If song writers were to remake popular songs to update them for the 21^st century, I wonder how Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song would change. Could chestnuts still be roasting on an open fire? I can’t remember the last time I’ve had roasted chestnuts, especially not during Christmas. And do families really cook anything over an open fire anymore? The closest foods that come to mind are barbequed meats and pizza, but I guess “tomahawks and pizza cooking on an open fire” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Regrettably, you now have a glimpse of my chaotic inner mind.  

Perhaps it’s a tune that Otto Trattoria will consider remaking for their holidays as their wood burning oven is prominently displayed and coaxes every table to get one of their pies.

I like tasting a chef’s skill with a plainer pizza. We tried the burrata pizza ($24), which was covered with tomato sauce, basil oil, cherry tomatoes, and the cheese. The crust had a lovely soft chewy consistency but would have been better if it weren’t soggy in the centre – unfortunately, there was too much tomato sauce. Still, I liked that the chef broke up the cheese and applied it evenly across the pie so that every bite contained some burrata.

The prosciutto & rucola ($22) takes the basic pizza and tops it with a covering of thinly shaved cured ham and arugula. Strangely the chef cuts the crust before topping the pie, so diners need to saw through the prosciutto with a butter knife, which causes the cheese to slide around. One small change of cutting the pizza after covering it with the meat would help make eating this easier. Messiness aside, the paper-thin crust remains crispy and it’s a flavourful bite as you get the fresh tomato sauce, gooey cheese, salty ham, and peppery arugula.

I’m glad Otto leaves their tomato sauce rather neutral so it’s not overly salty. If anything, it allows you to ask for their chopped green chili oil to scatter over top to give it a light heat.

The chili oil also pairs nicely with the rigatoni Bolognese ($24), cutting through some of the heaviness of the meaty beef and veal and helping to flavour the under seasoned sauce. While the menu notes it’s served with rigatoni, the pasta almost resembles an oversized macaroni that really traps the sauce within the crevices and inside. The dish is simply finished with parmigiano and tastes authentic.

While I was taken aback by the square pasta shape used in the shrimp linguine ($23) – surely, more spaghetti than linguine - I’m glad it was homemade and arrived with a lovely chewiness. The white wine, olive oil, and garlic sauce was thickened with a touch of pasta water, so it clings nicely to the noodles. Along with cherry tomatoes and spinach, the dish is fresh and nicely seasoned. I just wish there was more than four shrimp and that they would be cooked less so they aren’t as rubbery.

Yet, nothing surprised us more than the sheer size of the chicken parmagiana ($31) - just the cutlet resembled a dinner plate and was covered with a gooey cheese. Usually, it's a dish you need to eat quickly or starts to get soft. At Otto's, the thinly butterflied chicken breast was lightly coated in bread crumbs so it held onto the tomato sauce without becoming mushy and the spaghetti cooked al dante remaining chewy to the last bite. Trust me, you need to share this dish or be prepared for leftovers galore.  

I was skeptical whether Otto’s calamari fritti ($18) would be good… it came out so quickly after placing our order. They are likely the frozen variety, but nonetheless lightly battered, crispy, and well seasoned. For those wanting some heat, you’ll find it in the aioli.

The more I think about it, the more I like the sound of “pizza toasting on an open fire”… it has a ring that causes a food lover’s heart to sing. Mr. Bublé, maybe it’s time for another Christmas album?

A fresh salad like their Caesar ($14) pairs nicely and is large enough to share amongst four to five people. The dressing isn’t overly heavy, which compliments the bacon, semi-dried tomatoes, and grated grana padano garnishes.  

But let’s be honest, people are here for their pies. The dough has a sourdough finish and is stretched paper thin yet still arrives well toasted and crispy so there’s no sogginess, not even at the centre. The medium pizza yields six decent sized pieces, but because it’s not overly heavy, you can easily knock back four slices without a thought. It’s best to budget a large pie for two people and two medium pizzas for three.

I have fond memories of their kale and bacon ($21 for medium or $29 for large) and am glad to see it’s a combination they still make. The oven crisps up the kale, so it become almost chip like and there’s plenty of double smoked bacon chunks to even satisfy my carnivore husband. It’s also a nice white pizza (the base made with garlic oil instead of tomato sauce) to have a different flavour from the other options.

If you want flavour, the killer bee ($21 for medium or $29 for large) is a wonderful combination of spicy, savoury, and sweet. Chunks of peppery Italian sausage creates a richness amongst the gooey cheese. While the pizza could become too heavy, the pickled jalapeno and spicy tomato sauce gives it a heat that helps balance out the pie, while honey provides a sweet finish. I can see why this is one of their most popular pizzas.

The margherita ($19 for medium or $26 for large) is a classic and thankfully the cheese is now more evenly distributed than my first experience. Still with the plainer pizza, I would have liked if they finished it off with a sprinkle of sea salt as the cheese less sections tasted rather plain.

I guess it’s an excellent opportunity to add on a dipping sauce and their creamy garlic ($1.50) is the best version I’ve had. It’s certainly garlicky with chunks seen amongst the mayonnaise, but I like the addition of chives that add a fresher finish. It’s also a nice consistency, not too thick so that is becomes a spread, but not too thin either. Just be mindful, it’s a flavourful dip so a little goes a long way.

While North of Brooklyn’s food impressed, their wine did not. The red arrives ice cold and after letting it sit and warm up, it only marginally improves and was still overly acidic. I’ll stick with beer or a fancy pop next time.

If you can dine-in, it’s the way to go - the crispy crust is so intoxicating fresh from the oven. Even so, after sitting in a take-out container for 15 minutes, the pizza was still good. 

Their online ordering platform was also a breeze to use, and the order was finished right on time to ensure it didn’t sit around waiting. Let’s be honest, once it’s done, it won’t last long anyways… somehow, in our family, within minutes a slice just magically disappears. 

• Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
• 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
• 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
• 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
• 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
• 10 - absolute perfection!

• Amano Pasta
• Trattoria Nervosa