Gyros are enjoyed by many across the world. Dry ordinary meat on thick pita that you find at your local market wrapped in cellophane might be fine for a last minute grub, and the poorly constructed Greek sandwich falling apart at the seams may be accepted at a mid-tier pizzeria. Many prepare the dish as simply ingredients thrown inside cold dry pita – the flavors not melding staying separate and lonely. However, the Bremerton restaurant Gyro Star brings justice to the Mediterranean sandwich and provides an exceptional variety of Mediterranean cuisine: inspiring late night takeout and lunch dates, the chefs artfully crafting their dish as a painter would a masterpiece. The perfect gyro must be experienced.
While the restaurant offers hummus platters with hot pita bread or spanakopita with minty tzatziki sauce or baklava filled with a sweet pistachio filling, it is clear to say their gyros are the beating heart of the menu. The menu has extreme variety, but the tender lamb cuddled in with tzatziki held inside a doughy flatbread is for sure the bell of the ball.
Gyro Star is compacted into a miniature strip mall off the corner of 6th Street near Safeway. Their windows are composed of rainbow neon signs and LED lights; like moths to a flame, their glowing fluorescent sign perches upon the building attracts hungry customers. The workers greet you with a smile and patiently await your order. Gyro Star is quiet on a Friday night.
You will be sipping on toasty Turkish coffee, one of Greece’s most adored beverages. You can hear the cars rushing by the window. You will wonder if the finely ground Arabica beans unfiltered and boiled over a hot flame are necessary and you will decide that it might be. You will be having a relaxing time.
No Greek cuisine has established itself in Silverdale as of yet. In order for Mediterranean obsessives to get their fix in Silverdale, many could turn to Spiros or Silver City – neither of which are Greek nor meet the standards of a seasoned gyro connoisseur. The history behind the dish follows after World War II: doner kebab made with lamb was present in Athens, introduced by immigrants from Anatolia and the Middle East, possibly with the population exchange between Greece and Turkey. The Greek version is normally made with pork and served with tzatziki, and became known as gyros.
Nobody around the area has been dishing up authentic Mediterranean food like Gyro Star.
If you’re already a fan of Greek delicacies you almost knew the expectation: Hot pita, steaming from the edges, or a salad of red onions and cucumbers tossed with olives, cherry tomatoes and served with tzatziki dressing. The fluffy falafel satisfies vegetarians and carnivores alike, with fresh parsley, garlic, spiced deep fried and spread on pita.
The moist tender cuts of melt in your mouth lamb grilled with chewy beef, scented with a garlicky, oregano spice mix and served cozily nestled in Gyro Stars signature sandwich sleeve. The best dish at Gyro Star is in fact their gyro, juicy as a buttery meatball, with crisp romaine lettuce and a tickling taste of aromatic onion. The ingredients dance in perfect harmony.
There is also the crisp and cool spanakopita perfumed with toasty spinach and rich feta, and added to a petite salad full of fresh cucumber, onions and served with a side of minty tzatziki dipping sauce. The crisp flakey layers hug the spinach feta filling. When bitten into, the dense, cold appetizer scatters across your mouth. This small triangular cuisine is not however ideal for sharing, so if you enjoy the taste of phyllo dough overtop fragrant herbs make sure to order extra!
Gyro Stars creamy hummus features cucumbers, peppercinis, chickpeas and a glossy olive oil drizzle. The pita has smokey grill marks decorating the crust, the inside proves a moist, soft chewy dough. As you scoop through the vibrant oil and lightly dusted spices, whether a lot or a little, the dish becomes a classic simple combination of creamy, smokey and refreshing Mediterranean aftertastes.
After being given your takeout bag, the server insists on handing you mini size Reese’s and assorted candy, and of course you may feel like treating yourself to their collection of bakery items including their pistachio baklava, a crispy bar light and flaky on the outside, dense and chewy inside. The flavor of the pistachio baklava is not overwhelming. The sweet pastry has a rich bottom layer, sweet sticky similar to a nutty pie. Conveniently connected to the restaurant is Sugar Rush Waffles and Crepes, which serves custom build your own desserts, you couldn’t have asked for a tastier option.
