love for the Shanghai F&B scene. Follow her blog www.nomfluence.com or on Instagram @nomfluence.
