Mano ciao Roberto: Amano: Ridgewood, NJ

Update (20080119):  the Bergen Record reports that Roberto Caporuscio is no longer with A Mano.  More troubling, the approach to pizza-making has changed as well.  Back to the original post...

FINALLY, a newer update and a report on the pizza can be found here (click).

I've been watching the progress of Jerry's Italian market in Ridgewood.  Readers will recall how excited I was when I spoke with the folks at Jerry's and was told that they'd be opening a brick oven pizzeria with true Neapolitan style pizza.  Well the story might be a bit more interesting:

Last night I was poking around the pizza making forum and saw this post that quoted something from the dosco.org website (I have no idea what that is).  Apparently, a restaurateur from Pittsburgh named Roberto Caporuscio, who had a highly-regarded pizzeria called Regina Margherita Pizza, is opening Mano Ciao Roberto at 24 Franklin Ave, in Ridgewood, which happens to be the same corner as Jerry's.  See where I'm going with this?  Of course you do.  Confused yet?  Me too.

If what I read is correct, this guy is no joke when it comes to Neapolitan style pizza.  I could have been more accurate than I knew when I guessed that this pizza might end up being known as the best in NJ, and the best that you've tasted.

Update:

It's confirmed:  it's Roberto Caporuscio.  The place is called Amano (or, perhaps, A mano).  It's almost done, and they've been in there practicing the cooking and serving.   I spoke with a guy working on the final details of the interior and he told me that the pizza is amazing.  Same for the gelato, which is made right there.  I'm told it'll be open by the end of January, 2007.

It's connected to Jerry's, and there's obviously a relationship of some sort, but I believe this is Roberto's gig.

This is the most exciting and notable food event in Ridgewood, and perhaps north Jersey, ever.

Comments

[Robyn]

Awesome gelato and pizza in Ridgewood? Good god, you know how to make NJ look appealing... ;) I look forward to checking it out!

[tommyeats]

Good to see you back in the states, Robyn. I see your blog is as active and beautiful as ever! Everyone, please check it out, if you know what's good for you: The Girl Who Ate Everything

[jacqueline]

this place is AMAZING. everything imported from italy. everything is so much more than delicious! not your fold-the-slice-in-half kind of place.

[Derek]

Stumbled across your blog looking for a review of Broad Street Smokehouse. Being a lifelong Bergen County guy, this is just what I need! Keep up the good work.

[tommyeats]

Derek, thanks for the kind words. Feel free to share some of your favorites too! I get in a rut often.

Jacqueline, how did it happen that you were able to try the pizza at A mano? I know they've been practicing, but I haven't been lucky enough to be invited or be walking by at the time. :(

I did see a big Jerry's truck out front today though, and a lot of cans and boxes in Jerry's. The whole mess looks to be a go very soon.

[Daniel]

My wife's ex-husband's stepdaughter (tortured connection!) is a waitress at A Mano. They had a practice service for family last week and the reports I got (from a 12 year old and a 15 year old)say that the pizza is similar to Brooklyn Pizza around the corner. And they definitely need to work out the kinks.

I drive past almost every day, and it is torture! I can't wait for my first taste.

[tom persinger]

Roberto makes amazing pizza! he was located in Pittsburgh, PA and closed his shop to move to NJ.... we're very sad. You are very, VERY LUCKY. and his sisters deserts are a thing of sheer pleasure... i'll be passing near Ridgewood soon, and you can bet I'll go out of my way to get a Mast Nicola by one of the truly great modern masters.

[Daniel]

I stopped by a few minutes ago to pick up a menu. It is certainly open, with a few people eating. The menu is what one would expect, with antipasto $8-$11, salads at $6-$8, and pizzas running from $8-$15. The desserts are displayed in a refrigerater case and look very good. The gelati look good too. It seems like a serious place. The first pizza on the menu is called "Mast' Nicola," and is described as pecorino romano, extra virgin olive oil and basil. That sounds like a good place to start. Next door in the deli it looks like they are beginning to stock the shelves, so it can't be much longer.

[chefdave]

Oh man....I wish I'd known it was open last night. We went to BKLN for pizza last night for dinner, and while I'm always very pleased with their pie it would have been cool to try the new place.

[tommyeats]

yeah, they opened last night, and i went today for lunch. the verdict is that it's one of the best pizzas i've ever had. go for dinner tonight before you can't get near the place. i've written something up here.

[vicki]

the pizza, desserts and cappuccino are THE REAL DEAL.

[Freddy]

Finalmente !!! Che bello !!!!! verrò sicuramente a mangiare una bellissima pizza !!!

[Bosmer]

I went here last night...I don't see the big deal. I thought the pizza wasn't very good. The crust was undercooked and became soggy/runny from the ingredients on top. Overall, the flavor of the pizza was bland.

[tommyeats]

I think it's a matter of expectations. I suspect that most people have not had Neapolitan-style pizza (there are really only a handful in NYC, and most of those are really "New York-Neapolitan-style"). If you try to compare it to NY-style, you're going to be disappointed. It has less salt, less cheese, and it is not designed to be eaten by hand, but rather with a knife and fork. The crust will likely not be crispy. It's more bread-like.

[Sandra]

If a pizza is meant to be eaten with a knife and fork, it shouldn't be served cut into slices.

[tommyeats]

you should send a note to Naples and tell them they're doing it all wrong.

[A Mano]

Ciao Tutti!!!!! Thank you all so very much for the wonderful thoughts about our new project. We are still, of course, in the "getting started phase" but are very encouraged by your initial reactions. If you have any questions or concerns, please ask for Roberto.
PS. Jerry's is scheduled to open on Monday 2/5/07
Grazie

[Sandra]

Pizza is street food in Naples. Not too many folks wandering the streets with fork and knife. Which is it- sliced and to be eaten with the hands or whole and to be cut with knife and fork.

[tommyeats]

i don't know that pizza is always street food in Naples and that it's never pre-cut.

Regardless, I think people would complain if the pizza wasn't pre-cut, but perhaps Roberto will take requests for a non-pre-cut pizza. It's unfortunate that this is confusing to some. Personally, i use a combination of a knife, fork, and my fingers.

[A Mano]

Exactly. We cut the pizza as nearly all of our customers request it that way. If you prefer it to be not sliced, simply request it that way. I like the combo method as well.

[Bosmer]

My issue with the crust being soggy had nothing to do with the way I was eating it. The pizza had to be consumed with a knife and fork because it is so mushy. Also, the pieces of prosciutto were very long pieces that had to be cut with a knife.

The overall taste of the pizza is uninspired and the issue with the crust just exasperates the situation.

The arugula, and other ingredients, were fresh and of good quality but somewhere along the way the flavor just isn't as exemplary as I had expected upon reading the reviews here beforehand.

[Aspen]

From the moment you walk into the newly opened A Mano restaurant in Ridgewood, N.J., - you are walking into an authentic Italian atmosphere... just one look around, especially at the quality of the imported details and YOU know this is the REAL DEAL. Then, once you are seated and experience the authenticity of the antipasti, the salads, the pizza, the desserts and cafe -- YOU are the REAL DEAL! THAT is - the Italian food connoisseur! E magnifico!!!!

[girlie]

Sandra - I've never been served a pizza in a restaurant in Italy that's been pre-sliced. The streetfood pizza, in Naples and elsewhere, is either small enough to just be folded in half and eaten, or really large and sold in portions by weight.

If you're interested, here's a post we wrote about visiting Pizzafest in Naples last September.

http://bootsintheoven.typepad.com/boots_in_the_oven/2006/09/a_brief_school_.html

Tommy, so sorry to hijack your blog like this!

[Dayna]

Ridgewood--count yourself as lucky! Pittsburgh's loss is Ridgewood's gain. We miss you, Roberto, and haven't had a decent pizza since your closing night in the 'burgh. To those new to Roberto's style of pizza, a few words of advice. If your pizza crust was soft in the middle, it is because the tomato sauce is thinner than you're used to because Roberto's is so fresh. The fresh mozzarella also is different, because it doesn't "melt" the way traditional grated mozz. melts. These pizzas are very authentic to what is served all across Italy, not just near Naples. Many pizzarias in Italy serve their pizzas sliced--just depends on the proprietor's preference. Don't know what's on Roberto's new menu, but he used to make my kids a "Nutella pizza" that is a pizza crust cut horizontally (like opening up a pita) and filled with Nutella (a chocolate/hazelnut spread). It's to die for! So are his antipasti--usually olives, cheeses and various spreads, and desserts-- tiramisu, gelati, and anything his sister makes (when she's visiting from Italy.) We might just have to drive to New Jersey in the near future...

[Karen]

Speaking of Ridgewood, I noticed that a "Soup Man" (aka "Soup Nazi") franchise opened on Chestnut Street. Always was curious to find out if the soups were really worth waiting on line for, but never ventured to their midtown location. Has anyone tried the place? The pics of the lobster bisque do look tempting, but for 9 bucks for takeout soup, it better be AMAZING.

[chefdave]

The soups at the original location were MORE than worth waiting for. I tried take out from the spot in Ridgewood and was under-whelmed. But I think it's only fair to give it a second chance, which I plan to do soon.

[Natalie Komacek]

Ciao, Roberto,
li manchiamo così tanto a Pittsburgh! Roberto fa la pizza che migliore abbiamo mangiato mai. Spero che Ridgewood stimi Roberto perché è un cuoco meraviglioso! Speriamo di vederli presto! Molti amore,
Natalie & Dan Komacek Pittsburgh

Hello, Roberto,
We miss you so much in Pittsburgh! Roberto makes the best pizza we have ever eaten. I hope Ridgewood will value Roberto because he is a wonderful cook! We hope to see you soon!
Much love,
Natalie & Dan Komacek
Pittsburgh

[JOE]

i've been into amono couple of times... starting from the service, exelent that is all i can say... waitstaff is very friendly and pleasant. Food its self is amazing my favorite is MANO. What tops it is the fresh prosciutto, arugula and gran cru chesse that is placed on top...most importantly food was delivered fast... their dessert is always fresh..my favorite is the caprese (choc. tart) served with gelato i am looking foward to the next time.... ciao...

[PeetsaPete]

Have you tried this place since the chef left??? The Bergen Record said that he left. It looks like some people are happy about it on the Second Helpings page.

[tommy:eats]

Haven't yet Pete. Will soon. I'm none too pleased with the changes though.

Frankly I'm not sure "people" are happy on the Second Helpings blog. It looks to me like the "people" on Bill Pitcher's blog are more like "person." If the reaction and subsequent behavior of a certain person who posted about A Mano here (above) is any indication, it's the same person with the same habit of posting under different names. IP addresses clearly showed that here, and no doubt will show that on the Bergen Record's blog.

You have to wonder: doesn't that person have something better to do with his or her time? Yikes. Yowza. Scary.

[Ev]

I think there are actually TWO "people" on Second Helpings who are still ok with A Mano's pizza...me, and a guy named John, who I assure you isn't also me. ;-)

I'd say that the pizza I had the other night was a B/B+. When Roberto was making them, they were As. It's still a far better option than any other pizza I can get in NNJ!

[Freddy]

We just ordered A Mano for the first time... and were really disappointed. We ordered a well-done Pizza margherita and asked to have some prosciutto put on. When we picked up our pizza,the crust was well done, but that was about it. The pizza didn't have any basil on it and the prosciutto was slopped on top (not even cut or cooked). Neadless to say, it was a sloppy mess to eat. On a better note, the coconut gelati was amazing!!

[tommy:eats]

a couple of things in reference to Freddy's comment.

i would be very surprised if there was no basil on the margherita. people seem to expect a whole bunch, but that style of pizza generally has about 3 leaves on it. it's not a topping, per se.

proscuitto is put on pizza after it comes out of the oven. you shouldn't expect it to be "cooked." i've never seen it cut up, nor do I cut up proscuitto when I make my own. that's what a knife is for.

if you felt it was sloppy you're probably not accustomed to neapolitan-style pizza.

i'd also suggest that this style of pizza is best enjoyed right out of the oven, not put in a box and driven home, which will take about 4 times the amount of time that it took to cook in the first place.

[Ev]

Tommy, you need no additional backup (and certainly not from me), but here (can you make it a pretty link?):
http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2008/06/european-union-pizza-margherita-napoletana-rules-standards.html