"Odtomato" isn't odd at all once you get to know it. The name is the nickname of the progenitor, a Thai-Australian, Australia-raised restaurant and hot-desk entrepreneur extraordinaire.
With Michelin-starred Sushi Ichi, plus Kuppadeli, Glowfish, and Ad Lib already testifying to the partnership's dining development chops, Odtomato is a more personal project of Gavin Vongkusolkit, his mother, Robin (Kuppa etc.), and sundry friends and specialists.
Levered into the front ground floor of Park 24 Building a short walk along Sukhumvit 24 from Phrom Phong, there's only a tiny sign but lots of glass allows the intriguing interior ambiance to advertise the allure more viscerally.
Slated wooden exterior panels evoke a Gold Coast beach bar while venetian blinds conjure Big Sleep private dick scenes. A wistful spiral staircase and gold-glow bar tick its sybarite-magnet box.
Step inside and you instantly feel at home, which is the general idea. In its own words, Odtomato aims to be "a place for nibbling, sipping, flirting, laughing, sharing, playing, tweeting, meeting, and just hanging out."
Cosy alcoves upholstered in dark velvet dotted with Bohemian cushions set around surfer chic crashing-wave effect-topped tables create campfire intimacy. A stretch community table caters equally to serial singles and parties. The front bar and rear theatre kitchen create two main zones harmonised by plush parquet flooring and film set proportioned alloy lamps hanging from the matt black exposed ductwork ceiling.
Former Iron Chef Table chef Munin ‘Tawan' Thitichairat pulls the kitchen strings, channelling ideas from Od and cohorts, unfolding a steady stream of new dishes to complement clear favourites.
Australian native Nick Braun created the original cocktails, now developed by Khun Prin who learned her craft during 10 years down-under herself. (Odtomato uses metal straws all you single-use plastic shock troops)
One recent addition is pastrami pizza (565), a medium-crust Neapolitan-style pie topped with lots of sharp, succulent cured pork, drizzled with truffle oil, and sprinkled with chilli, rocket and gherkin. Delish!
Australian food culture is essentially anything and everything done well with excellent ingredients. Green grape and avocado gazpacho chilled soup (350) screams modern Melbourne scene with the green ingredients combining sublimely and pulled in different flavour and texture directions by lemon oil, walnuts, olive, radish, and mint.
Another newbie is possibly the ultimate carbonara; a tightly packed stupa stack of spaghetti bound with creamy egg and Parmesan and speered with crispy rashers of guanciale cured pork. Stronger tasting duck egg is deemed best for lunch with milder chicken for supper.
Best-sellers include Beef Wellington: Grade 1, small batch, Hokkaido Wagyu tenderloin (1645); or prime Aussie rib-eye (1550), or US chuck roll (1550). Wrapped in puff pastry sealed with wild mushroom duxelle and beef fat, the dish is served with red wine bordelaise, sea salt, ground pepper, mustard and rocket, delectably complementing and contrasting with the flavour and texture of the well-marbled but not fatty meat.
Surf-side, capellini with grilled river prawn and prawn fat, spicy San Marzano sauce (475) and chef's green chilli seafood sauce on the side, is heaven.
Conclude with baked date pudding awash in honey, maple syrup, pecan, butter and brown sugar sauce with fresh vanilla ice cream and crème fraiche. Wicked!
Complement with new and old world wines in stock or Italian labels from the neighbouring Italasia wine shop with no corkage fee. Plus craft beers and full bar.
Open all day, a new all-you-can-eat a la carte brunch format is proving popular.
A hot band plays soul, jazz and pop live from around 8.30 pm onwards when things really start swinging.
Tel. 080 954 4665
