Not sure if this has been reported around town, but a restaurant named “Otto” is slated to move into the recently vacated Fin space at 1852 SE Hawthorne. The license application lists the menu as “Full Modern American”. Not sure if it is associated with all the other Otto food-related business around town.
Eli says
According to this Eater article it’s not related to the sausage place on Woodstock.
http://pdx.eater.com/archives/2011/02/17/new-venture-otto-taking-over-former-fin-space-on-hawthorne.php
glurg says
The contact for the application is listed as Dave Marlin, restaurant broker and portlandfoodandrink.com paying sponsor.
What the inside skinny food dude?
Food Dude says
Not sure what you mean? I’ve never met my advertiser, and got the tip via email. Feel free to insert vast conspiracy plot if you’d like though ;)
John says
Eater was on this a month ago…
http://pdx.eater.com/archives/2011/02/17/new-venture-otto-taking-over-former-fin-space-on-hawthorne.php
I don’t understand why the people moving into that space wouldn’t research and notice there’s already a place in Portland with that name. Not a good sign.
Food Dude says
I didn’t know that. Did a google search, but nothing came up. Anyway, it’s still news!
Dan says
“Not a good sign.”
Really?
John’s Cafe, Jimmy Johns, James John Cafe, Papa John’s, St. John’s Kitchen, John’s Market, John’s coffee shop
Otto’s Sausage Kitchen and Meat Market, Otto and Anita’s European Restaurant, OTTO
Rebecca says
I can’t read Otto or OTTO without thinking of Bruce La Bruce’s Up with the Dead.
Terry McCarthy says
I can’t say I am happy about this…I live in sunny Detroit, Michigan, where Kim and Francis Stanton ran an irreplaceable restaurant called Modern Food and Spirits. Unfortunately, they recently picked up stakes and headed out your way to open Otto. Our loss and Portland’s gain.
I hate you, Portland.
I already miss their place a great deal. I’m sure they will be a little off their game to start as they get their feet wet at the new restaurant…I guess that is understandable. But I can tell you night after night I ate peerless dinners from their kitchen here in Michigan. But no more!
I really hate you guys out west. Did I mention that already?
;)
Below is a piece of a review I wrote. It is not my habit to write reviews but their food earned it:
1) Modern Food and Spirits serves high-end cuisine. It is owned and run by chefs with actual culinary degrees and thus, is not for everyone. If your tastes run to the Outbacks of the world, then actual skillfully prepared food will come as a shock to your system.
2) Such food takes time to prepare. Do not go to Modern and expect to be out of there in 22 minutes. Any fine food will take 20-30 minutes to prepare.
3) The owners are intense, class-A personalities. That is why they produce the quality product they do. As I have mentioned to my staff numerous times, show me someone who is all laid-back all the time and I will show you someone who doesn’t give a s**t. If you require grinning teenagers with buttons on their uniforms and a lot of hand-holding, perhaps you would be happier at Applebees or, gasp, Hooters. Modern could have a better bed-side manner, but the food would probably suffer.
4) I have eaten at Modern a dozen times and as a result recommended the place no end. I have no interest in the place other than I respect a quality product and I respect other business owners because I know they are the hardest working people in town. No one is perfect. I am the first to tell you I have had some very bad days myself.
5) I eat out often. Dish after dish, Modern is consistently the best restaurant in Michigan. Dollar for dollar, it is unbeatable. It is probably one of the best restaurants in the country, right up there with Sharaku (lucky for us, in nearby West Bloomfield).
6) Are they perfect at Modern? No one is perfect.
Get out. Keep an open mind. Judge the world for yourself….and enjoy!
-Terry McCarthy
Food Dude says
I will be sure to give Otto a try.