Otto Ristorante, Brisbane

On Friday last week, I made the trip to Brisbane to visit dear friends that I had not seen in some time.  It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day in Brisbane, and I was escaping the grey, cold misery of Melbourne, so I was very excited.

First up, I caught up with my friend Rowan for lunch.  I am out of touch with Brisbane venues, so I asked Rowan to choose our spot for lunch.  He chose Otto Ristorante, a modern Italian restaurant set in a quite new office building on the fringes of the Brisbane CBD.

If you pause outside before entering Otto, there is a magnificent view over the Brisbane River to the Story Bridge:

I was wowed when I entered Otto, as I was greeted by their gorgeous colourful bar:

While waiting for Rowan, I ordered a glass of the Kris Pinot Gris ($12) to enjoy.  I just loved the lush purple felt ceiling fans pirouetting madly on the ceiling of the bright, airy dining room:

We were seated at a table next to a plate glass window, giving us an uninterrupted view of the Brisbane River.

For entrée, I ordered the Crudo de Pesce del Giorno - raw kingfish, rockmelon, cucumber, lime and crème fraiche ($30):

This dish tasted as light and pretty as it looks - a marvellous starter.

Rowan went for the Capesante - Hervey Bay scallops, corn, sugar snap peas, pancetta and pickled mushrooms ($30):

Next up, we ordered pasta mains.  I ordered the strozzapreti with braised lamb shoulder, broccoletto, smoked onion and parmesan ($40):

It was rich and satisfying, though I probably should have ordered the entrée size, as I was quite full afterwards.

Rowan ordered a daily special comprising a spinach pasta with parmesan ($36):

During our meal, we were entertained by the EA18 Growlers practising for Riverfire the following evening (the plane is the white splodge in the left of the frame): 

You can see what a marvellous day it was from the colour of the sky.

The service at Otto was efficient and friendly.  I had a small suitcase, being fresh off the plane, and they kindly stored it for me out the back of the restaurant during lunch.

Otto is a terrific venue for a special occasion or business lunch - or a marvellous splurge.

Otto Ristorante

4/480 Queen St

Brisbane Qld 4000

Phone: (07) 3835 2888