Montreal’s Yakitori King Just Opened a Bar in Little Burgundy

Little Burgundy just welcomed a new option for casual Japanese food with Bar Otto now open on Notre-Dame Street, just east of Atwater.

As the name might suggest, it’s the same owners as downtown yakitori house Otto, which has been grilling up meaty skewers and other izakaya-style fare on St-Mathieu for close to four years.

According to food blog Tastet, Bar Otto will be serving a solid selection of those char-grilled yakitori (including vegetarian options), but the menu also branches out beyond them. One extra plank of the menu is a sashimi section, with chef-owner Hiroshi Kitano reportedly having forged strong connections with solid seafood suppliers.

Then, Kitano and co-owner Hanhak Kim will also serve a couple of dishes from their Plateau restaurant — ramen and mazeman, a ramen dish without broth.

Bar Otto will focus on both wine and sake — for wine, a number of private import agencies were used to fill out a menu of mostly natural wines (including some Japanese wine, a rarity in Montreal), alongside a range of 15 or so sakes.

This new Otto takes over a former Toi, Moi & Café location, and it’s been given quite a makeover — the new design keeps things minimal with plenty of raw wood panelling and furniture.

STATUS — Bar Otto is open at 2695 Notre-Dame W from 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.

• Bar Otto [Facebook]
• Bar Otto : nouveau restaurant de l’équipe Otto dans la Petite-Bourgogne [Tastet]
• Otto, Montreal’s First Yakitori Restaurant, Grills Japanese-Style Downtown [EMTL]