Samuel Barclay of recalls one of the very first mandates he received in designing Otra—”no green whatsoever.” Yet, as I look around the dim, atmospheric restaurant, I see deep shades of viridian green enveloping the walls, booths, and chairs. He explains the paradox: “As we began to test colours, we started with a much broader palette, but the greens were the only ones that really resonated with everyone.” And it’s clear why; the balanced interiors, hues and all, walk the line between cultural nuance and contemporary design with an effortless grace. Devoid of any heavy-handed Amazonian clichés, Otra feels like a sultry escape into a dim Latin American speakeasy, with nary a jungle motif in sight.
A Latin American(o) Dream
The bar was set high for and Restaurateur Mallyeka Watsa. Otra follows the celebrated success of Americano—their (remarkably chic) first restaurant that just turned five and remains chock-full of patrons, even at 3:30 pm on a Sunday. In a , just steps away from Americano, their second venture is many things, but it is perhaps best summed up by Watsa, who says, “We like to think of Otra as the stylish, older sibling of Americano.”
Nirmala Patil
Nirmala Patil
Chef Alex’s vision for Otra long preceded even Americano. He says, “I think the seed of Otra started maybe 14 years ago when I first moved to Mumbai. I was missing food from home, and I think I just wanted a good taco.” He adds, “To me, the best part of the taco is the tortilla, and at the time, there were no ready-made corn tortillas; there were no places where you could get an authentic taco. I started experimenting with different kinds of corn and different processes, reaching out to farmers, trying to find people who made tortillas and tortilla chips.” His hunt took him all around the country and ultimately culminated in a gleaming new restaurant, with a fresh-ground masa program (for which he has partnered with Three One Farms in Punjab, where seventh-generation farmer Anushka Neyol cultivates corn especially for Otra).
The menu at Otra showcases Chef Alex’s distinct cooking style, marrying Latin American heritage with diverse flavours and techniques. Every dish is layered and textural, elevating the inherent qualities of the ingredients. “And I think what started as just the quest for a tortilla became a restaurant,” he says.
A Case for Good Design
Nirmala Patil
Sahil Behal
After a successful collaboration on the interiors of Americano, bringing Samuel Barclay of Case Design back for Otra was a no-brainer. “Sam is a generational talent, but he also has this rare mix of genius and humility, which you don’t find often,” Sanchez says.