Otway

im not from here. but ive spent 4 days in clinton hill and visited otway every day, that my schedule allowed. otway is kind of like when your favorite author writes a novel that has flat characters, underdeveloped plot but occasional kernels of absolute genius. and those kernels keep me coming back every single day, that my schedule allowed. perfection is the enemy of good, but in clinton hill 2023, as a visitor, good just doesn't cut it.

Came here for breakfast and it did not disappoint. Everything was very delicious. We made reservations but there were actually plenty of tables available for a Saturday morning. The egg sandwich with scallions was so delicious. The flavors were perfect and the bread was amazingly fluffy. The cardamom bun is also really good! Their separate bakery is just a few doors down.

It’s a beautiful small space. Came here for brunch with a friend and we shared two plates - a deluxe breakfast and the Gravlax. The breakfast deluxe was simple yet delicious, the crispy potatoes and toast were a hit for me. The Gravlax was a tad on the fishier end so we didn’t enjoy it. Other than that, I would want to come back again!

First; the bread is next level. 6 stars for the bread. And overall this is a good restaurant that’s mostly hits but has a few details I would change. This was almost a 4 for me, but I’m swaying in the 4.5-4.6 direction so full 5 star credit is granted. The drinks are quite good and the Tepeche is something I haven’t seen before! It’s a mild pineapple kombucha; super tasty. The margarita was also top notch, not overly sweet. These are from a well considered bar. The bread is life changing. The butter is perfect. Why have dinner after? Just get a loaf. In all seriousness it was a generous portion of amazing sourdough and it changed my life and became my friend for just a moment. The melon is far too simple of a dish and needs to be portioned differently and come with some other flavors in tow. It’s just a slice of cantaloupe and salt; so this was a let down after the divine bread. We found the burger and desert to be spectacular (that’s strawberries and cream), although the cream leans into feeling a bit oily and the dish could have been slightly colder. The steak was another slight miss. It was good but for the price point ($40+), I need to see something really amazing to not feel out of sync here. Meat was slightly dry, could have been more tender. Nothing much to say about its flavor and it wanted to be part of the sauce but was plated oddly and separately… sort of inviting you not to mix them. The accompaniments were ok, a little too much salt forward-ness in the mushroom marmalade. But it was tasty overall: would rather have had 2 burgers. Fries were on point and well cooked. A lot of unique savory notes in the burger that put it a cut above competitors. I know it feels like I’m roasting this place, but I’ve been to restaurants at every price so I have hundreds of points of context for this review. It’s a top 50 in Brooklyn, brunch is awesome here apparently, but it’s not in my top 10-20, roughly. Anyway; that’s the review. Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

Went for Sunday brunch. Chic decor, open, sunny, intimate. Coffee was hot and delicious, bright, slightly acidic, yet with some body. Their fresh baked bread is to die for and the French cheese starter was light, creamy, and magnifique. For the main dish I had the omelette—simple, cheesy, soft, and tasty. Staff were welcoming and friendly. And for dessert a chocolate plum cookie, rich and decadent. What a wonderful experience and lovely Brooklyn gem.