This is for a series of posts for Reading Terminal Market including: The Rib Stand, Hatville Deli, By George! Pizza, Pasta & Cheesesteaks, Olympic Gyro, Iovine Brothers Produce, DiNic's Pork and Beef, Meltkraft, and Wursthaus Schmitz.
Olympic Gyro, or technically now 'Olympia Gyro,' has been on my radar ever since I heard about the US Olympic Committee submitting a cease and desist order to them. Seemingly ridiculous, the 30+ year institution of Greek eats had to change their name, lest it impact the financial bottom-line of the Olympic sponsors, such as McDonald's and Coca-Cola. Instead, the hard-working owners had to fork up thousands of dollars to change the name of their eatery.
In any case, I had a hankering for a great gyro with succulent meat and creamy tzatziki, so I stopped by Reading Terminal Market.
Who knows, you might find some Vikings and Marie Antoinette out and about, supporting local Philly theatre!
But let's get back to the Greek eats! I was helped by a lovely lady, who I assume was Mrs. Voulgadis, the wife of the proprietor.
Lamb Souvlaki [$7.50]
Sliced lamb, fresh pita, fresh tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki
Something you can find easily on the streets of NY, it was a familiar sight to see street meat turning on a spit. The lamb was sliced off the spinning spit and was surprisingly not dry at all. It may not be the juiciest or freshest that I've had - but pretty decent! The grilled pita was delicious, soft, pliable, and warm. The bite of the onion is subtle and not overpowering. A perfect vessel for the awesome tzatziki, which was creamy and garlicky. For all the naysayers who say the purveyors put too much tzatziki on the gyro - get off your high horse and take it off then. For those of you who like the sauce, they offer small containers of the stuff for about $2.
Chicken cubed, fresh pita, fresh tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki
The grilled chicken was juicy, moist, and well seasoned with pepper. And of course, the ripe tomatoes, fresh grated cucumber, and that delicious tzatziki made the sandwich.
Spanakopita [$4.75]
I couldn't leave a Greek joint without trying their spanakopita. I appreciated that they reheated the spanakopita in a steamer for you. The crispy, buttery phyllo bound the well-seasoned spinach, which had a subtle kick to it. The salty feta melded beautifully within.
French Fries [$3]
While I wished these were Greek-style fries and seasoned with oregano, they were certainly crispy. They also offer old bay fries as well. Regardless, pretty small for $3!
Olympic Gyro offers NY-style Greek eats, along with a deliciously creamy tzatziki. It's nice to see that they were able to forge on through after their fairly recent run-in with the US Olympic Committee. While I've certainly had better, I for one was certainly satisfied with this quick and affordable option in Reading Terminal Market.
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