Last night for dinner, Mike and I went to Zero Otto Nove, my absolute favorite Italian restaurant in New York. It's on Arthur Avenue, the "Little Italy" section in the Bronx, which seems quite far for Manhattanites, but trust me- if you live in the city, the 20 minute Metro North ride is 100% worth it for this food!
I've literally been craving their pizza for six months, but for one reason or another every time we'd tried to go, plans had fallen through. Last night I was determined to get my pizza Napoletana, despite the 45 minute wait for a table. We had a round of drinks at the packed bar while we waited, so the time passed pretty quickly.
The second we were seated, we were brought a big basket of fresh bread.
I had a piece of fresh, dense focaccia, which was studded with cherry tomatoes, as well as half a piece of the doughy white bread loaf. So good. (In lieu of ordering an appetizer, Mike actually polished off all but one piece in the bread basket. Yes, it's that amazing.)
For my first course, I went the more traditional route, ordering the Insalata di Scarola- escarole with black olives and marinated eggplant, topped with oil and vinegar.
Eggplant isn't usually one of my favorite vegetables, but on this salad it was my favorite part.
And then, the holy grail of pizzas arrived.
I chose the Napolitana pizza: San Marzano tomatoes, fresh garlic, basil and oregano. Some might say it's boring, but I beg to differ. What I love most about this pizza is the crust; it's thin and crispy, but somehow still doughy and soft, especially around the edges. The best of both worlds, and absolute perfection.
I didn't snap a photo of Mike's, but he ordered a pie topped with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, arugula and parmesan, which he devoured as well.
Overall, a dinner that was well worth the six month wait- though I refuse to let it be that long before I have it again! Plus, their decadent chocolate mousse cake and cannoli desserts were missing from last night's meal. I'll be back once Lent is over :)
Hope you've had an amazing weekend so far. Enjoy your Sunday!
What's the best pizza you've ever had? New Yorkers, I'm telling you: you need to get to this place!
PS- Don't forget to enter my Tropical Traditions giveaway!
