OTT

OTT Thai is one of the countless unobtrusively mediocre restaurants that abound in New York. Dining beneath the large Buddha painting hanging from one of the exposed brick walls of this quaint and inconspicuous eatery can feel like a meal at a friend’s apartment. Yet, despite the coziness and gracious staff, OTT Thai’s food is seldom better than good and too often boring. The curry lathered, succulently crispy whitefish in the pla chu-chee is the menu’s highlight, while the som tam (papaya salad), laab (minced meat salad), pla-muek tod (Thai style fried calamari) and Massaman curry all suffer from unforgivable blandness. And though OTT’s prices appear reasonable, portions are relatively small and rice must be purchased additionally with all dishes.