Opening late last year and toting an all-day offering from breakfast right the way through to last-train-territory drinks, The Otherist sits near to Liverpool Street and was brought to our fair city by one of London's most renowned bar and restaurant groups, Drake & Morgan.
The Venue and Ambience
With oodles of industrial touches, exposed lightbulbs and geometric furnishings - coupled with the group’s signature style in their colourful chair-throws, botanical features and sleek fixtures - The Otherist has a stylish, but welcoming aesthetic. The venue is relatively narrow, but they do have a fair amount of space to play with. Though it's not formally separated by any stretch, the space at the back of the venue is on a slightly lower level, and makes for a great private hire area, or alternatively an eating-only space if it's slightly busier. Otherwise, there are plenty of tables splattered across the venue, with what felt like a more drinks-only area towards the venue's entrance.
Amid the City of London’s mixed and sometimes boisterous nightlife scene, The Otherist as a venue isn’t looking to limit itself to being just one type of destination. Primed for anything from work lunches to boozy after work sessions, it’s a versatile space, with a versatile approach. I visited on a Thursday night after work, and as you’d expect from this location on that night of the week, the vibe was at a nice level of rowdy, aided by the live DJ perched by the entrance of the venue. If you’re not into noisy restaurants, this definitely isn’t the place for you to come and eat; but if you are partial to a party tune throughout your meal, you’re in luck. It’s less of a place for quiet romantic meals in the evening, and more a spot for a livelier group dinner, or if you're not eating, a boozy post-work drinks session.
Expect to see touches of Drake & Morgan's signature style and finesse at The Otherist.
The Food
All cooked from an open kitchen looking out to the venue, you can expect modern British dishes with Drake & Morgan’s renowned individual flair, spanning breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The scotch egg with chorizo and smoked paprika mayonnaise (£5.95) and chicken satay with peanut sauce and sesame (£6.25) were simple but strong starter dishes, packing a nice heat, and for their price were generous portions too. For better or worse (on my waistline), I’ve eaten a lot of scotch eggs in my time, and as such can say with *some* level of authority that The Otherist’s lightly-spiced, yolk-oozing little ball of joy is definitely worth trying if you’re a fan as well.
For mains, I went for the trout and clam dish from the specials board (£12), and my date plumped for the buttermilk chicken burger with chipotle mayonnaise (£9.25) with a side of roman fries with parmesan, truffle and rosemary (£4.50). The trout seemed a little risky, but it came recommended from our waiter, and the risk paid off; a warm broth-like chowder with a fresh, flavoursome hunk of fish, this plate didn’t disappoint. Though a safer option, the burger was a solid choice, and the fries were a nice-and-crisp accompaniment to both the mains. To finish, we shared the pecan tart with vanilla ice cream (£5.95) and the chocolate brownie (£5.95), both of which were beautifully-presented and packed full of sweet, gooey goodness. Though the price here is great – not just for the area, but London in general – they don’t sacrifice on the standard of the food, or the presentation either – which is a big pull.
As well as the food, The Otherist also boast a creative list of cocktails.
Summary
A solid City option for all manner of nights out; The Otherist has the hallmarks of its sister sites, but still manages to bring about a unique sense of character. Sure, it’s not the place for a quaint evening meal for two, but for what it lacks in tranquillity it makes up for in brilliant food, awesome cocktails and a welcoming, lively vibe – all throughout the week.
