Gyroville: Fast food that’s seriously good and probably not bad for you

RASHMEE ROSHAN LALL April 21, 2014

Gyroville is an idea that’s worth taking beyond south Florida and on to the wider world stage. (That said, it’s tagline ‘Really Greek, Really Fresh’ is a bit naff for international consumption. Is it just me or does it sound too much like southern Europeans getting amorous?)

Gyroville is all about that snazzy ‘new’ idea – reclaiming fast food from the calorie-dense, artery-clogging concept of burgers and fries. That’s why Chipotle is to fast food what Apple Mac is to the Windows PC. Gyroville goes down a similar road. Customers can choose from pita bread, a whole wheat wrap, rice or Greek salad. Then you add protein in the form of gyro meat, chicken or pork souvlaki, or falafel. Top with any one of six sauces made fresh daily – the original tzatziki or in a mediterranean mustard, red pepper or jalapeño spinach flavour. Alternatively, a runny hummus or spicy feta sauce. And that’s it. A more-ish, filling, relatively healthy meal is ready to go. (The one in Fort Lauderdale is superb and the big guy who runs it is an absolute gem.)

Gyroville is a concept worthy of imitation with food from around the world to play with. Imagine a Thaliville, Indian fast food arranged on a plastic thali (traditionally, long years ago, it would have been brass; now, it’s stainless steel) with covered little plastic pots of chickpeas or rajma (red kidney beans); a dry seasonal vegetable; a wet (possibly spinach or tomatoey-gourd or matar paneer or some such); a meat option; rice and a triangle of roti or paratha.

The point is keeping it simple, delicious, affordable and fast.

But it was ever thus.

Jack Kerouac

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life”
– Jack Kerouac