Gyro and Greek Fries – Durum Grill, Blue Ash, OH
It may be hard to pronounce but they’re easy to devour—gyros have become one of the most popular fast-casual options for diners looking for a lunchtime alternative to burgers and subs. The Mediterranean street food favorite—made up of spit-roasted lamb and beef, vegetables, and tzatziki sauce on pita bread—is a hardy handheld treat that will stick to your ribs without emptying your wallet. Durum Grill, a no-frills eatery wedged into a Blue Ash strip mall, is known for serving some of the best gyro’s in Cincinnati—a reputation it has undoubtedly earned.
The meat—delicately shaved from its mythical rotating cone to be tonged into place atop a heavenly fluffy pita—is herbaceous, tender, and succulent. It has the subtle gaminess from the lamb and juiciness from the beef. It’s rare that I rave about vegetables, but the lettuce, tomato, and onion make for a fresh, crisp bed for the heaping pile of gyro meat to rest on. The tzatziki sauce—a yogurt-based condiment, perfumed with garlic and cucumber—is like a cool breeze on a summer day, gently cleansing your palette bite after savory bite. The hot sauce (shown on the side) is the yin to this yogurty yang as it adds an intensely spicy kick to the sandwich without overpowering the other bold flavors at play.
Greek fries may technically be a side dish, but they certainly don’t play second fiddle here. The spuds are topped with a briny, garlic-spiked vinaigrette and a salty, melt-in-your-mouth feta cheese—like parmesan and bleu cheese had a baby that herded sheep. More importantly (for slobs like me), these fries are a safety net at the end of the meal, when the massive gyro inevitably falls into disarray. All of the delicious debris plummets from the gyro onto the fries, resulting in a scrumptious splatter painting for you to mop up before rolling your way back to work or hopefully home.
With fresh, high-quality ingredients and unmatched authenticity, Durum Grill has garnered acclaim for being one of the best gyro spots in the city. Whether you’re hungry for the taste of home or looking for something new to try, you’ll walk away from the table stuffed and smiling.
Glutton's Gorge 