(Photo: Jeremy Liebman for New York Magazine)

Da Enzo Ristorante
494 Ninth Ave., nr. 39th St.; 212-947-7000
It’s not that former Bussola co-owner Enzo Cammarata’s new restaurant, ensconced in the back of Manganaro’s Heroboy, isn’t an unexpectedly elegant find. It’s not that the spaghettini Siracusana isn’t delectable. And it’s not that the wine list and the old-world service aren’t terrific too. It’s just that the man’s gelato—based on his father’s exacting recipe—is so mind-numbingly good, it’s hard to focus on anything else. (Try the nocciola if you’re a hazelnut freak; even better is the affogato made with the ricotta flavor.) “Nobody beats us in gelato,” explains Cammarata, with the air of a man who is simply stating the facts, such as they are. “Even the guy from Il Laboratorio, Snyder, he says, ‘Your gelato is the best.’ He said this to my face.”

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• Archive: “Restaurant Openings & Buzz”
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• Table of Contents: Dec 4, 2006 issue of New York | Subscribe!