The GYRO With A Thousand Faces
Pun intended.
What is the correct way to pronounce Gyro?
I’ve always called it “Yee-roh” and on occasions, I’ve heard “JAI-ro,” “Gee-ro,” “Guy-ro,” and “Year-o.”
And for all the Greeks out there, I apologize for butchering your language, but it seems like America has a reputation for butchering languages. Don’t even get me started on the Asian languages because I’ve heard the oddest pronunciations for last names when I use to work as a receptionist.
Anyways, today we pay tribute to possibly one of the greatest things to eat when you want hearty, meaty, and messy (pass the napkins!) goodness: the gyro. Your choice: seasoned beef, lamb or pork wrapped in a warm pita bread, coated with tzatziki sauce (greek yogurt with cucumbers and seasoning), tomatoes and onions.
And the meat?
They’re stacked in a massive meat tower—or skewer, if we want to be technical—and carved off when prepared.
The Greeks aren’t messing around when it comes to fast food. Take that, McDonald’s!
Mikonos Grill is located in the heart of Milpitas. It’s walking distance from the City Hall and extremely close to the Embassy Suites, Kaiser Medical, Safeway, Yogurtland, Staples and an assortment of other stores and restaurants.
To give you a little background history, years and years ago, the location where Mikonos and Yogurtland currently sits use to be a Chinese restaurant.
Good memory?
Perhaps, but one of my uncles actually had his wedding banquet there. So when the Chinese restaurant closed and they tore down the foundation to lay down a new one, I never really had a chance to visit the new center. I just knew that was where Yogurtland was— if I ever needed those collectable Sanrio spoons.
This is a Public Service Announcement. Never stand in the way between the female population and their cute things.
Example A: when Yogurtland released those limited edition Sanrio spoons.
Example B: when McDonalds released those limited edition Hello Kitty Happy Meal merchandise.
Example C: when the Hello Kitty Cafe pulled into town two weeks ago.
Do you see the similarities?!
Now we will return to your regular broadcasting.
If I remember correctly, PC, YL and I were going to catch a movie at Great Mall, but first we were going to grab a bite to eat. Mikonos Grill had been on my “to try” list for a while, but one way or another, I haven’t found the right time to go—till now.
Mikonos Grill is a small fast food restaurant that serves delicious Greek food. You go in, order at the counter and they give you a number. Sit wherever you like and they bring the food to you once it’s ready.
Seeing how it was my first time here, I ordered the lamb gyro and the Greek fries to share.
|
| Don't underestimate the size. There's a lot of volume. |
The lamb gyro came out within minutes–piping hot—on a fluffy pita. Much like a lot of Greek food, the lamb was heavily seasoned and went well with the warm, grilled pita and cool tzatziki sauce and shredded lettuce. For some, the meat may come off as too salty, especially when you’re halfway through your gyro.
Eating gyro is always a messy affair. I don’t know if it is possible to eat it without using countless amount of napkins. There's a reason they provided a fork alongside, even though you can't see in the photo.
And this is coming from the person who is usually fairly clean when it comes to eating.
 |
| Finger-licking, mouth burning worthiness. |
Along with my gyro, I ordered a plate of Greek Fries to share. The fries were tossed with parsley, oregano, feta and garlic for some finger-licking goodness. These were so good, piping hot from the fryer. They were worth burning my fingers for trying to pick them up.
For dessert, YL ordered Loukoumades, which I have never heard or tasted before. So I was definitely excited to try.
 |
| Holy Balls! |
So if every culture has their own version of a wrap, every culture also had their own version of a DONUT. They were deep fried dough balls, sitting in honey syrup, cinnamon, and dusted over with a generous amount of powdered sugar. The people working there were kind enough to fry these for us only after we finished our meal, so that they wouldn't sit for too long and get cold. +1 for awesome service.
By that point, I was so full, but—there’s always room for dessert.
They were deep fried, but they were light when you bit into them. If anything, they tasted like comfort—if comfort was an actual flavor. Warm and not overly sweet, the three of us polished off the entire plate of loukoumades and left extremely full and satisfied.
Mikonos Grill is a popular establishment for the surrounding neighborhoods. There was always a consistent amount of people coming in and out, for to-go orders or to sit down and eat.
What’s your favorite place to go in the Bay Area for Mediterranean food?
756 E. Calaveras Blvd
Milpitas, CA 95035
