DINING
Unsung Gyros A small Greek restaurant boasts big flavors Story and photos by Madison Rutherford
T
he Greek Pita is aptly named. The small eatery makes up for its compact quarters – crammed into a corner of the frantic labyrinth that is the Shops at Norterra – with heaping platters of its namesake Mediterranean flatbread, bathed in baba ghanoush, bordering a hummus plate, flanking falafel and gyros, slicked with garlic sauce, stuffed with onions, lettuce and tomato and dusted with chopped parsley. What the restaurant lacks in space, it more than makes up for with its portions, flavors and authenticity. But don’t expect bells and whistles. The Greek Pita serves traditional Greek food, and that’s it. No twists, no modern treatments, no fusion fare – just good, honest Greek food. The Greek Pita sticks to what it knows. And it works. They say good things come in small packages. The Greek Pita is certainly small – like blink-and-you-might-miss-it small – but once you walk in, the size of the restaurant will become secondary to the glowing neon menu hovering over the counter like a halo. Pictures of pitas, hummus platters, salads and generous portions of slouvaki, shawarma, falafel and gyros immediately command attention. Expect to spend your first five minutes in the restaurant with your eyes glued to this glorious Greek smorgasbord. Pro tips: Try not to drool and don’t be afraid to ask the staff for explanations and recommendations. For example, “baba ghanoush” was Greek to me, but the beaming woman behind the counter cheerfully explained that it is a hummus-like dip made of mashed eggplant instead of chickpeas. I also learned that the eggplant is cooked on an open flame, giving the dish a subtle, smoky taste. It’s delicious, and served with a heaping plate of warm, doughy pita. After much standing, drooling and deliberating, I knew I had to try the falafel. Every type of cuisine has a certain food that serves as a standard-setting dish; if they can’t do that
From top: The falafel pita comes with a generous helping of falafel and fries; Greek Pita’s spanakopita is a must-try; Greek Pita’s baba ghanoush is served with a side of pita bread; Dolmas are a Greek delicacy wrapped in grape leaves.
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85085 | FEBRUARY 2019
right, you’re really in trouble. At sushi spots, it’s miso soup. At Chinese restaurants, it’s fried rice. At Greek joints, it’s falafel. These deep-fried balls made of blended fava beans and chickpeas are a culinary balancing act – they can’t be too dry or they taste like crunchy dog food, and if they’re too moist, they crumble and fall apart. The Greek Pita serves up enormous, crunchy spheres that strike the perfect balance – crispy on the outside and soft and spongy in the middle. Order it in pita form ($8.95), with the golden-brown balls cocooned in a piping hot pita and served with French fries, or the plate ($10.50), where they swim in a sea of yellow basmati rice, served with a small Greek salad, doused with a generous amount of zesty vinaigrette and liberally powdered with fresh feta. The Greek Pita also offers a plethora of meat options – chicken, beef and gyros, skewered or shaved right off the rotisserie. Don’t pass up the dolmas ($5.50), swaddled in dewy grape leaves and served with a side of tangy tzatziki or the spanakopita – a gilded, pillowy pastry with gooey spinach and feta interior. Each $3.50 serving comes with two pieces, so get a couple orders if you’re hungry or sharing. No Mediterranean meal is complete without a piece of baklava, and The Greek Pita’s is a layered, honey-laden slice of heaven stuffed with walnuts and sprinkled with a crown of ground pistachios. After you order your food, sit at one of the surprisingly roomy booths that border the tiny restaurant. Before you know it, a colorful blur of brimming paper plates will arrive at your table while mouth-watering spices waft through the air. Like clockwork, expect each dish to be perfectly punctuated with a side of piping hot pita.
The Greek Pita
2501 W. Happy Valley Road, Phoenix thegreekpita.com, 623-587-7482