It’s hard when visiting Arthur Avenue not to order a red sauce classic – maybe eggplant parmigiana or linguini con vongole or, of course, lasagna. But on my last visit I was craving something a bit different and I knew I’d find it at Zero Otto Nove.
This beautiful Salerno-inspired restaurant specializes in wood-fired pizza (and a gorgeous interior dining room), but their pastas are certainly not something to sleep on. I knew that, but was not expecting such a rich, satisfying tomato-free wonder.
The rigatoni e zucca is a beautiful plate of al dente tubed pasta slicked with the best vegetables can do. A sweet and buttery squash puree could stand in for carbonara sauce, while thick porcini mushrooms are as plump and meaty as veal. Earthy bites of peas and plenty of black pepper gives the dish plenty of heft.
This is a pasta dish a bit different from what you might expect on this street but no less satisfying. Don’t sleep on it. Price: $21.95
| ZERO OTTO NOVE |
| 2357 Arthur Avenue (at East 186th Street), Belmont, Bronx (718) 220-1027 |
| zeroottonove.com |
