Zero Otto Nove Armonk: Arthur Avenue Comes To Armonk
There are 310 specific forms of pasta – and no two are alike. Every pasta shape comes with its own special reason for existence in Italian cuisine. Long thin strands are considered ideal for simple sauces like pesto. Thicker pasta shapes are prepared with tomato sauce. And tubular or twisted shaped pastas pair well with chunky meat sauces. Other pastas are made for soups – pasta al brodo. And still others are stuffed and baked – pasta al forno.
So too, it seems, for Italian restaurants in Armonk. With the recent opening of Zero Otto Nove (089-the area code for Salerno, Italy) on Old Route 22 in the former Route 22 Restaurant space there are now eight Italian restaurants (if you include pizzerias) in this hamlet of 3200 homes. That’s one for every 400 families. While each has its own niche, “089” is no me-too Italian restaurant.
The Roberto Paciullo Pedigree
Zero Otto Nove Armonk bears the stamp of Chef Roberto Paciullo, whose flagship southern Italian, Roberto’s, is the top rated Italian restaurant in the Bronx with a 2013 Zagat’s food rating of 26! In 2000 Roberto opened his first Zero Otto Nove just off Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. For that he is credited with bringing upscale Italian dining to an area then known as a place to shop for fresh rabbit, cannoli, Calabria cheeses and Brunello wines. Roberto opened his second “089” in NYC’s Flatiron District. It racked up 24 food points in the Zagat’s Survey. With his strong metro-area following “089” Armonk instantly joins Restaurant North, Moderne Barn, and Fortina (if you’re looking for a bar scene) in Armonk’s growing list of destination eateries.
Fine Peasant Italian
Each of Roberto’s restaurants has been lauded widely. They have been described as a “a pasta lovers dream” and a “mandatory stop on the tri-state pizza-pilgrim map” that includes “Coney Island’s Totonno’s and New Haven’s Pepe’s.” But when we were there, and as Chef Roberto described it, Zero Otto Nove Armonk exists in a rare space where authentic Southern Italian peasant food meets fine dining.
“This is the food I grew up with in Salerno,” Roberto told us. “Peasant food. If you go to a farmhouse in Salerno, this is what you eat. We don’t use any cream or butter. No stock. Just olive oil, lemon, white wine, pasta water. San Marzano tomatoes only! It is more elegant than you think when you think of Italian food in America. But in Salerno, this is the way a husband and wife would cook together on a Sunday. Truck drivers eat this food.”
A Tasting Restaurant
We liked the Polpettine, Polenta & Caprino
Zero Otto Nove Armonk’s resident Chef Ciro Perrotta, who has worked for Roberto for five years described “089” as a tasting restaurant – perfect for sharing. “It’s not about should I get the pasta or the fish? Here, you should eat like the Italians do. Have an appetizer and a pasta plate (or a pizza) and an entrée. And share. Whether you are two people or ten. Try different tastes. Have many courses. Roberto calls it truck driver food but in Salerno truck drivers are foodies, too.“
Signature Dishes
When we asked Chef Roberto and Chef Ciro to name their signature dishes there was no hesitation. For antipasti: Polipo alla Griglia – grilled octopus with fresh sliced tomato, cannelloni beans and olive oil. “You like a salad, that’s easy”: Barbabietole e Burrate – red and yellow beets with burrata cheese in a light balsamic drizzle.
Their signature pasta dish, Radiatorre in Cartoccio, is baked in tinfoil in the sauce (never boiled) with porcini mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, breadcrumbs and shaved Parmigiano reggiano. And, as if underscoring the simplicity of their cooking, their fish recommendation is the Branzino al Forno – a whole fish baked with capers in a light lemon sauce served with roasted potatoes.
According to Chef Ciro, “Roberto’s rabbit” sautéed in rosemary, salt, pepper and braised in white wine and tomato “is legendary. When he’s around he likes to prepare it himself.” The peasants eat well in Salerno, no?
What about the pizza?
“Ah, the pizza. Well you know we have a fancy wood-fired oven but it’s not about the oven. If you want good pizza, you have to have good water. We truck up 15 gallons of water a day from the Bronx. Armonk water is too hard. We use New York City water – the best in the world. You must have the Margherita and the La Cirilo” – butternut squash puree, cream of truffle, mushrooms and fresh mozzarella.
What we liked
Roberto’s version of Neapolitan pizza had all the requisite charred crust we like. Not just on the edges but underneath where it really counts. We had the Margherita and the Patate e Porcini with fresh mozzarella, sliced potato and porcini mushrooms. We also liked the Polpettine, Polenta & Caprino – small meatballs, spicy tomato sauce, polenta and goat cheese. And the grilled octopus appetizer was insane. First, its big enough to be lunch. The meaty texture was so special we realized we never really had octopus before. Maybe chopped and sprinkled over pasta. But not whole tentacle sections like this. “What does this remind me of?” I asked Roberto. “Alligator?’ “Maybe.” “Abalone.” “Yes.” Roberto agreed. “Abalone.” (Which by the way can fetch up to $125 a pound.)
Do they still have the 1920s roadster hanging from the ceiling?
Alas, the old roadster that was suspended from the ceiling of the former Route 22 Restaurant is gone. In fact, Roberto has done a complete transformation. It’s like a seaside inn on the Amalfi Coast. It’s lighter and brighter after opening up the south wall with large windows. They stuccoed the walls, acid-washed the wood beams, coppered the hvac venting and tubing overhead, and added distressed twelve-inch yellow crown moldings. There’s a windowed wine room, a white marble bar, slate floors, a yellow micro-tile brick wood oven, touches of wrought iron and a brick arch in the entrance. They motorized the iconic glass garage door (from the days when the building was a gas station) so they can roll it up in the summer. And check out those huge Poggesi offset umbrellas shading the outdoor tables.
A destination trattoria that works for locals too
Now, that’s Italian!
Between Roberto’s reputation and the restaurant’s upscale design touches Zero Otto Nove is sure to attract crowds from all over the county and beyond. But, the top-line pizza, generous portions and their attitude toward sharing makes Zero Otto Nove a great addition to the Armonk scene for locals too. It works for special occasions, date or couples night, or as a family dining spot for mid-week pizza or pasta. The IBM crowd* has already discovered it for lunch. Just split a small pie and an appetizer and you’re done. The already hot Armonk dining scene just got hotter.
*You can always tell the IBMers. They come in groups of four, look like they’re from the United Nations, the women wear skirts, and there’s always one guy in a short-sleeve white dress shirt.
Zero Otto Nove, 55 Old Route 22, Armonk, 914.273.0089; www.zeroottonove.com) No Reservations!
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