Feature Photo: Feature Photo: Brent Hofacker / Licensed from Shutterstock
When I first saw the ads for Arby’s Spicy Gyro sandwich recently, I started to laugh. I’m actually a pretty big fan of Arby’s. I love their roast beef sandwiches and their special sauce, which they use on their Beef and Cheddar. I’m a big fan of fast food, which is probably why I’m a big guy. I’ve always been a massive fan of Arby’s and their roast beef sandwiches as well as many of their other items like their fabulous curly fries. Nonetheless, when I saw the ad for their new Spicy Gyro sandwich, I knew immediately that there’s just no way they could match what any New Yorker knows is an authentic gyro. I’m from the Bronx. I have worked extensively in Queens for the past forty years, particularly in the Astoria section.
If you know New York City, then you know that Astoria is one of the biggest Greek neighborhoods in the entire city. Of course, the city is a mix of all ethnicities, which is terrific and the way it has always been. Yet, there are always specific neighborhoods that tilt more towards a particular ethnic background than others. In Astoria, it has always been predominantly Greek, rather than any other ethnicity.
While Astoria may be home to the best gyros one will ever taste, there are still many excellent Greek restaurants in the other four boroughs that serve amazing gyros. All the great Greek restaurants in New York serve gyros the same way. They take a nice, large piece of pita bread and warm it up. Add the beautiful lamb meat, then fill the rest with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. It’s accompanied by a cup of Greek yogurt that you spread on it. That’s it, boom bam you’re done! They wrap it in paper and then cover it with a piece of aluminum foil, allowing you to hold it in your hands and eat it. Some will use a knife and fork, but the old-school way is to open wide and bury your face into that fantastic sandwich.
Most of the restaurants will offer a chicken gyro alternative, but for the most part, if you want an authentic Greek Gyro, you’ve got to get it with the lamb meat. There’s nothing more beautiful than just sitting there at the counter watching them carve that lamb meat off the spindle. Yeah, baby, that’s what I’m talking about.
I have explained this whole process and the beauty of an authentic New York City gyro in great detail so that you can compare what Arby’s is offering to the real deal. What Arby’s offers cannot compare to anything in any way. If you’ve never had a New York gyro, it’s not a big deal. However, if you’re from New York City and walk into Arby’s to order a gyro, you’re likely to be disappointed. Come to think of it, most of us won’t order that item anyway unless we have to review it for a website.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Arby’s spicy gyro sandwich does not taste that bad. As I mentioned, I’m a big fan of Arby’s, and I thoroughly enjoy their food. However, it’s not a gyro, I mean, give me a break. There’s hardly any meat on it. I mean, it’s not bad, but it’s not the same real lamb gyro meat that you get at a Greek restaurant. And what’s the deal with this red sauce? I mean, come on, baby, you don’t put red sauce on a gyro. What are you doing, Arbys? You’re breaking the law. It’s like putting American cheese on a slice of pizza; you don’t do it.
Yes, I know the red sauce is supposed to be what defines it as a spicy Arby’s gyro sandwich, but in the end, it’s not really a gyro. It’s an interesting alternative to their burger sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, and, of course, their Beef and Cheddar, which is what you should get every time you go to Arby’s. When everything is said and done, it’s not an authentic gyro. Get the Beef and Cheddar at Arby’s and visit 31st Avenue Gyro in Astoria, Queens, if you want the real thing
