Goccia! Ristorante & Pizzeria

Written by Fran Sikorski
Thursday, 26 February 2009 11:48

The last four years have been exciting and busy ones for executive chef Margherita Aloi who opened her first restaurant, Aloi, on Main Street in New Canaan, welcomed her first child with her husband Cliff Pereira, also a restaurateur, and, a year ago, opened another restaurant, Goccia! Ristorante & Pizzeria adjacent to the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk.

She’s a partner in both restaurants with Anthony Palmeri. Goccia  means a drop of water in Italian, chosen, Chef Aloi explained,  for the restaurant location near the Maritime Aquarium and Long Island Sound.

With its tall glass windows of the restaurant and affordable menu, Goccia welcomes diners, especially families, with a choice of 20 different styles of pizza and a special menu kids’ menu, $3.99 to $6.99, offering healthy choices like salads, fruit smoothies, grilled paninis, in addition to spaghetti & meatballs, macaroni & cheese, mini hamburgers, and chicken fingers with “whale” fries. A full regional Italian menu during lunch and dinner, with entrees ranging from $17 to $18.50, satisfies all tastes.

Among the personal size thin-crust pizza selections, $9 to $13, are Focaccia Robiola, white focaccia with robiola cheese, spinach puree and truffle essence; Parmense, with Prosciutto di Parma with arugula, tomato sauce and parmigiano cheese; Salsicce, hot and sweet sausage, roasted peppers and caramelized onions; and Curiosa, mozzarella, arugula, shrimp, spicy olive oil and shaved parmesan. The pizza recipe, according to Chef Aloi, is a traditional one she brought to the United States from Italy.

Chef Aloi, executive chef for both the New Canaan and Norwalk restaurants, is originally from the Piedmont region in Italy, and attended the Barolo Culinary Institute. After emigrating to the United States, she was executive chef at Arezzo, an Italian restaurant at 22nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and met Cliff Pereira, her husband-to-be, when she was with La Madri Restaurant, also in New York City.

Having sold his restaurant in Hackensack, NJ, Cliff Pereira is overseeing the operation of Goccia! assisted by Brittany Jensen as general manager.

The Goccia! menu offers dishes that combine Chef Aloi’s background and talents with her own experimentation. Signature salads, $9.50 to $13, are Cacao e Pere, arugula, endive, pears, black seedless grapes with shaved Tuscan pecorino cheese; Salsiccia e Fagioli; Arcobaleno, chopped salad of grilled vegetables and romaine, cannelini beans and mozzarella. Bar menu favorites are Calamari Fritti, squid and flash fried zucchini served with marinara sauce; garlic knots with fresh parsley; Italian shrimp cocktail; and spicy chicken wings with celery and Roquefort cheese sauce.

Among the favorite entrees, are Pollo Scarpariello, pan roasted free range chicken, rosemary, imported hot peppers, potatoes and Luganica sausage. Housemade pastas, half price portions available, enhancing  the menu are Fettuccine Caprese, homemade basil fettuccine with tomato and mozzarella; and penne Rigate d’ Elena, imported penne, pancetta, artichokes, green peas, sweet onions and a touch of cream.

Among the popular entrees are pan roasted salmon with a Dijon mustard sauce served with sautéed spinach and cherry tomatoes, and Tuscan style seafood stew with miniature shell shaped pasta.

One must save room for housemade desserts at Goccia! with the menu offering tiramisu, espresso flavored panna cotta; warm chocolate cake with vanilla gelato; lemon custard crème brulee with a hard caramel top; pizzatella, crepes served with Nutella hazelnut spread; and gelato and sorbet flavors of the day, all standouts.

A comfortable convenience is validated parking next door at the Maritime Garage while dining at Goccia!

Goccia! Ristorante & Pizzeria

Reservations accepted; handicap accessible; major credit cards, children’s menu; full bar, extensive martini ($9.50) list,  wines from $8 to $10 by the glass, starting at $36 by the bottle; Happy Hour 5 to 7 with half-price drinks and bar menu ($6 to $8);  regional Italian menu and pizza; vegetarian selections; take-out; off-premises catering; business casual dress; private functions; seasonal outdoor dining; validated parking at Maritime Garage next door.

Side dishes

Steve Cioffi and Bruno DiFabio of Ridgefield have opened Pinocchio Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant, with a full menu of, pizzas, grinders and entrees at 69 Westchester Avenue in Pound Ridge, NY, 914-764-4500. Serving and take out hours are 11 to 10 Monday to Thursday; 11 to 11 Friday and Saturday; and noon to 9 on Sunday. Bruno DiFabio has won awards in international pizza making competitions...A new dining room with a fireplace has been added to Marley’s of Wilton, located at 101 Old Ridgefield Road in the Wilton Town Green, and late night dinners are now served until midnight on Friday and Saturday evenings. Reservations, 203-834-2000.