There was a nice, warm ‘feel’ to Zito’s on 7th
Avenue the instant I entered one morning a couple of weeks ago. Maybe it was
the formidable 1927 tables cadged from a former hotel, Remington Arms; perhaps
it was the half-a-century-old “King of Sausage” sign from Bari Pork Store in
Bensonhurst up on the wall, or maybe it was the bubbling enthusiasm and passion
of Marcello, co-proprietor.
Marcello,
who with his brother Enzo founded Zito’s, was born in Cobble Hill, and grew up
in the Italian section of Bensonhurst. It’s quite evident that Zito’s is a
throwback to those wonderful Italian delis Brooklyn residents of years ago
shopped and ate in. And Marcello echoes that sentiment: the ingredients of his
sandwiches are identical to those that “his mother would use.”
Sandwiches
are made with great care here. Marcello mentioned there’s no freezer for
preserving meats in the shop. Every day, they buy just enough foodstuffs for that
day – when a particular ingredient runs out, that’s it. Just like the old days.
The
meats come daily from traditional Italian butchers, including Salumeria
Biellese in Manhattan, Falcco’s Pork
Store in Dyker Heights, Ottomandi & Sons Meat Market in the West Village [for
beef], and Bell & Evans chickens. Mozarella is made fresh daily in the
shop, and bread is delivered every day from a third-generation, brick-oven
bakery.
The
sandwiches look fabulous to this hero [sandwich-variety] worshiper. I snuck in
a couple of days after the interview, and wolfed down a juicy, generously
portioned “Six Point Braised Roast Beef’ sub, made of roast beef, marinated
mushrooms, sautéed onions and home-made mozzarella. Absolutely divine.
There’s
a ‘Classic 13’ Hero menu, including the archetypical ‘Sausage and Peppers’
sandwich, named 18th Avenue Feast, harking back to an annual event,
now extinct, that occurred in Bensonhurst; the Panelle, a sandwich loaded up
with fried chickpea fritters; or how about the Trunzo, consisting of
prosciutto, mozzarella, roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes, then doused with
Balsamic vinegar. And, let’s not forget
the ‘parms’, chicken or beef, they’ll make for you, too. My salivary glands at this very moment are
working overtime, I’m afraid.
Traditional
stuffed rice balls, which this writer is not familiar with, are available as
well. Even the beverages are selected with great care: no Coke or Pepsi, but
Boylan’s Soda and Pelligrino’s are sold here. Beer? There’re five varieties of
Six Point, and Perroni’s, straight from the tap.
Zito’s,
of course, offers catered platters, too. A month ago, 500 sandwiches for $5
apiece were prepared for a social function at Methodist Hospital across the
street. They were all gone by meeting’s end.
I love
what the brothers Marcello and Enzo are attempting to do here: recreating a
past that evokes fond memories of great Italian-deli comfort food. Who doesn’t
like to take a crunchy, noisy first bite out of an honest-to-goodness,
overstuffed sub sandwich? Just serve top-of-the-line food, and they will come:
that’s the siren call of Zito’s Sandwich Shoppe. I wish them the best.
By Jim Israel
Jim@ParkSlope.com |
