EVERETT – A Herald reader called and enthusiastically described the pizza and the ovens to bake them, and recommended we get right on over to Brooklyn Brothers Pizzeria.
The pizzeria opened the first part of January and only one brother, Don, works in the Hewitt Avenue location. The other two brothers, John and Victor, are in Las Vegas and California, but they were around for the planning stage.
In a brick building near Everett Events Center, the pizzeria has a more polished look than some other businesses in the historic downtown section. Plastered walls and a wrought iron banister give the dining area a touch of elegance, as do the black and red seat covers on the wooden chairs.
The newspaper clippings about the history of pizza or Italian neighborhoods, plus a subway map of the New York City-Brooklyn area, make waiting informative. Oversized photos of turn-of-the-last-century Brooklyn, the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge tie everything together.
The menu hangs over the order counter at the rear of the dining room. One of my favorite appetizers – fresh mozzarella cheese and tomato slices with olive oil and balsamic vinegar – is on the menu, along with a roasted garlic and red pepper sauce on flat bread. Appetizers and salads – Caesar and mixed greens – are $5.95 to $6.95, and calzones are $7.95.
Pizza comes as round, thin-crust Napolitano or square, thick-crust Sicilian, and both cost $13.95 for a 16-incher. Individual slices ($2.89) are served at lunch. The toppings list takes up a large section of the menu and includes two types of olives, roasted red or fresh green bell peppers, red onions, artichoke hearts, pepperoni slices, handmade sausage, roasted garlic and, of course, extra cheese or extra sauce. My friend ordered our pizza – thin crust, sausage with mushrooms, black olives and extra sauce. I also ordered the mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes. We completed our dinner with draft, microbrewed beers ($3.50).
The pizza dough is hand-tossed, then baked in the latest-technology ovens that cook the pizzas seemingly quicker than a person can load on the toppings.
My friend and I watched our pizza bake and spin inside the stainless steel oven while I enjoyed my salad of fresh, cool greens and small tomatoes with a smooth and gentle olive oil-balsamic vinegar dressing.
When our pizza arrived, chef-owner Don expressed his concern about our extra sauce. He was afraid our crust would be soggy and indicated that next time he would put the extra sauce on the side like he does with calzones. He was right, and it was our fault. The center of our pizza was a tad soggy but still tasty, and the outer portion of the pizza gave us a slightly crisp crust with all the flavor of an authentic sauce.
No wonder that Herald reader was so excited.
Herald restaurant reviewers accept no invitations to review, but readers’ suggestions are always welcome. Reviewers arrive unannounced, and The Herald pays their tabs.
Contact Anna Poole at features@heraldnet.com.
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