This review is dedicated in loving memory of Lisa Amaya from El Paso, TX. Thank you for always encouraging me to write honest and entertainingly detailed reviews.
Al Basha was yet another one of those "accidental finds" that we occasionally come across. Apropos of attending my son's first football game of the season, we looked this place up due to its close proximity to said game and discovered their 4.5 star average.
Well, it's *kinda* 4 star. More like 3 and a half for us. And before you locals come @ me with pitchforks, allow me to explain my position.
Now, I'll be the first to admit there's a bias involved once you have a basis for comparison. Case in point: Amphora in Derry.
Amphora has arguably the best chicken gyro wrap I have ever tasted so far. So naturally, I order the same thing here at Al Basha. And since I can't help but compare these two, let's do that now.
Al Basha's version of a chicken gyro consists of all the usual ingredients you'd find in one of these and everything blends just fine. My main problem with this gyro, however, is the wrap itself.
This slightly dubious pita bread (assuming it even IS pita) looked a tad too scorched on the outside; unlike its competitors who typically serve you a warm, soft, savory wrap with no crispiness or flaking whatsoever. While it wasn't a show stopper, it was distracting. But as I said, the flavors mostly worked for me. It's just that I've definitely had better elsewhere. 6 out of 10, I'd try it again only if there was nothing else worth trying (which there is).
Wifey has a similar bias as me, except her favorite is Main Street Gyro in Nashua. She got a lamb gyro which...surprise, surprise, was okay...but not as good as her usual go-to. See the pattern here?
To me (to us?), this place is okay, at best. It's one of those places where you order and pay first, with the option to either dine in or take it out. The interior is a bit dull, drab, and small. Ergo, you might wanna consider the second option.
Let me warn you all right now though: the service here is slower than watching Congress attempt to pass a bill. We waited over 45 minutes for an order that probably should have taken about 20 minutes. My guess is they're operating with only one chef in the back. Because that's the only explanation for handing out orders at a snail's pace. For context, there were probably two or three other parties there, at best. Sure hope that lone chef is getting paid the big bucks!
So, I mean....if we saw ourselves in this part of Manch Vegas often, we *might* come by again, if only to try other menu items. Simultaneously though, there's a ton of other places nearby worth trying that I'd venture to before returning here again.
Overall, not bad. But not that great either. I'm giving Al Basha Mediterranean Grill 3 chicken gyros wrapped in a crunchy pita thing out of 5. read more