The Original Gyro Joint (or is it)?

See how this all started here: http://bkatranch.blogspot.com/2012/01/bc-and-kathies-excellent-adventure-to.html

The pick for number 8 is ….drum roll please… The Original Gyro Joint in Broad Ripple! Kathie and I were both in the mood for a gyro and since we were in Carmel, it was just a short jump over to Broad Ripple. There is a gyro that holds a special place in my heart. I had a good friend who was a taxi driver in Indianapolis and he raved on and on about Mr. J’s on South East Street. I was working downtown Indianapolis at the time, so it wasn’t a far drive. Mr. J’s was not a place that I would ever choose on my own. It was in an old Burger Chef and even from the outside looked horrible. I reluctantly agreed to go in with my friend and met the two brothers that owned the place. I tried the bbq gyro which was the gyro meat, bbq sauce and a pepper mix. The only way that I could describe that gyro is amazing. I started going to Mr. J’s at least once a week for that gyro and would even drive from the far Westside on the weekends to have the meal. Mr. J’s has since changed owners (a few times) and I have stopped there a few times hoping and praying that the bbq gyro would be back, but I was let down. Their version of “bbq” gyro was nothing like the original. I stopped trying to find a replacement for that gyro and just settle on whatever. Needless to say, I was excited to try someplace that ranked high for a gyro!

Walking into the joint, I asked Kathie if we had ever been to a clean gyro joint. She said such a thing doesn’t exist! The Original Gyro Joint in Broad Ripple is trashed. It is probably from the years of drunks stumbling in at the wee hours of the morning coupled with really long hours for the owner/operator. Who wants to stay around at 4:00 in the morning when you have to be back in just a few short hours to open for the lunch crowd? I get it. It doesn’t mean that I will go back to the place, but I do understand how a place ends up looking dirty when you work 18 hours a day 7 days a week. The bathroom had so much stuff piled up in front of it that the door doesn’t even open all the way and when I finally did fight my way inside the bathroom, no paper towels. Washing hands must not be high on the list with the late night crowd. In all seriousness, I am a little disappointed with this restaurant being put on the list. I don’t think it represents a good example of a nice Hoosier owned restaurant. I guess when 90% of your business comes from the late night bar crowd, you can slack on the housekeeping!

It is a nice pile of gyro meat for the money!

We both ordered the “sandwich” from the list – The Original Gyro. The list describes it as “handmade sauce, chopped tomatoes and onions and a healthy portion of thinly sliced lamb’s meat combined with cool tzatziki sauce in a warm pita.” The place only had one person working and I assume that he was the owner. He took our order and then disappeared to the back. After about 15 minutes, our food arrived. We were there late in the afternoon so I assume that is why it took so long.

It has Kathies smile of approval!

All “housekeeping” issues aside, the gyro was good. It is a huge portion of meat and the sauce was nice. Was it as good as Mr. J’s? Nope. Not even close, but I am starting to think that there is no gyro that will ever be as good as my memory of Mr. J’s.