Aquila Pizza al Forno, Little Falls

You might say that Jerry Arcieri, the owner of Aquila in Little Falls, has an obsession with pizza. After 25 years in the photo industry, commuting in and out of NYC every day, Jerry fulfilled his dream of opening a pizzeria. But Jerry didn’t just wake up one day and say “I’m gonna make pizzas!”

While working full-time as a photo editor, he attended the Institute of Culinary Education on Sundays and two nights each week. He earned a culinary certificate and then did an externship at Amano Pizza in Ridgewood (one of a handful of pizzerias in the US certified by the Association of Neapolitan Pizzaiuoli in Naples). And while his stint at Amano gave him valuable insights learning from a master pizzaiolo, he really needed daily hands-on practice. So Jerry did what any pizza-obsessed person might do, he built his own wood-burning pizza oven in his backyard in Bergen County. He developed his own dough formulation and then to perfect his craft, he held “pizza parties” every weekend for a few lucky friends and neighbors.

In 2013, he started thinking about opening a pizzeria, and scouted several possible locations in the north Jersey area. In addition, he made “pilgrimages” to several of the most well regarded pizzerias in the tri-state area (among them, Santillo’s in Elizabeth, Frank Pepe in New Haven, and Jim Lahey’s Co in NYC).

Jerry had visited Bivio in Little Falls, one of the area’s premier pizzerias several times and had admired the owner’s dedication to the time-honored craft of authentic Neapolitan pizza. In April 2015, he and Bivio’s owner (Tomasso Colao) reached an agreement for the sale of Bivio and after a few starts and stops Jerry took ownership in November.

 

Bivio was a much-lauded pizzeria in north Jersey (yours truly had the privilege of writing the first article about Bivio when they opened in 2011) so taking over such a venerated establishment took some “coraggio” on Jerry’s part.

But Jerry was a man with a mission, and with his wife Sofia’s support, Jerry launched Aquila in early December. I spent some time recently chatting with him about the challenges and surprises of running a restaurant.

The oven that was built in place for Bivio by a Neapolitan master oven builder, has taken a bit of time for Jerry to learn how to “tame” the 800-degree monster. He also needed to tweak his dough recipe from his original backyard recipe, using only the famous Caputo 00 flour, rather than a mixture of regular flour and 00 flour.

Thankfully, he was able to retain a lot of the Bivio team, so staff management has not been the challenge it could have been.  And he’s lucky that the staff is excited about contributing ideas to Aquila’s menu. Whether it is thinking about flavors and combinations for the pizzas, or suggestions for a new appetizer, they are enthusiastic about their work at Aquila.

Jerry knows a good thing when he sees it, so he kept the core of the Bivio menu, but is slowly adding to the appetizer and salad offerings. Right now, the cheesecake on the dessert menu is made by one of the staff, but they will probably expand desserts in the future when the timing is right.

During a visit to Aquila the first week they opened, I sampled the Margherita pizza (a staple on any Neapolitan pizza list). The flavorful basil scattered across the crisp crust, topped with San Marzano tomatoes and house made mozzarella made a simple but delicious dinner.

And while Aquila’s regular pizza menu is small (5-6 items), Jerry offers 1-2 specials each week. I asked him how he comes up with ideas for the specials. He said he starts with a base of white or red, then builds from there, always having a vegetarian and meat option. As I write this, the current specials are a Swiss chard, roasted garlic, Gruyere and ricotta cheese pie (white/ vegetarian); and San Marzano tomatoes, sausage, roasted fennel, mozzarella and Parmigiano cheeses (red/meat). You probably couldn’t go wrong with either.

 

You may be wondering about the restaurant name (I was). Many years ago, the building where Aquila is housed was home to the Eagle Hotel.  In Italian, Aquila translates to “eagle.” Jerry named his pizzeria after the hotel, which I think is fitting because it sounds like Aquila will be flying high for the next few years.

Aquila Pizza Al Forno

7A Paterson Avenue

Little Falls

973-256-0050

Open Wednesday-Saturday, 5-10pm

BYO

Bivio

Bivio. Translation: fork in the road.  A fitting name for the newest pizza spot in the area.  Not only because it sits literally at a fork in the road, but for the play on words.  However, I've been there twice since they opened a week ago and have never once used a fork!  This is pizza that begs you to pick it up - you want to feel the silky dough that wrought this glorious crust. You want to lick your fingers of whatever crumb or topping may have fallen off.


I've written about pizza before (in New Jersey, pizza is almost our national food) but this is different. This is pizza straight from the coast of Naples.  This is the stuff "pizzanistas" dream about. 


Bivio is the dream of Jackie & Tomasso Colao - a small, cozy spot where Tomasso works the dough into little discs of heaven, and Jackie welcomes customers like you are a guest in their home.  

The wood-burning oven, made in Italy, is modeled after the ovens used in the bakeries of Pompeii. When we were in Pompeii, the ruins of the bakery were the most fascinating to me. According to Tomasso, the oven is almost up to the right temperature for him to start baking bread. And what a fine day that will be for those of us longing for real, artisanal bread close by.


The menu is small - a few salads, 5-6 pizzas, and 2-3 desserts. The arugula salad we sampled the first night was delicious, sprinkled with lemon juice and shaved Parmesan, the leaves not at all peppery. The simple dressing of EVOO was lovely but just a tad too light-handed for me. 

Ever since our first trip to Italy about five years ago, we have been hooked on porcini mushrooms.  So when we saw the Porcini pizza on the Bivio menu, we were thrilled. Tomasso rinses the mushrooms before soaking them to bring them back to life. Then he adds San Marzano tomatoes, fior de latte mozzarella, fresh basil, EVOO, and sea salt. The result is divine.


The true test of any pizza maker worth his salt, is the ability to make a fine Margherita pizza because this is as simple as they come -- tomatoes, olive oil, fresh basil, mozzarella, and sea salt. And here Bivio does not disappoint.  But the real star of the show is the crust. Not since Italy have I had crust like this. Working the pizza oven by himself, Tomasso knows just how long to bake it (about 90 seconds to be exact) to get a perfect pie. Some say the secret is in the flour (00 flour from Italy), but true aficionados know it's the combination of quality ingredients with a master's skill. Tomasso told us that this is just the way he grew up.

Going back the second time, we tried the special pizza that evening, which was crumbled sausage with sweet sauteed onions, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella. Again we were bowled over! The simplest ingredients combined to make one of the best pizzas I've ever had.


We saved a little room that night to sample dessert - homemade Tiramisu, homemade cannoli, or fresh berries with house made cream. Such choices! We went with the cannoli and were so happy. The ricotta cream was not cloying, as sometimes is the case. Instead it was light, with just a hint of sweetness, and piped into a crisp shell. It was paired with a delicious, huge strawberry. 

I was a little hesitant to tell anybody about Bivio for fear I wouldn't be able to ever get a table again, but eventually word would leak out anyway. And as they say, when you come to a fork in the road, take it...


Bivio
7A Paterson Avenue
Little Falls, NJ
973-256-0050
www.biviopizza.com 
Open Tuesday-Thursday: 5-10pm; Friday, Saturday: 5-11pm
BYOB

Food, Glorious, Food!

What a food-centric weekend we had!  I guess that's to be expected from a food blogger, eh?  But what fabulous finds I've got for you today, my friends.  Read on...


Those adorable (and scrumptious) little cupcakes pictured above are from the wonderful dinner we enjoyed at the soft opening of Bar Cara Friday night.  Bar Cara is the new offering from the DePersio family (of Fascino fame). While Fascino is all dark red banquettes and elegant food, Bar Cara is hip and rustic at the same time. The space is colored in soft, muted, almost spa-like colors, with a definite coolness factor in the air. Bar Cara has a liquor license (Fascino is BYO) and a great bar area to enjoy a pre-dinner drink. 

Here's where the rustic part comes in. For the past year, Fascino has been offering "Traditional Tuesdays" with Chef Ryan DePersio's modern spin on Italian favorites (such as Veal Parmigiana and Sausage and Peppers). Some of those items have made the trip to Bar Cara along with sensational pizzas, a fabulous pork burger, great zucchini fries, and Ryan's addictive polenta fries. 


When we heard that pastry chef and family matriarch, Cynthia DePersio, made all the dough for the pizzas, we had to start the meal with one. The crust was incredible - light, airy, with just the right amount of chewiness. I was so busy oohing and aahing over the crust, I didn't get a picture! 

I loved my entree of Braised Sausage with Creamy Polenta - my idea of the perfect comfort food.  If there is a burger on a menu, Barry cannot pass it up.  So, true to form, he ordered the Pork Burger on a delicious brioche roll.

Finishing up the meal brings us back to the delectable cupcakes at the top of the blog.  Perfect little bite-sized morsels of lusciousness, these cupcakes are!  A trio times two, made for sharing: carrot, banana, and chocolate. Hello, Cupcake!

Finally, North Jersey has a great spot for a glass of wine and a pizze, or a burger and a beer, or a civilized cocktail.  The DePersio clan has done it again. 


The restaurant's web site will be up shortly (bar-cara.com), so in the meantime, here are the details:  1099 Broad St., Bloomfield, NJ; 973-893-3681. The restaurant officially opens tonight, Saturday, January 23. 

As if that wasn't enough, Saturday brought us to Tarry Lodge in Port Chester, NY. Savvy readers will know this as the latest endeavor of famed chef, Mario Batali, and wine partner, Joe Bastianich. The partners took a run down lodge first built in 1906 and renovated it back to beautiful saloon-like grandeur.  As you would expect from this group, everything is done to perfection, with no stone left unturned.  Port Chester is a hard-scrabble town and Tarry Lodge is a little out of place here, but at lunch today, it was packed. Obviously, this is a destination restaurant and gracious service has found a home in Port Chester - from the reservation confirmation call, to the host who seats you, to the perfectly, unobtrusive service. And how nice it was to be able to enjoy a Batali restaurant without having to go into New York (love NYC, but honestly, sometimes it's just not worth the trouble).

Reminiscent of our Friday night meal at Bar Cara, we started with pizza (you know the old saying: "one can never have too much good pizza!"). The group choice: Capricciosa, Artichokes, Prosciutto Cotto, and Crimini - fabulous!  There are about 15 different pizzas to choose from and I don't think you could go wrong with any.  Look at that beautiful, burnt to within an inch of it's life, crust (I just love saying that). 


Three of us ordered the Brasato al Barolo with Polenta and Horseradish (translation: probably the best short ribs I've ever had).  

A rectangle of moist, tender beef surrounded by creamy polenta with a few shards of horseradish in a barolo reduction.  Are you a short ribs fan? Make your way to Tarry Lodge.

Other entrees enjoyed by our table: Black Fettucine with Shrimp and Artichokes and an Artichoke Fontina Frittata with Sopresatta Vinaigrette (on the specials menu).

Not one to skip dessert if presented with out of the ordinary options, Tarry Lodge offers some great choices, but I am so predictable: Apple Crostata with Cinnamon Gelato. Delicioso!  The other dessert of choice was the Chocolate Cake with Bitter Oranges and Pistachio Gelato (nary a crumb was left).

So there you have it - two fabulous meals in one weekend.  And sometimes that's all you need to get you through the dark, cold days of winter. 


Mangia bene!

The Maine Food Travelogue

Can you believe July 4th is almost upon us? I can't. How did we get to July so quickly? And, I want to know why the summer flies right past us like a speeding locomotive and winter drags on like honey seeping out of a jar... it just doesn't seem right. That's my rant for today.

On a more positive note, we are heading to Maine for the holiday weekend and I am really looking forward to it. I don't even care that the weather prognosticators are not promising nice weather for the Down East area. Check out the photo above: that is sunrise over the Penobscot River (taken in April 2009) - how beautiful and calming is that. The minute our car crosses the border from New Hampshire into Maine (after stopping, of course, at the fabulous NH state-run liquor store for some provisions for the weekend), I feel a sense of pending relaxation coming over me. The thing about Maine is that around every bend in the road there is another absolutely beautiful view. Whether it's Somes Sound (the only natural fjord in North America), or the Fore River that runs through Portland, or the incredible high-rise view of the Penobscot Bay as you come over the crest into Belfast, I am in constant awe of the beauty of Maine.

Of course, no weekend jaunt of mine would be complete without a food itinerary, and you know I have one. I'm sure you know that Maine is famous for lobster, but did you also know that clamming is huge there? You haven't lived until you've had a succulent, sweet, tender fried clam roll. Our favorite is from Crosby's in Bucksport. An old-fashioned drive-up where you order at a window and then wait for your number to be called. They also make a delicious scallop roll. Crosby's is about 5 minutes from our house so I'm sure we'll get there at least once for lunch.

A new (to me) spot we'll be trying this trip is Bagaduce Lunch (don't ask me where that name comes from) in Brooksville. They were recently awarded "Best Lobster Roll" by Travel & Leisure Magazine, and a James Beard award for best casual food. You know I'm there. I hear the restaurant is set next to the "famous reversing falls," and a very scenic picnic area.

Also in Brooksville is 4 Season Farm, an organic produce farm market run by Barbara Damrosch and Eliot Coleman. Barbara and Eliot are well known horticulturalists and organic farmers and have pioneered the return to organic farming in Maine. We'll be making a stop here after lunch.

For something completely different, we will head to one of our favorite restaurants but not for the usual dinner. The Inn at Ocean's Edge in Lincolnville is a gorgeous resort set smack on the shores of the Penobscot. Their restaurant, The Edge, is where we usually go when we want something a little fancier than a clam roll at Crosby's. The Edge is fine dining but with a comfortable fit. There is nothing better than settling in at one of the outside tables with a wonderful cocktail and admiring the views before being every so gently beckoned to come to your table for dinner. But I think this weekend we will visit The Edge for their famous Sunday wood-burning oven pizza night. If I've learned anything about dining at The Edge over the last 2-3 years, it's that Chef Bryan Dame and his wife, Natasha (who is the sommelier and handles front of the house) do everything first class with the utmost attention to detail. So I'm sure their pizza will be quite above board.

There are two new places on our agenda this trip. One is Red Sky in Southwest Harbor (Martha Stewart's summer retreat). An outstanding review in the July issue of DownEast Magazine prompted me to call for a reservation. The reference to "unstuffy elegance" and the chef's vision of "ingredients as “back-up singers” that harmonize in a dish rather than overpower it" sold me.

A quirky little Mexican restaurant in Sargentville is also on the list. What I love about this place mainly is the name: El El Frijoles. Get it? So not only do they have a sense of humor, but their food is reported to be quite good. And it's down the road from the Eggemoggin Country Store which is famous for its doughnuts! Yes!

So, there you have it. Quite an ambitious culinary itinerary, don't you think? But I'm up to it. And my trusty camera is back from the repair shop so I will have a complete photo essay for you upon my return.

While you're relaxing this weekend, or eating or swimming or gardening, don't forget to raise a toast to our founding fathers. I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend!

A Variety of Topics

It's been awhile, but I've been busy gathering all sorts of food and restaurant data for you, my dear readers. Let's see, over the past two weeks I've visited 2 restaurants (one really good, one pretty good); cooked up a Lentil soup, and just today, baked a Banana Bread (photo above, hot out of the oven still in it's parchment paper wrapping). So it will be a jam-packed posting with varied topics, hopefully of interest to you.

I think I'll begin with the restaurants (in all honesty, there were a few more restaurants within that two week period, but I believe we should focus on the really good ones). Let's start with Saturday night's venture to Arturo's in Maplewood, NJ. Arturo's is located on a prime corner in adorable Maplewood. It is primarily a pizza shop but on Saturday nights, diners can opt for the tasting menu and embark upon Chef Dan Richter's flights of whimsy. This week's tasting consisted of eight courses for $50 per person (not unreasonable, we thought, when initially making the reservation). I had some hesitation about a tasting menu due to their usually small portions, but I figured eight courses should satisfy even Barry. Unfortunately, I had no idea how small these would be...let me clearly state that the food was delicious and there were plenty of "yummy" sounds emanating from our table. But when I tell you that one of the courses (scallops crudo in a Sicilian olive oil with watercress garnish) was exactly one scallop sliced micro-thin into four slices for the two of us to share, you get an idea of the size of these plates. Another course, foie gras ravioli, was served two on a plate, about 1 inch each. The server actually said to us when she laid the plate in front of us "that's for you to share." Other courses consisted of house-cured, paper thin pork shoulder, excellent beef carpaccio, and a delicious version of Tuscan ribolitto soup. The main course was a braised chicken leg served with one strand (I'm not kidding you) of broccoli rabe and two small, very creamy, Fingerling potatoes. A cheese course was served next with their homemade Farmer's cheese. The dessert course was a Panna Cotta with a very nice chocolate sauce. Now you may be thinking "hmmm...that sounds like alot of food," but trust me, I managed to eat every morsel of every course. My husband wanted to order a pizza to go as he was starving when we left. Of course, by that time we had been there three hours (!) having sat through what must be the slowest service in history. There's leisurely and then there's ridiculous. As I mentioned earlier, the food was delicious, but for $50/pp, I expect cloth napkins and flatware that wasn't borrowed from Folsom Prison. Oh, I also expect adequate portions - tasting or no tasting. I'm just sayin'...

But on Sunday night, all cylinders were firing (but not the pizza oven) at La Pizza Fresca in NYC. My friend, Noreen, found this listing of authentic Neapolitan pizzerias in the US and as NYC is only about 20 minutes away, we thought a trip was in order. We love pizza and if there is a chance to have real Neapolitan pizza close to home, we're on it. As it was a Sunday, we decided to have an early dinner so we arrived (after sailing through the Lincoln Tunnel and finding a parking spot on the street) about 5:30 (they opened at 5pm). We were so disappointed when the lovely hostess/ bartender told us that the pizza chef was delayed so there would be no pizza until 7:30! We were crushed - our hopes of authentic Neapolitan pizza dashed. We considered going elsewhere for dinner (we were in Manhattan, after all, in the Flatiron district), but after perusing the menu over a glass of Sangiovese, we opted to stay. And were we glad we did.

First of all, to appease us for the lack of pizza, the hostess brought us a plate of absolutely delicious and creamy mozzarella with ripe tomatoes and fresh basil. It just got better from there. Noreen and I both ordered the Grilled Calamari Salad, which was fabulous - large, fat, perfectly grilled squid nestled in mixed greens with Gaeta olives. Another primi thoroughly enjoyed was Barbabietole e Gorgonzola (beet salad, Gorgonzola cheese, pine nuts).

For mains, I had the hostess' recommendation of Rigatoni with Veal Polpetti (little meatballs) with San Marzano tomato (the meatballs were so delicate), Noreen had possibly the world's lightest gnocchi, my husband had the soup special (creamy, light, butternut squash), and Doug enjoyed Rigatoni alla Siciliana (eggplant, fresh mozzarella, San Marzano tomato). Dessert was also a cut above - authentic tira mi su and a mini chocolate souffle. The service was (as it should be) unnoticeable.

On the way out, we spoke to a woman who is a regular - she vouched for the pizza, saying it is outstanding. She also told us that on Sunday nights, the regular chef is off. A valuable tip for our next trip - this time definitely for the pizza.

I should also mention one of the other restaurants visited in the last couple of weeks was Gianna's in Carlstadt, NJ. No time to review here but it is an excellent "red sauce" Italian restaurant (the Bolognese sauce is wonderful).

Are you still with me? We'll wrap up quickly now with a recipe for Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping (I'm skipping the lentil soup recipe as it wasn't all I had hoped for). This is from one of my favorite food writers, Molly Wizenberg, who writes the wonderful blog, Orangette. This is so different from other banana breads because it has this fabulous crunchy topping of cinnamon and brown sugar, that kind of crystallizes on the top of the bread. If you've got some past-their-prime bananas, put them to good use with this recipe.

I was inspired because of a food writing course I am taking. Our assignment was to write about a food (the feel, touch, smell, taste of it) - my choice was the everyday fruit, the ubiquitous banana. Ah, but when you really see the banana for the first time, it's not so everyday. Do me a favor: the next time you have a banana, really look at it - it's small, compact, it travels well, it's good both raw and cooked - pretty near perfect, wouldn't you agree?

Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping

1-1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 C sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 t salt

1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium)

2 large eggs

1/2 C vegetable oil

1/4 C honey

1/4 C water

Topping:

2 TB sugar

1 t ground cinnamon

2-1/2 TB packed dark brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour a 9x5 inch metal loaf pan (alternatively, you can spray the pan lightly with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the sides - this makes it very easy to remove the bread from the pan after baking).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the bananas, eggs, oil, honey, and water. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir well. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.

Bake the bread until a tester inserted into its center comes out clean, about 1 hour, give or take a little. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then carefully remove the bread from the pan, taking care not to dislodge the topping. Cool completely before slicing. Makes 1 loaf.