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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Otom

One of the dangers of living in Andersonville is that--with so many good places a stroll away--venturing back into the city for a meal becomes more a burden than a pleasure. This, coupled with the fact that both Honey P. and I hate having to shout to hear each other in crowded, of-the-moment noisy restaurants, has made for very few nights out.

Yet and still, I accepted a dinner invitation to Otom Restaurant last week, and I’m so glad I did.

Otom is located in Fulton Market--the meat-packing district of the city and an area I remember well from my childhood. Back in the 70s my father was an accountant for Swift Premium, and I recall visiting him on Saturdays in his office above one of the warehouses. I also remember coming in the early morning with my mother, who would buy fresh fish and seafood from the local vendors. It’s a trendy part of town these days, but one block too far in the wrong direction would bring someone out of the trendy strip and into dark, labyrinthine, and menacing.

The dining room is narrow, well decorated, and like most hip, hot restaurants, designed more for a lot of ambient buzz than quiet dining. The food is spectacular. Let me praise specifically their burger (best sweet potato fries I’ve ever had), the oyster and pork belly, the octopus, and the radicchio salad. I plan to drag Honey P. there someday ... on a weeknight ... early ... and hopefully often.

Otom Restaurant
951 W. Fulton Market
Chicago, Illinois 60607
p.312.491.5804
f. 312.491.3366