Roaming around Sunset in the August 2010 heat-wave, I was struck by a sudden craving for gyros, and…read morethe first spot I spotted was Pita House on Fraser.
I walked in, and the place was properly decked out with about five rotating fans set up throughout the tiny restaurant, and there was one other couple inside, waiting for take-away.
The server looked a bit melancholy, which I typically take as a warning flag, and I took the presence of a Thai chicken wrap on the supposedly Mediterranean menu as my second warning. That said, a craving is a craving, and I placed my order.
The beef-lamb gyro plate came with rice pilaf, Greek-style salad, tzatziki, and hummus. I had politely declined the included pita bread. With a bottle of water, the total came to under $10.
While there was a spit with meat slowly roasting away, mine came from a warming service tray, pre-sliced, and thus was a bit soggy. The flavour was a touch bland, with the sharpest notes being that of pepper and straight savoury saltiness. The meat-to-everything-else ratio was quite generous, but I would have been better served with better, more flavourful meat.
The tzatziki was fairly muted, with neither noticeable garlic nor cucumber, but the hummus was thin and soupy, as though it came from a can. The hummus, I couldn't finish. (Post-meal, during a quick trip to the WC, which took me through their storage area, I did verify that the hummus effectively came from a can, as there were sizable stores of chick pea tins tucked away).
The brightest part of the entire meal was the salad, with roughly chopped cucumber, green pepper, tomato, and feta cheese. The salad was fresh, which was pleasant, though, unfortunately, not enough to elevate the meal experience.
In terms of decor, I chuckled to myself as I pondered the absurd decorative artwork on the walls, reminiscent of those cliched corporate motivational posters, with the thick black borders, 'inspiring' photography, and single abstract noun in all capitals beneath - like 'COURAGE' or 'PERSEVERANCE.'
So, all-in-all, there are certainly far stronger, cheaper, more memorable (and more rationally decorated) places at which one might satisfy one's gyro cravings, but if you're stuck roaming the Fraser-and-mid-40s in absurd heat and the urge for gyros strikes, I wouldn't blame you for ducking in for a quick fix, just don't expect finesse or flair.
If there's a next time, perhaps I'll take my chances with that Thai chicken wrap.