USA – Aroma Kitchen & Winebar’s Summer 2006 menu moves to Southern Italy as the weather heats up. Hot New York night? AC busted? Apartment too small? What’s a couple to do? Transport yourself with Neapolitan, Sardinian and Sicilian flavors from the smoldering streets of New York City to the seats of a breezy outdoor Italian restaurant. Stop fanning yourself with your Fodor’s travel guide and escape to Italy via baked stuffed calamari and sumptuous pork chop Milanese. Pour yourself out of the sweltering heat and onto Aroma’s coveted, cool and indulgent al-fresco dining veranda while taking delight in a glass of a very surprisingly delicious sparkling red, wine Gragnano. It’s vivacious and fresh, full of intoxicatingly fresh aromas of strawberries and blueberries, a sweet entrance on the palate with a much more pleasant thirst quenching sour morello cherry finish accompanied by a great bubble fizz. This culinary respite conjures the taste and atmosphere of a carefree Italian vacation.  

Combining fresh, seasonal and local ingredients and focusing on authentic Italian cooking, Aroma captures the great cultural diversity of each region bringing together fresh tastes and simple flavors that typify Italian cooking today.  The carefully prepared and healthfully delicious dishes capture the essence of the Italian table and soul. Please find our full menu listing below, for reservations, please call 212.375.0100. For more information on Aroma’s Spring menu or to interview owners Alexandra Degiorgio & Vito Polosa interested media please contact Workhouse Publicity, Senior Executive Anna De Souza directly by telephone 212. 645. 8006 or via email anna@workhousepr.com.

AROMA SUMMER MENU
appetizers
warm beets, gorgonzola, fig jam, warm beet dressing  10
zucchini parmigiana, tomato sauce, three cheeses, basil oil  10
gratin of gnocchi, spinach, fontina, nutmeg béchamel, white truffle oil  11
meatballs, tomato ragu, smoked treccione  9
baked stuffed calamari, almond, shrimp, capers, parsley  12

salads
“aroma” caesar salad, parmigiano reggiano, poached egg, sicilian anchovy  9
Blue Sky organic mesclun, beets, toasted walnuts, ricotta salata palermitana, basil, mint  8
baby spinach, goat cheese, dried cherries, balsamic vinegar  10

pastas
pappardelle, bolognese ragu  16
ricotta cavatelli, fava beans, asparagus, pecorino  16
spaghetti, genovese basil pesto, shrimp, broccolini  17
garganelli, panna, pancetta, spring peas, white truffle oil  17
green lasagna, summer vegetables bolognese, mushrooms, nutmeg béchamel  17
linguine “al cartoccio”, baby clams, fennel, parsley, white wine  18

meats and fish
pan roasted lamb chop, cannellini beans, sun-dried tomato, capers  20
sicilian meatloaf, herbed polenta, cipolline onion, red pepper pesto, mascarpone  15
pork chop milanese, arugula, blood orange, val grana  18
braised monkfish, sardinian fregola paella, shrimp, lobster broth, sausage  19

sides
braised fennel  7
sautéed baby spinach  7
roasted potatoes  6

desserts
espresso “affogato”, café latte gelato  5
ricotta pie, 28-year old balsamic, stewed cherries  7
sicilian pistachio crème brûlée  8
homemade gelato and sorbet, cookies and cream  7
vanilla bread pudding, golden raisins, hot chocolate sauce  6
chocolate almond cake, citrus basil salad, citrus cream  8
traditional italian cheeses, poached dried fruits  13

Relaxed. Intense. Italian. Aroma Kitchen & Wine bar is an Italian restaurant intent on taking guests to refreshingly new levels of Italian food and wine enjoyment. Located next to the Bowery Bar in the East Village at 36 E. 4th Street between Bowery and Lafayette, Aroma feels like a secret wine bar in Rome. From the moment Alexandra Degiorgio greets you at the door, to the first scent of wine selected by Vito Polosa visitors to Aroma experience a casual, honest environment and dishes that capture the flavor and soul of Italy. It's a cozy space, yet it feels expansive. The wine list includes over 150 Italian wines, divided by region, including an extensive “by the glass” program. With seats comfortable enough for dining at the bar, a dining booth in the back and a sidewalk veranda, the restaurant seats 30. Additionally, Aroma’s cool Farmhouse Room, a private, subterranean escape, is accessed through a narrow staircase and winding catacombs and comfortably seats 20 guests.

MENU AND VENUE INSPIRATION
Alexandra Degiorgio and Vito Polosa’schildhood in the Mediterranean was founded in a culture with a strong, stable culinary tradition where great pleasure is derived from food and where dining is an experience to be savored. Great meals lasted for hours, bringing family and friends together. These meals were always prepared with local and fresh ingredients and with love, care and attention.

Since moving to New York, Alexandra and Vito have seen the same passion for food and drink but found the experience is rarely savored or remembered here. This passion is also often hindered by a fear that delicious food cannot be healthy for you.

After they met in November 2002, they created an escape in their home by hosting frequent dinners to celebrate friendships and family, food and wine. They dreamed of creating a restaurant that would bring back the values of fresh, local food that is carefully prepared coupled with wonderful wines and genuine service. Alexandra Degiorgio and Vito Polosa opened Aroma Kitchen & Winebar on March 2005 with a  vision to take guests to new levels of Italian food and wine enjoyment making every meal a memorable experience.

ATMOSPHERE
Aroma is a study in contrasts: The urban/rustic interior features exposed brick, a dark wood bar with natural edges juxtaposed with mirrors framed with brushed steel. The room is softly lit by both contemporary chandeliers and flickering candles. Aroma doesn't have a fancy cellar, but even the red wines are served at just the right temperature. Brought together by their shared passion for food, wine and entertaining, owners Degiorgio and Polosa are both as active behind the scenes as they are in front of the house. Alexandra, a native of Malta, was formerly a consultant for American Management Systems (AMS), an international information technology firm. Vito, from Potenza, Italy (just South of Naples) has extensive experience in service as waiter, head waiter or manager at such NYC restaurantsas Fiamma, Da Silvano, Bice and Il Gattopardo. Most recently, he was a wine salesmanfor Winebow, one of New York's largest wine and liquor distributors. The team brings passionate, focused intensity to the art of relaxing hospitality. They plan to share their enthusiasm with wine tastings, directed pairings and other educational programs.

HOURS
Aroma is open for dinner Tuesday – Thursday 6PM – 12AM, Friday – Saturday 6PM – 1AM, Sunday 5PM - 11PM. Aroma is open for "aperitivo" Tuesday – Friday, 5PM – 7PM  Aroma is located at 36 E. 4th Street between Bowery and Lafayette. For more information call 212-375-0100.