DTLA: Return to Otium
I’m so happy one of my favorite restaurants Otium has reopened. As of last month, the downtown Los Angeles restaurant now accepts reservations.
I checked out some of the new drinks and tried some new food. The menu is a bit more abbreviated and it’s a shorter list of drinks – however, this also makes it easier to try everything at once! And return for favorites!
There are so many things that make summer my favorite season. And high on that list is are tomatoes! Really, the best time to eat tomatoes are in the summer and this tart from Otium is beyond fantastic. Even the crust was wonderful. Later I found out Otium has a new pastry chef who came from French Laundry. Aha!!
The dreamy green drink is the Hulk Smash which I want to drink over and over again. After 18 months of making drinks at home, I’m pretty picky about what I drink outside of my home bar. And I know I’ll never make snap pea juice at home but in case you want to try, here’s the recipe:
Hulk Smash
- 1.75 oz El Tesoro (Otium has their own barrel)
- .25 oz Green Chartreuse
- .75 oz roasted tomatillo agave
- .50 oz snap pea juice
- .50 oz lime juice
Next up was the Ancho Awakens, another agave drink that is super refreshing and just perfect for pineapple lovers.
Ancho Awakens – mezcal, pineapple 3 ways, poblano, lime, housemade sal de chaupulin
Speaking of summer and refreshing drinks, if you love bourbon and rum, this Mango Tango is the one for you!
Mango Tango – bourbon, rum, banana liqueur, mango, molasses, lime
I’m still into trying all the different milk punches around town. Otium’s version features both rum and cachaca. Who says all the different rums in the world can’t play with each other?
Milk Punch – cachaca, rum, coffee, chocolate, horchata, chai
It would be no surprise to anyone how much I love minty things. And the mint vienetta cake was calling my name. It tasted like a certain beloved mint chocolate candy from Chicago.
You can’t have dessert without a dessert cocktail. Sure, I made that up but don’t sleep on the Espresso Martini. I loved how rich and deeply soulful this was.
Espresso Martini – vodka, coffee liqueur, vanilla nuage
I was this old when I realized how much life is better with two desserts. And those two desserts included Otium’s popcorn sherbert! How do I get this in my life daily? Or maybe weekly? For sure, monthly!! It is my new favorite popcorn dessert in town. And yes, I’ve had others.
I’m so happy Otium’s back and it’s even better than before!
222 S Hope St., Los Angeles, CA 90012  —  (213) 935-8500
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