Chow Down Atlanta

A sandwich is a sandwich is a sandwich, no? Well, not really. Such is the case of the gyro, the pita, and the shawarma. Although the terms are often used interchangeably by many, there are differences in the types of breads, meats, national origin, method of cooking, and seasonings.

In a nutshell. The Greek gyro uses soft pocketless, thick, pita bread. The meat comes from a spit. The sandwich is garnished with lettuce and tomatoes and topped with yogurt-based tzatziki sauce. The pita, a famous sandwich in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, uses a thin, round, airy, pocket bread. Hummus and tahini are common condiments used. The shawarma also uses meat from a spit and a pocket pita bread. However, it is rolled then flattened on a press once filled.

Here are my favorite places for such sandwiches: Cafe Agora, Best Bread Baking Co., and Jerusalem Bakery.

Cafe Agora has the best gyros in the city. The soft, grilled pita bread is filled with tender slices of delicious, marinated meat roasted on a spit. They have two kinds: mixed lamb and beef and chicken breast. Each is equally fantastic. Fresh shredded lettuce and thick tzatziki sauce are both added to complement the savory meats.

Tucked inside an office and warehouse complex, Best Bread was an instant sensation. The bakery doubles as a lunch spot and usually offers two pita sandwiches: Falafel and Chicken Schnitzel. The falafel, which I call a fried vegetable ball, is very tasty here. It has hints of garlic and herbs. Fried to a golden brown, they are stuffed inside fresh-baked, doughy, pita bread. The romaine lettuce and tahini sauce complement the sandwich. But you can’t just have the falafel. You must also try the delicious Chicken Schnitzel that is made with two pieces of tender, moist chicken, lightly battered, then golden fried. Both the falafel and the schnitzel have that tantalizing crunch on the outside which shifts to a soft inside as you bite down. So good.

Shawarmas at Jerusalem Bakery are made with savory pit-roasted meat that is sliced then stir-fried on a griddle. There are many condiments and toppings to go with your shawarma including pickled beets, parsley, pickles, hummus, and tabouleh, to name a few. The rolled sandwich is then pressed in a panini press for a minute. The result is a slightly crunchy, thin pita filled with yummy goodness. By the way, the in-premise bakery makes all the fresh bread.

More info:

Cafe Agora
262 E Paces Ferry Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 949-0900

Best Bread Baking Co.
2080 Peachtree Industrial Ct
Ste 101
Chamblee, GA 30341
(770) 455-6277

Jerusalem Bakery Alpharetta
4150 Old Milton PKWY
Alpharetta, GA 30005
(770) 777-0193

Technorati Tags: gyro, pita, shawarma, Atlanta

It took a food buddy (in my case, buddha) to get me into the loving hospitality of Al, owner-slash-host-slash-cashier at Cafe Agora. I don’t exactly know why I’m probably the last person in the city to go here considering I love Mediterranean food and have tried just about every other restaurant offering this type of cuisine; but it doesn’t matter now.

“Have you been here before?” asked Al sizing me up.

“Nope. And I eat everything,” I answered.

With that brief exchange, Al grabs a big plate and decides we should start with the Mixed Maza platter. Fine. I love platters. Of food. Minutes later, a smorgasbord of dips and appetizers (nine, if I counted right) came before our eyes. Not only was the offering beautiful, every single item on the platter was delicious.

The hummus was creamy with just the right amount of garlic and lemon juice, the sour cream-dill dip was divine — thick and creamy. The eggplant salad was very flavorful. I found a new favorite in their Havuc Salatasi (a carrot salad of sorts) with shredded carrots, parsley, dill, yogurt, and spices. It was so good. The tabouli was perfect, as were the babaganush (an eggplant dip), the red bean salad, and everything else on the plate. The grilled pita bread that came on the side was the perfect accompaniment, although the size of the pieces made it very hard to actually get a good chunk of dip onto them. No matter, forks to the rescue and rescue they did.

Starving as usual, FB decided we should get the Mixed Grill platter and a Gyro. I must have looked like I hadn’t eaten in days and seeing how I attacked the Maza platter, he decided to order another Gyro. For himself. Al vehemently said no, that it was too much food and that the platter and the gyro after eating the Maza platter were enough for the two of us. FB relented, “you don’t know this girl”, he told Al who then barks the order towards the kitchen.

The grilled platter came with an assortment of meats: beef and lamb gyros, lamb, chicken, beef, ground lamb. Every bit was as delectable as the next with my mouth sinking into tender, juicy morsels of meat that are full of flavor and grilled perfectly. I haven’t had it any better than this.

But the best came in the form of a Gyro — grilled soft, warm pita bread topped with tender slices of spit-roasted lamb and beef then topped with fresh shredded lettuce and tzatziki sauce. Tasty. Delicious. And the best in town. FB knew to order his own. I finished mine. And even had to make sure his last morsel of meat doesn’t get wasted — into my mouth it went.

I love everything about this place and can’t wait to come back.

Insider tip:
Save room for the complimentary slices of fresh-from-the-oven baklava courtesy of Al who says you must put it all in your mouth, in one shot.
Order and pay at the counter.
Limited street parking

The scoop:

Cafe Agora
262 E Paces Ferry Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 949-0900

Technorati Tags: Turkish cuisine, Mediterranean cuisine, gyro, Greek cuisine, Buckhead

Serving the Alpharetta area since 1920, Alpha Soda serves Southern fare with a Greek twist in a setting of black and white tiles, lots of dark wood and leather. It’s not your typical diner. More like an old country club.

I love Alpha Soda’s daily specials and their breakfast fare. I love it even more because they serve it all day long. Notable dishes include the Alpharetta Egg Sandwich (a kicked-up egg/blt sandwich), the Eggs Benedict (available only on weekends), and the Chicken & Brie Scramble (chicken and brie omelet).

Chef’s daily specials are worth a try especially the pot roast which makes an appearance every so often; as well as freshy made vegetables. Make sure you leave room for dessert (especially the Red Velvet Cake) and check-out the mouth-watering pies, cakes, cookies that are showcased in a huge deli case.Insider tip:
Open daily beginning at 7am.
Service is unsually slow even in off-peak times so don’t expect to breeze in and out.

The scoop:
Alpha Soda
11760 Haynes Bridge Road, Alpharetta, GA 30004
Phone: (770) 442-3102

Technorati Tags: Alpha Soda, diner, Alpharetta, breakfast

From the outside, you’d think this place is just another strip mall food joint: the sign is ordinary and the outside looks like a fast food deli complete with menus posted on the glass walls. But since it was their opening week at the time, I was determined to give it a try. And boy, was I surprised. Inside was a lovely restaurant with shiny maroon concrete floors, muted golden walls, dark wooden tables and chairs, columns, and Grecian style decoration.

The menu is typical Greek — salads, pitas, roasted chicken… nothing fancy and not extensive either. But if you want a quick bite to eat and you’re already in the neighborhood, then this is the place to try. For starters, they give you a free plate of four different kinds of dips: cucumber-yogurt, chili, honey-mustard, and garlic-mayo; with pieces of grilled pocket pita on the side. I’m saying pocket pita here as opposed to the flat doughy pita

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