AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Forks fell this past week when Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker accused Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer of, quote, "traveling 300 miles just to get better pizza." Whitmer, of course, was just traveling to the Democratic National Convention. But the question stands - of the two, which is better? Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, with its famous cheese pools, or Detroit-style pizza, with its focaccia-like crust? Well, for the first time, Yelp has named their top 100 pizza spots in the Midwest, and Loui's Pizza in Hazel Park, a Detroit suburb, came in first. Nyk Sulkiwskyj owns Loui's and joins us now from the prep kitchen. Welcome to the program.
NYK SULKIWSKYJ: How are you guys doing?
RASCOE: I'm doing good. And congratulations. Where were you when you found out the news?
SULKIWSKYJ: I got a text message at 6 in the morning from my food wholesaler guy letting me know about the news.
RASCOE: Oh, wow. And what has business been like since? Has it really jumped up?
SULKIWSKYJ: I had to call in some extra hands the last couple of days, and I'm thinking it's going to be a pretty heavy weekend, as well.
RASCOE: What makes Detroit pizza Detroit pizza? I really am just learning about Detroit pizza. I had some, I think, earlier this year. And what about your pizza at Loui's stands out?
SULKIWSKYJ: Well, the main thing that consists of a Detroit-style pizza is the use of Wisconsin brick cheese. And the Wisconsin brick cheese has a higher butterfat content, which adds to the flavor of a Detroit-style pizza. What makes the Loui's pizza No. 1 is we're not afraid to skimp on ingredients. We don't weigh anything out. We do everything by hand and by eye, and if it looks good, it's good.
RASCOE: Say it's my first time at Loui's. What do I have to order? What's the thing that you say I have to get?
SULKIWSKYJ: Me, personally - my favorite pizza is what we call a super, no fish. It's what a lot of other places would call, like, a supreme pizza. But our super, no fish is cheese, pepperoni, mushroom, onion, green pepper and ham. With me, I like to get it a little well done for a little more crispiness.
RASCOE: Oh, OK. That sound pretty good. OK. I might take the onions off. I don't know about the onions or the mushroom. Meat lover's - you got a meat lover?
SULKIWSKYJ: All honestly, the meat lover would have to be our No. 1.
RASCOE: And what comes on the meat lover's?
SULKIWSKYJ: So that comes with pepperoni, bacon, ham, Italian sausage and ground beef.
RASCOE: Do you do the thing with the pizza where you're spinning the dough? Does Detroit-style pizza have that?
SULKIWSKYJ: No. Actually, with Detroit-style pizza, we hand-press them into the pans.
RASCOE: You know, we're talking about Midwest pizza, but what about the coast? Would you want to put your pizza up against the famous New York slice or New Haven pizza or other famous varieties?
SULKIWSKYJ: Yeah, I don't see why not. Detroit-style pizza's gaining more and more attraction over the last couple of years, and the customers just enjoy it.
RASCOE: Well, that's amazing, and, you know, I'm always happy to get a slice anytime I stop through.
RASCOE: Next time I'm in the area. That's Nyk Sulkiwskyj, owner of Loui's Pizza. Thank you for joining us.
SULKIWSKYJ: Oh, thank you for having me.
DEAN MARTIN: (Singing) When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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