The Early Word on Arthur Avenue Transplant Zero Otto Nove

Zero Otto Nove, a popular pizza destination on Arthur Avenue opened a Manhattan location in the Flatiron District on May 9th. Pizza lovers can now enjoy quality pizza every few feet in that hood with Grimaldi's, Eataly, Patsy's etc. Let's see how the harsh online critics of Manhattan are treating this Bronx transplant.

The Mostly Good News: Adam Kuban of Slice files a very nice review: "Even on only the second night of operation the pizzeria's Margherita (the pizza we consider a standard measuring stick) was solid, well above average, yet maybe not reaching the stratospheric highs that many of the original location's adherents attribute to it. The crust is crisp, chewy, and just a bit dense, which is fine when the pizza is hot but gives your jaw a bit of a workout as the pie cools...

...It's flavorful, a tiny bit sour with a hint of smokiness from the wood-fired oven, and the sauce topping it is fresh-tasting, without much in the way of seasoning apart from salt — and, boy, is the sauce salty. Not to the point of unpleasantness, but it is certainly pronounced. The fresh mozzarella is creamy and stretchy and there's a decent amount of it — for a pizza of this style... Until ZON gets its sea legs, I think it's too early to say who's winning the battle of the wood-fired Italian pizzas in the area, but I already like this place much more than La Pizza Fresca and think it will probably give Rossopomodoro inside Eataly a run for its money." [Slice]

The Great News: Blogger Fritos and Foie Gras checked out Zero Otto Nove and penned a glowing review of the new Arthur Avenue transplant: "We tried the Butternut Squash and Cappelini Soup. WHOA. I am a long time fan of butternut's slightly sweet taste and creamy texture, but I am used to it with sweet, heavy accompaniments like browned butter, sage or cinnamon. This had caramelized onions and the sweet-savory taste of roasted garlic in there. It had toothsome, pencil thin noodles and sharp Parmesan cheese. It was a little spicy, very light, and nothing like any other butternut squash dish I have ever tried. This was a standout - perfection." She notes on the pizza: "Incredibly fresh and bright tomato sauce that was just like biting into a sun-ripened tomato. That juicy, that fresh, that harmoniously acidic, sweet and perfect. The cheese was stringy, buttery and perfectly fatty. There could have been a little more cheese, but what can I say-I am a dairy whore." Sounds delightful! [Fritos and Foie Gras]

The Nice News: The Daily Meal tasted Zero Otto Nove on their first day and loved the pie. Molly Aronica writes: "The soft and chewy dough has an elastic feel due to the use of 00 flour. After cooking in a 900-degree brick oven for 45 seconds, the dough remains crisp (but not cracker-like). The Margherita pizza is topped with a tomato sauce made with San Marzano tomatoes, house-made mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves. The sweetness of the sauce blends beautifully with the fresh, creamy cheese... The La Riccardo pie begins with a layer of butternut squash purée in place of tomato sauce and is topped with smoked mozzarella and pancetta. The earthy sweetness of the butternut squash complements the depth of flavor of the mozzarella in this pizza." Sounds delicious. [The Daily Meal]

The Twitterific News: Tweeters are obviously tweeting about the spot. @rockCANroll tweets: "Zero Otto Nove grand opening NYC! Exited to be here! Food is AMAZING! Space is fantastic! Congratulations Roberto! A special night!" While elsewhere, @angelo_vivolo tweets "Last night at Zero Otto Nove was super. A slice of the Bronx in Manhattan. Great Sorrentino pizza and more." [Twitter]

The Delish News: Fromagical, a blog about the magic of cheese, visited Zero Otto Nove and had a wonderful experience. She writes: "So we decided to try "La Vincenzo" composed of fresh mozzarella, gorgonzola, fresh cherry tomatoes, basil and marinated porcini mushrooms. This was the perfect mixture of sweet and savory with punchy and creamy cheeses all rolled into one. The crust was thin and light and the 10 inch pie was not at all oily, but airy and delightful -- an excellent backdrop to showcase the ingredients that were topping the crust... Overall a delish meal, I would definitely come back... Zero Otto Nove was a welcome surprise -- good fresh homemade food done right in a lovely and welcoming atmosphere." [Fromagical]

More Good News: There's just one Yelp review and it's a rave: "The restaurant looks cave-like and elegant at the same time. Their pizza which I have been wanting to taste for years lives up to the expectation...The pizza is light, a little doughy with a slight char. Sauce is tomato perfection. Flavor is NON- STOP delish. Cauliflower was also nicely seasoned with parsley and garlic, soft and the perfect compliment to the pizza. [Yelp]
[photo: Slice]