Friday night, we found ourselves wandering around Capitol Hill without a particular dinner destination in mind. This is pretty unusual for us; normally, by about Wednesday or Thursday, I am so excited about the approaching weekend that I have already planned out all of the places where we will go to eat. We eventually decided to swing by Via Tribunali in the hopes that they might have a table free. We were doubtful since this section of Capitol Hill gets exceedingly busy on Friday nights (it’s no wonder when you consider the fact that Capitol Hill hotspots Pike Place Fish Fry, Neumo’s, Quinn’s, Bimbo’s and Via Tribunali are all located within the same two blocks.) We lucked out! Not only did Via Tribunali have a table available but it was a table right by the big open garage door, about as close as you can get to outdoor seating in Seattle!
Via Tribunali (or “the Trib” as it is affectionately called by people around these parts) specializes in authentic Neapolitan pizza. Authentic is not just a pretty word being bandied about here; Via Tribunali’s pizzas are made in accordance with the strict regulations of the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association, a group founded in the mid-1990’s whose objective is to protect the tradition of Neapolitan pizza. In order to be certified by the VPN, you must follow all of their regulations which detail such things as how the dough is made, how the pizzas are cooked and what ingredients may be used (for example, only true San Marzano tomatoes, grown in the volcanic soil of Mt. Vesuvius, are allowed.) True Neapolitan pizza is made in a wood-fire brick oven which must be approved by the VPN. Via Tribunali’s oven was hand-crafted using supplies imported from Naples including bricks made from the ashes of Mt. Vesuvius. Even the guy who made the oven was brought in from Naples. Now that’s dedication!
The menu is, not surprisingly, primarily dedicated to pizza. There are a few salads and starters and a couple of calzones listed as well. The pizzas are all very simple in keeping with the tradition of Neapolitan pizza. If you like your pizza loaded up with tons of toppings, look elsewhere; these pizzas are all about good crust and good tomatoes (oh, and a little bit of cheese too!) I was really torn between the Margherita and the Napoletana which is topped with tomatoes, oregano, garlic and anchovies. I finally settled on the Margherita; you can’t go wrong with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil! Robert ordered the Toni Lupino which is topped with mozzarella, Italian sausage and coppa, a type of cured meat (pig collar, to be specific.) They were out of Italian sausage (crazy!) so he just got mozzarella and extra coppa.
Our pizzas arrived at the table hot and bubbly. They looked absolutely beautiful, and they tasted even better! The tomatoes were sweet and delicious and the mozzarella was creamy and comforting. I would have liked it if there were more than three leaves of basil on my pie but, again, that’s just part of the whole minimal ingredients thing. With all that luscious tomato sauce and olive oil, I thought for sure that my pizza would be soggy. Not at all! I guess this is where the stamp of authenticity comes in to play. The crust on this pizza was amazing! It was elastic and chewy, even in the center where the sauce had congregated. And, the bottom side of the pizza had just the perfect amount of char. A small word of warning: these pizzas are served unsliced so you’re going to have to do a little bit of work while you eat (I used a butter knife to cut into mine but you can also ask for a set of pizza shears.) Robert made fun of me throughout the meal for cutting my pizza into perfect, even wedges as I ate it. What can I say? I like a nice wedge of pizza. Besides, since I didn’t just tear right into it with my bare hands, I was able to slowly savor my pizza. And, this is pizza that should be savored. Delicious crust, silky tomatoes, creamy cheese and a big glass of Dolcetto d’Alba - I could eat like this every night!