Brooklyn Brothers Pizza Brooklyn Brothers Pizza - 1919 Hewitt Ave, Everett, Washington A Review of Brooklyn Brothers Pizza By Canarsie Slice.

It doesn't matter if you're a pizza loving food writer or simply a lover of real NY pie; New Yorkers who travel the world are always in search for the elusive "Back Home Slice". On occasion we stumble across a good attempt and can only find one or two faults with it. This is known as a good day because that's typically as close as you will get without buying a ticket to fly home.

I have written often about the words "New York Style". Imitators throw this term around loosely and it has become a red flag for anyone in the know. Understanding this, we still stop in on many of them to see who might have the goods (often leaving disappointed).

Today is a day that I found myself in Everett, Washington (north of Seattle) in a quaint area of town, that is eclectic and reminds me of Greenwich Village. There is a pizzeria there that claims to have authentic NY pizza and also has the balls to use the name of my hometown as its business name. I prepare myself to challenge such claims and do battle if needed and I make entrance.

Immediately upon entering I get a warm feeling of being in a no nonsense pizzeria that holds promise. The pie racks draw my eye and from across the room I can tell that they actually look like the real deal. My next thought is to size up the workers for proper attitude and I'm locked on this guy who not only sees what I'm doing, but he's got to be the owner and he's sizing me up for customer worthiness at the same time. Proper nods and body language quickly establish that we are from the same tribe and came from the same neck of the woods.

I bark my order "2 slices and 2 Stella's" "Cheese" he says "What else is there?" I say "I know! If I had my choice that would be the only pie I sell" he says I think to myself - It's going to be a good day!

I take the beers to our table as our slices enter the oven. Upon my return two of the most beautiful slices I've seen in a while are handed to me with a great sense of pride. I ensconce myself and begin my trip to Brooklyn. Perfect balance and extreme quality are blowing my mind. How can this be? When we're so far from the County of Kings!

As I return to the counter for another 2, my overwhelming joy forces me to shake the hand of the creator and introduce myself. I quickly learn of Don's passion for the pie first hand and it all begins to make sense.

Don Evola is from Bensonhurst, he and his wife Vicki work their pizzeria with the passion of the old world Pizzaiolo. They guard their ovens to assure the quality of the product. Don tells me that they worked for over 5 years with a full size pizza oven and a Hobart in a garage, to perfect the slow rise dough to NY standards. He also imports all the products from NY. He uses only San Marzano tomato's, Polly-O cheeses and homemade sausage. There is no substitution going on here and they are willing to spend more to be actual NY pizza and not NY Style Pizza! Don's passion for the pie was recognized at the International Pizza Challenge and he earned a sit down with the Pizzaiolo (and his translator) that bakes pies for The Pope. "Madone de mia" if that's not pedigree, what is?

As if it wasn't already a perfect day, Vicki & Don treat us to a delicious Cannoli. Brooklyn Bros. is going to save me a lot of air fare, as I no longer have to travel 2,408 miles to get a slice of REAL BROOKLYN PIE!!! New Yorkers get your a** over there, NOW!

I give Brooklyn Bros. Pizza 9.5 Fuhgeddaboudit's (Release the doves, have the Blue Angels do a fly over and throw your sneakers over the city electrical lines)