NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 41, No. 12
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2013
nyunews.com
Immigrant students speak out By KEVIN BURNS
RACHEL KAPLAN/WSN
Students spoke out at last night’s panel discussion, spotlighting the struggles of today’s undocumented scholars.
MamaGyro serves homey, healthy fast food By SANJANA KUCHERIA
Union Square is now home to the freshest of Greek fare. MamaGyro’s second New York City location opened on Feb. 6 and now officially caters to those in search of healthy, fast, homemade Greek food with a cultural flair. MamaGyro is run entirely by Stella “Mama” Likitsakos, her husband and their daughter, Vicki. All of the specialties and menu items served, as well as the vibrant cyan and white décor, reflect their Greek heritage and exhibit genuine customer service. The objective is to offer an inviting, caring and family-friendly atmosphere. “The only reason we call it ‘fast food’ is because there is no waiter service,” Vicki said. “There is nothing about our food that is [like typical] ‘fast food,’ in terms of quality.” Every recipe followed at MamaGyro is from the Likitsakos family, passed down from “Mama” to “Mama,” who only occasionally tweak the ingredients. All the dips, pies and desserts are made from scratch, and to deliver authenticity and freshness, new batches of dips and pies are made every two to three hours. An extremely popular choice is the tender rotisserie chicken gyro (one for $4; two for $7.50), which comes in your choice of
white or whole wheat pita, wrapped with tomatoes, red onions and French fries with Mama’s sauce, spicy mayo, tzatziki, honey Dijon, barbecue or hot sauce drizzled inside as well. Another favorite is the veggie burger ($5), which can come on either a toasted potato bun or your choice of pita, with tomatoes, red onions and hummus. “People are generally not too adventurous when they first step into the restaurant and usually get the gyro,” Likitsakos said. “But there are so many other options that have to be tried.” The homemade dips, in particular, stand out. There are the typical hummus and tzatziki dips, but MamaGyro concocts unique blends such as the eggplant (which includes onions, sun-dried tomatoes, sea salt and pepper) spicy pepper feta (also containing jalapeños and oil) and the black olive tzatziki (Greek yogurt, kalamata olives, cucumbers, dill, garlic, sea salt and oil) dips. They come in different sizes and are served with pita triangles. Savory pies are also offered, such as the spinach swirls ($4), a feast of spinach, feta, onions and dill, and the ricotta and feta-filled cheese swirls ($4). Further accompaniments include sides such as sweet potato fries ($4) and char-grilled souvlaki skewers (one for $2.50). The Likitsakos family also recom-
mends Mama’s tasty desserts, including the bite-sized chocolate baklava, which has a smooth, chocolate and honey filling, encased by a crunchy shell. With its convenient location and student-friendly prices, MamaGyro is sure to become a neighborhood hit. “The food we serve really is for all ages,” Likitsakos said. “We have students, families and [those from other businesses] trying our food.” MamaGyro is located at 820 Broadway between 11th and 12th streets. Sanjana Kucheria is a contributing writer. Email her at dining@nyunews.com.
RACHEL CABITT/WSN
MamaGyro offers healthy gyros, sauces and sides with a unique flair.
Last night, the Dream Team at NYU hosted a panel discussion on education for undocumented youth in America. Moderated by professor of Latino Studies Luisa Heredia, the panel featured three undocumented students. President of the Dream Team and CAS junior Taylor Digby said the purpose of the event was to raise awareness about the issues faced by today’s undocumented youth. “There are a lot of people at NYU who don’t know about undocumented students,” said Digby. “We wanted to let people talk to them.” Panelists Melissa Garcia Velez, Dominique Hernandez and Ivan Rosales discussed their struggles to secure a higher education while dealing with their undocumented status. Financial aid sparked heated debate
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Student raises charity funds with bike blog By DEBORAH LUBANGA When Stern freshman Lydia Guo received her official bike from Bike & Build, she knew her summer journey had begun. This June, Guo is biking across the United States with Bike & Build, a nonprofit group that coordinates bike trips for young adults who want to raise funds for affordable housing projects. In anticipation of the trip, Guo started a blog, aptly titled “Let’s Guo.” She launched the blog in January to jump start fundraising for her 10-week cycling trip, a journey that will take her from Providence, R.I., to Half Moon Bay, Calif. from June 7 through Aug. 20. Along the way, Guo and her fellow cyclists will help local housing organizations construct affordable homes. “I’ve always wanted to explore the country and meet people that I wouldn’t have ever met otherwise living in Palo Alto, Calif., my hometown, or in New York City,” Guo said. “My main goal is to become more familiar with the common American demographic
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