Aumm Aumm, a Neapolitan word that means hush hush or a secret, should not be associated with this restaurant. We want everyone to know that our dinner here was one of the better experiences we’ve had recently at a red-sauce restaurant. Located in a storefront, Aumm Aumm is small but adorable with brick walls, wood tables with cloth napkins, attractive bar and a wood-burning oven from Italy.
We shared a beautifully presented Aumm Aumm salad with endive, radicchio, baby arugula, roasted artichokes, eggplant, cherry tomatoes and caciocavallo cheese with balsamic vinaigrette. One order was big enough to share. I ordered two appetizers for an entrée and brought home enough for lunch the next day. The Sformatino di Melenzane alla Parmigiana containing sliced eggplant layered with mozzarella, a chunky plum tomato sauce and grana padano cheese was perfect. Equally impressive were slow-cooked braised tiny meatballs surrounded by a scrumptious tomato sauce and grana padano cheese. The second entrée was a beautifully presented Linguini allo Scoglio, consisting of baby clams, extremely tender squid rings, shrimp, scallop, mussels and cherry tomatoes over linguine in a light seafood broth. Dessert was a fudgy chocolate almond cake that reminded us of a brownie and was topped with vanilla ice cream.
Wines listed from different Italian regions are offered as well as a few from California and Chile. Many are in the $30 to $50 range and are priced from $28 for a 2013 Chianti DOCG from Toscana to $220 for a 2009 Barbaresco Ovello DOCG from Piemonte.
Aumm Aumm also offers on Sunday from 1 to 6 PM, a pre-fixe, four-course Neapolitan Family Style dinner which includes soda, wine and coffee for $45; children under 12, $25 plus tax and gratuity.
Aumm Aumm
7701 Broadway
North Bergen
201-713-9937
Pasta with seafood
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein
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