I truly love gyros, the most Grecian of all comfort food, but, to be fair, they can be kind boring and, if you ask me, all kind of taste the same.
There's only so much you can do with pita, tzatziki and a Gyro meat blend, so I rarely eat them as a meal, usually going for more exciting eats on our city's diverse food menu.
Well, that is until I received this email from the owners of Gyro Hero, 1115 E. Constitution St. in Norman that made me reconsider…
“Yo! You guys have reviewed damn near every restaurant around us, including the one next door (La Reina de los Tacos). Come get some real gyros, falafel, hummus, tabouli, whatever you want. Let me know when you're coming down and we'll get some stuff ready…”
Intrigued, captivated, and fascinated by this would-be gyro-maven, I decided to give them an incognito try, and you know what?
It was good…damn good!
Inside the small restaurant—with a Sooner flag tying the room together, natch—what really impressed me was the new standards in the world of gyros joints, from the unique appetizers to the whole wrap itself.
Starting off, with my capable feelers in total overdrive, I had the Gyro Wontons ($8.25). Featuring six crispy wontons, they are filled with primo gyro meat, as well as tomatoes, dill, and garlic, with a cup of Tzatziki sauce for the road.
Combining heroic Greek food with stoic Asian eats, this dish gives you a whole new flavor world to unpack! The spiced gyro meat is fried deep into the mouthwatering wontons, creating a truly delightful snack to swallow down. It will give you a whole appreciation for what Hero is doing.
With the wontons gone, the main dish was ready to go: the slam-packed El Diablo Gyro ($11.66).
The diabolical blast of satanic moshing gives a straight right-cross to the gut, packed strong with well-cooked gyro meat that is liberally tossed with smokin’ sriracha sauce and red pepper, served with grilled jalapenos, onions, and tomatoes on a fresh pita.
With flame-laden tears coming out of my eyes, this basket is truly hot and, even better, truly delicious. Taking the gyro meat into the bright, burning flames, the sriracha mixture gives a sweat-inducing furrow of the brow, with the jalapenos offering an additional kick to your taste-buds. KO!
Needing a good come-down from this whimsy, I had a little bite of the (hopefully) homemade Cashew Fingers ($2.25). Shaped like a meaty finger, it had a nutty taste that I loved and wanted more of.
Overall, Gyro Hero is my own personal gyro hero, giving me a whole new outlook on gyros and other modern-day Greek foods. I'll have to stop in again to try their other food items, and you should too.
Cómpralo ya!
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Follow Louis on Twitter at @LouisFowler and Instagram at @louisfowler78.
