Food Review - Trattoria Zero Otto Nove

Trattoria Zero Otto Nove
2357 Arthur Avenue
Bronx, New York 10458


Written and photographed by Nora Sun McLaughlin


It's rare I would give any place the exceptional 5 star rating.  And it's even more rare that I come across such exceptionally good food that it changes how I view the world and deserves the exceptional 5 star rating.  Zero Otto Nove has outdone itself.


The scene:
There is no where else I would rather find myself eating than in the warm, rustic dining room of Zero Otto Nove.  With their high ceilings and skylights that let in so much natural light during the day, brick oven to keep you warm on those winter days, and farm tables that immediately feel like home.


The foods:
And at home, is exactly where I felt with this cooking.  We decided to share a pizza, pasta, and entree dish.


The Pizza:

"La San Matteo" - Broccoli rabe, sausage, and the finest homemade mozzarella this side of the Atlantic. - this is a white pizza that makes you forget to even look for the tomatoes.  Every bite was perfectly flavored to make my taste buds dance.  Some white pizzas come out so dry.  Zero Otto Nove comes out with just enough succulence that even the crust can hold up.  I initially questioned the cheese and toppings ratio to dough, but the dough is so light and airy, with just the right amount of crisp to it, that those fears were long gone.

The pasta:   
We went for their pasta special, thick half spaghetti in a basil and tomato sauce, topped with burrata cheese.  Cheese so rich and creamy, it melts in your mouth.  And served in a Le Crueset?  How can you go wrong?  To add to the feeling of home, all of their pastas are handmade.

The entree:

We had the pork special, which was the pork on the bone, slow cooked that just pulled right off the bone and came apart without the need for a knife, topped with a tomato sauce and a side of risotto and beans.  I could sing praises of this dish forever.

Our service:
We had a waiter that knew his stuff.  He was initially standoffish, but once we got his flow, we were ok with it.  We would order a dish, and he would listen to our order and then say "No, you have to try something better, let me tell you what our specials are."  But, he got us.  We went with the two specials recommendations and were completely blown away.  Everything was timed right, the staff was attentive enough to clear our dishes as soon as we were done with them and bring out the next dish.  It was great.

I would definitely recommend Zero Otto Nove, especially at the prices you can afford.  I would have to admit that this might be the next restaurant of greatness that I will have to bring everyone that's here for a visit, to really get exceptional Italian food when visiting the Metropolitan area.  Don't change a thing Zero Otto Nove, especially your pizza.

My review is featured on Yelp: