Famous BROOKLYN Pizza...

While walking through downtown Brooklyn late last night, on the way home after seeing a fantastic production of Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway, we happened to see the following sign on Livingston Street:



I was absolutely floored. I grew up looking forward to our occasional trips to Elmhurst to visit family friends, and the real treat: stopping at Singa's Famous Pizza for lunch. Singa's is an institution in most of the desi neighborhoods in Queens and NJ now: at last count (not counting the Brooklyn location), there are 3 in Queens, 1 in Long Island, 1 in Jersey City, and 1 in Edison/Iselin. Actually, it's so much an institution, that it even found itself in the academic work, Becoming American, Being Indian, about the Indian American community in New York City by Dr. Madhulika Khandelwal:

"Among all New York Indians the food next in popularity to their own was pizza, which also suited the vegetarian preference of many immigrants. Indian families patronized the Pizza Hut chain, but the first notable indication of the popularity of pizza was the large Indian clientele of a restaurant in Elmhurst called Singa's Pizza. This Greek-owned pizzeria, opened in 1967, sold small eight-inch pie with various meat and vegetable toppings (including hot pepper) and became a favorite among Indian immigrants."

I always thought that "Singa" was an Indian name, but, as the quote above shows, I guess it was a Greek chain. But at least 40 - 50% of their clientele are desi. But forget all that. I can't believe that it's going to be in Brooklyn. As D said, that's one clear "plus" for going to Brooklyn Law School...