One of the best things about living in Las Vegas is the incredible food. From food trucks all the way up to the fanciest restaurants in the biggest casinos, there is some of the best food in the world right here. Fortunately, I often have the opportunity to try some of it out. I love my job!
This past week I was fortunate enough to get an invitation to check out Otto’s Pizzeria in The Venetian. It is one of the many restaurants started around the world by celebrity chef Mario Batali. I have enjoyed seeing him on television for years on such shows as “Iron Chef” and “The Chew,” so I was excited to finally be able to see if his food was as good as it appeared to be on those shows. And it sure was!
The restaurant itself is located inside The Venetian, just off the canal where the gondolas travel. The seating is outside on the patio, giving their guests a great view of the hotel. In the center is a large circular bar that in the middle has a unique display of some of their incredible aged meats and cheeses.
As we sat down, we were warmly greeted by our server who offered us drinks and explained to us how all of their water was produced in house! As part of their plan to be as green as possible, they decided to do this as well as many other little things in order to do their part to reduce the amount of pollution and waste in the world.
We both ordered some flat water and a wine and waited for our food while we enjoyed some pleasant conversation amidst this beautiful scenery. It felt almost like we were in Italy!
First up was a selection of sliced and aged meats. They all looked so delicious, I didn’t know where to start! But it didn’t really matter because I would get to them all soon enough. Although they were all tasty, the Prosciutto Di Parma and Lonza particularly stood out for me. How delicious!
How can you go to a pizzeria and not try a pizza? So next up, we opted to try a brussels sprouts pizza. It sounded incredibly different than anything else I had tried on a pizza, so I was curious to try it out. Once again, they hit a home run! It took a bite or two to adjust to the combination of flavors, but the key to me was the added lemon zest. It complimented the sprouts perfectly, and along with the thin, light crust made for a delicious pizza!
The food kept coming, and we kept eating. The braised pork shoulder was to die for, and we tried a couple of their pasta dishes that you could tell were authentic. I will never be happy with my boxed noodles again. The attention to detail was clear, and it was obvious from the start that this restaurant goes all out to ensure their customers have a wonderful experience.
Just when we were about to burst, it was time for dessert. Although I felt I couldn’t eat another bite, I knew I had to make some room for some gelati! They offered several flavors to us, and all were delicious. However, the pear and pumpkin flavored ones particularly stood out. They are not exactly flavors I would expect in my gelati, but that doesn’t mean they are not fantastic!
I am not great at offering perfect details in exactly everything I eat when I go to a restaurant. My palette may not be as educated as some professional foodies. I just know what tastes good, and that’s what I got from Otto’s. Great food and plenty of it.
Another cool thing is that they use a lot of local product, and that causes them to change their menu quite a bit. The need to use ingredients that are in season causes them to rotate a lot of offerings over the course of the year. And I love to try new things, so I know the next time I come back I am sure to be able to try something new!
As we finished our dessert, I couldn’t help but think of how great of a dining experience this was. From the incredible food, to the friendly service, to the beautiful surroundings, it was all I could hope for in a Las Vegas dining experience. I have not always been fond of “celebrity” restaurants, but this one felt much less pretentious than most, and more like just a great place to hang out with great company. It is definitely now on my go-to list of restaurants to take visiting friends and family.
I would like to thank Paulo Duran and his staff for showing us such a wonderful time. Their attention to detail and willingness to cater to everything we needed, and many things we didn’t know we needed made for a memorable experience. A friendly staff can add so much to a restaurant visit, and they elevated our experience to a place we didn’t really expect.
Checking them out at The Venetian or you can go online first HERE.
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