Orto (Closed)
Meatballs
A new Italian restaurant opened in NODA, called Orto, by Chef Paul Verica. You may recognize that name from his other restaurant in Charlotte: The Stanley. I stumbled upon the restaurant on Instagram, and started following along on the construction; I knew the vibe would be great.
The anticipation was killer
Well, after months of waiting, it finally opened. Thankfully I had some friends coming into town a couple of weeks after the opening, the perfect occasion to make my first visit. I made reservations and patiently waited to check Orto out.
When the time finally came, we were so ready! We walked into a light, bright, and airy restaurant. The décor is a mixture of minimalistic, Scandinavian furniture with some midcentury-modern accents. I loved the vibe! I knew I would from the photos, but let me tell you: it was even better in person.
Here’s what we tried:
Arancini - Great texture and flavor, with a subtle hint of lemon to it. The exterior was fried to perfection, while the interior was a classic, fluffy arancini. There was supposedly pancetta in it too, but I couldn’t taste it. I definitely wish the pancetta was more prevalent. I did LOVE the tomato sauce that came with the arancini. It was very sweet and perfectly acidic, but my only complaint is that there wasn’t enough for the amount of arancini we were given.
Tomato Toast – This was good, but frankly it could have been better. A very simple dish needs to be properly seasoned; this was under-seasoned. All it needed was a bit of salt to open up the tastebuds, because the ingredients were very fresh. Nice tomatoes and a very creamy ricotta and goat cheese mixture.
Meatballs – Overall, they were fantastic! Orto uses a mixture of ground beef, pork and veal. The seasoning was delightful. These are very similar to the meatballs my family makes at home, but slightly different (given the meat blend). Orto’s meatballs are also very dense. My suggestion: more egg would make them lighter, without disrupting the excellent flavor.
Lobster and Shrimp Ravioli – This dish was nice and light. The shrimp was very fresh, but definitely overpowered whatever amount of lobster was used. With that said, the pasta was PERFECTION. It was the ideal thickness, with perfect texture and chew. The sauce used wasn’t bad, but it also didn’t taste like a saffron cream sauce. It was much closer to a basic butter sauce. Personally, I would have liked a thicker cream sauce.
Pappardelle – Just like the ravioli, the pasta was pure perfection. With that said, I had a love/hate relationship with this dish. The flavor from the braised rabbit sugo was excellent. It was very savory, yet it was much lighter than I expected. I thought it would be a thicker sauce that stuck to your ribs, but it wasn’t at all! I’d be able to eat this on a hot summer night without issue. It was reminiscent of a summer sauce that your grandmother would have simmering on the stove all day. With that said, sorry to say: on my first bite I hit bone. I’m very thankful I didn’t break a tooth. Just a fluke, right? When I went in for another portion, I hit bone again. I hate to say it, but it really threw me off. The chef happened to be walking by and saw me pull the bone from my mouth. To his credit, he immediately addressed it with the kitchen staff AND comped the dish. Despite the bone, this was my favorite dish of the night. The flavor was just spot-on, and paired perfectly with the house-made pasta. Bone be damned.
Pork Chop – I had mixed feelings on this dish. The pork itself was excellent, super tender and very juicy. The risotto had an awesome texture. It was the classic bone-clinging, creamy rice you hope for. With that said it could have used a bit more flavor, and by contrast, I was not a fan of the eggplant. It was VERY bitter. I wish they had switched this out for squash or something.
Tiramisu – This was delicious; I love tiramisu. The bottom layer was frozen, and I’m not sure if this was intentional or not, but I enjoyed it. It had the flavor of a very classic tiramisu, but the frozen layer made it taste like you were eating tiramisu ice cream. Really lovely. The mascarpone was very light and creamy, and it was served with strawberries and chocolate sauce on the side. My only complaint is that I wish the ladyfingers had been fully soaked, as they were very dry in the dessert.
Cocktail fun
Now let’s talk about the drinks! First thing’s first: Amanda Britton is behind the bar here, so you know the cocktails will be phenomenal. You may recognize Amanda from the amazing cocktails at VANA and Bardo, which are always SO fun. Think rosé gummies, or a mini bottle of rosé sticking out of your drink. That kind of thing.
Here’s what we tried:
Lemon Wooder Ice – This was a phenomenal cocktail. Hands down my favorite of the night. It was made with vodka, limoncello, prosecco, and an Italian water ice. It was light, bubbly, and changed flavor as the ice melted. Not too much citrus either, which can happen with limoncello. Super yummy.
Scuderi – I love pretty much any drink made with butterfly pea flower and gin, so this was a drink for me. The butterfly pea gives a beautiful purple color to the drink. Please note: this drink is not for the faint of heart. It is strong and packs a punch, but if you are a gin lover, this is the move.
Toto e Pepino – This is Orto’s take on an Aperol Spritz. It was much smoother and more mellow than most Aperol Spritzes I’ve had. Truly excellent; perfect for a hot summer day in Charlotte.
Give ‘em the Boot – This drink is Amanda’s take on a classic cobbler for Orto, and is probably the most interesting cocktail I’ve tasted in a very long time. I had no idea what to expect from this drink, yet I’m so happy I tried it. It was sweet, but not too sweet. The mint flavor is very forward, which then transitions into a jammy strawberry finish. I’m not sure which ingredient causes the interaction, but by the time the aftertaste hits, the flavor reminds me of chocolate covered strawberries. This drink is very complex with its layered flavor, and I highly recommend giving it a try.
Insert “bone to pick” pun here
Overall, I’ll give Orto a 7.5/10. I would have given it an 8, but a few things (such as the bone in my pasta), really threw me.
I do feel the need to note that I’m VERY ITALIAN (as in: in the process of getting my citizenship) so it’s pretty big for me to give an Italian restaurant that good of a rating. The pasta noodles were just so perfect, the cocktails were incredible, the service was fantastic, and the atmosphere was great. I hope Orto will make some improvements, but I still very much enjoyed my experience. I’ll definitely go back and try some other pasta dishes. Really impressive.
