Favorite NYC Gyro.....

[Nockerl]

Having grown up in Queens near Astoria I was lucky enough to sample Gyros from many of the local tavernas. The two that stand out and in this order are:

1. Romano's Famous Pizza on Broadway and 33rdst.

2. Tony Opa's on 31st Street off 30th Avenue.

Both are what I think are outstanding examples of this tasty sandwich. Each has their own proprietary blend gyro made with ground lamb and beef seasoned with varying amounts of garlic, spices and oregano. Slowly cooked for hours on a rotisserie spit they each serve their sliced meat with copious amounts of thick, garlicky tzatziki studded with lots of cucumber and sans dill. Rounding it out is the warm, brushed with olive oil, slightly bready pocketless pita.

I'm dying for one just thinking about it.

So what's yours?

[tommy]

i don't know from good gyros, but i know that bereket (houston) is one of my most favorite 30 square feet of earth in the universe.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Yatagan on MacDougal Street blows Opa Opa so far out of the water it's almost in Greece. In general, I find that Turkish is usually better then Greek in this category.

[Nockerl]

Yatagan on MacDougal Street blows Opa Opa so far out of the water it's almost in Greece. In general, I find that Turkish is usually better then Greek in this category.

Doner and gyro are, in my opinion, very different animals. So if your preferece is the Turkish style then I can see why you find Opa Opa rather less than.

With that said, I've never been to Yatagan and look forward to trying it. !

[Orik]

i don't know from good gyros, but i know that bereket (houston) is one of my most favorite 30 square feet of earth in the universe.

I typically find myself there in hours and states of consciousness that make it harder to evaluate food, but I don't care much for their gyro/doner. I did notice that an egyptian place just opened next door, with hookahs, belly dancers and a largely egyptian crowd, haven't tried their food yet.

Back to the topic, did anyone try Village Shawarma yet? (although it may be argued that like doner, it is not identical to a gyro)

[Stephanie]

I agree--not a big fan of Bereket's gyro. I may have to give their falafel a chance though.

I always had a soft spot for the gyro at Karavas on West 4th Street. Huge portion and lots of onion. One day I ought to sample the ones in Astoria.

[LaNiña]

Astoria rules for this type of food. Bereket is okay when you're in that 'hood and it's late at night, but it's far from excellent in the genre.

My favorite of late is El Manara, on Steinway St. Egyptian style, outta this world.

[foodgeek]

I agree--not a big fan of Bereket's gyro.  I may have to give their falafel a chance though.

I always had a soft spot for the gyro at Karavas on West 4th Street.  Huge portion and lots of onion.  One day I ought to sample the ones in Astoria.

I even like the chicken gyro at Karavas. :) *ducks and runs away*

[Steve Plotnicki]

Doner and gyro are, in my opinion, very different animals. So if your preferece is the Turkish style then I can see why you find Opa Opa rather less than.

Now aside from the fact that Turkish style might be better, what exactly is the difference between Turkish style and Greek style?

[stefanyb]

Doner and gyro are, in my opinion, very different animals. So if your preferece is the Turkish style then I can see why you find Opa Opa rather less than.

Now aside from the fact that Turkish style might be better, what exactly is the difference between Turkish style and Greek style?

And, by the way, I hope that only people who have a thorough and first hand knowledge of both Turkish and Greek gyro/doner kebab try and answer since otherwise you're wasting my time, and I'm not afraid to say it on the board

[Steve Plotnicki]

What do you think the odds are that Romano's Famous Pizza has the best gyros in the city?

[Orik]

Now aside from the fact that Turkish style might be better, what exactly is the difference between Turkish style and Greek style?

And, by the way, I hope that only people who have a thorough and first hand knowledge of both Turkish and Greek gyro/doner kebab try and answer since otherwise you're wasting my time, and I'm not afraid to say it on the board

I got some PMs saying gyro is an american invention, made of pressed ground meat, while doner is (supposedly) made of sliced lamb.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Doner seems like pressed ground lamb to me. But tell me, are people afraid to say that on the board? Why would someone PM that information? Is it top secret?

[Nockerl]

Doner and gyro are, in my opinion, very different animals. So if your preferece is the Turkish style then I can see why you find Opa Opa rather less than.

Now aside from the fact that Turkish style might be better, what exactly is the difference between Turkish style and Greek style?

And, by the way, I hope that only people who have a thorough and first hand knowledge of both Turkish and Greek gyro/doner kebab try and answer since otherwise you're wasting my time, and I'm not afraid to say it on the board

Doner kebab is made by stacking alternating layers of ground lamb, sliced leg of lamb (which has been pounded thin and marinated, usually in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil and sometimes garlic) and often lamb fat on a large upright skewer, which is slowly rotated in front of a vertical grill. As the outer layer of the meat is roasted, thin slices are shaved to be served.

Gyro, while similar, is made from ground meat only (beef and lamb). Gyro tends to be more highly seasoned with onion, garlic, oregano and thyme and sometimes lemon juice.

What makes them different animals in my opinion is that doner uses sliced and ground lamb giving a somewhat different texture (slightly chewier) than the ground meat gyro. Also the use of both lamb and beef in the gyro gives it a less intense lamb flavor than the doner.

I think this is a fairly significant difference and gives each very distinct flavor qualities. Suffice it to say that while both are primarily pressed ground meat, lamb in this case, they taste quite different from one another.

Steve, do you prefer the doner over gyre because of its more intense lamb flavor?

Does this answer your question?

[Nockerl]

What do you think the odds are that Romano's Famous Pizza has the best gyros in the city?

Romano's, despite the name, has been owned by the same Greek family for many years. It is quite possible that they have the best but I always feel that saying someone makes the best is kind of pointless. How many "Best of NY" issues of New York Magazine leaves you scratching your head about who has the best burger or slice of pizza. Regardless, I didn't say they were the best, I said that they were my favorite. Have you ever had one? If not then take a ride out on the N train and give it a shot. I'be been going there for 20 years and have been very pleased with their blend of gyro and their thick rich tzatziki. You may try it and agree or scratch your head and think I'm crazy but don't belittle it until you've atleast tried it.

I've no quarrel with you and merely started this thread to be a part of the site and to see what people like and where they go for gyros or doner for that matter.

[Steve Plotnicki]

The doner kebab I know is the same as gyro. Ground and pressed lamb with spices. I don't know of any lamb dish on a vertical rotisserie that uses sliced lamb other then schwarma which is sometimes turkey and sometimes a combination of lamb and turkey. But you had a good defense of Romanos and I will go try it next time I'm in Queens which is often. I've eaten many gyros at Opa Opa in my day. I don't think it's as good as it used to be. But even when they were at their best, I don't think it's as good as Yatagan. You should try it. Also the doner at Sahara in Brooklyn is good if you ever get out that way.

[tighe]

I've no quarrel with you and merely started this thread to be a part of the site and to see what people like and where they go for gyros or doner for that matter.

See, what you don't understand is that simply stating that one enjoys a restaurant or food that Mssr. Plotnicki deems inferior is tantamount to starting a quarrel.

Just asking him about the thrashing I got for daring to compliment the Turkish restaurant Dalga.....

[Steve Plotnicki]

Not Dalga again . Do you still think it's good? Should I try it again? I'm going to have a hard time convincing Mrs. P.

[ngatti]

Hey Nockerl, Why don't you tell Steve how much you dislike Katz's pastrami sandwich.

(eff it, things were much to quiet around here )

Nick

[Steve Plotnicki]

Or maybe he can tell us how Peter Luger's should close because they aren't good anymore.

[tighe]

Not Dalga again  . Do you still think it's good? Should I try it again? I'm going to have a hard time convincing Mrs. P.

Actually I haven't made it back to NYC since. I will be in town around the holidays and am planning on a trip to the Turkish place in Queens that you reccomended. Maybe Beyoglu also, since many here have had good things to say about it. Given the limited number of meals I can squeeze into four days, Dalga probably won't make the cut, this time at least.

[anil]

Without taking sides let me clarify -

Gyro - In Greece, anything pressed meat on vertical rotating skewer is a yiros. Sliced Pork, in a skewer is as much a yiros as lamb or beef. The word "doner" is more prevelant outside Greece.

In Istanbul, it is called sis kababsi Here it is predominantly lamb. However, it is the spices and herbs that dominate the meat (After all it being the biggest Spice Bazzar in the world)

A neat thing I saw in Istanbul was the skewer was sometimes bent at an angle and rotating like a screw, which some say gives different texture to the meat since the surface temperature of the slices of meat are different. Doner kebebsi is predominantly lamb.

So can a doner kebabsi be a gyro ? Si senor - because yiros in greek means 'to rotate" In Istanbul any kind of meat on a skewer is called a kebabsi - hence doner kebab :) an then there is sharwma

[tigerwoman]

The Jerusalem Cafe uptown on 103rd or so and Broadway make a very good sliced meat version which they shave off the rotating spit and then grill with onions - ask for lots of onions!! Not sure which part of the arab world they are from - possibly Egypt - don't let the name fool you.

Their falafel is very good too.

[Nockerl]

I've no quarrel with you and merely started this thread to be a part of the site and to see what people like and where they go for gyros or doner for that matter.

See, what you don't understand is that simply stating that one enjoys a restaurant or food that Mssr. Plotnicki deems inferior is tantamount to starting a quarrel.

Just asking him about the thrashing I got for daring to compliment the Turkish restaurant Dalga.....

Jeepers Batman!

[Nockerl]

Hey Nockerl,  Why don't you tell Steve how much you dislike Katz's pastrami sandwich.

(eff it, things were much to quiet around here     )

Nick

Troublemaker

I was reared on that Pastrami!

Or maybe he can tell us how Peter Luger's should close because they aren't good anymore.

Now why would I want to go and do that? Inflammatory remarks will get you everywhere