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| - The Short:
Demeter has ascended from Mount Olympus and blessed Arizona with the ambrosia that is served at George's Famous Gyros and Pasta.
The Pros:
- Quality ingredients that can be tasted in the end product.
- Amazing bang for the buck.
- Distinctive yet consistent menu that keeps overall theme in mind.
- Friendly service surrounded in a family orientated atmosphere.
- Great specials.
- Clean dining area.
The Cons:
- Dining area extremely basic and dated (if that bothers you).
- Delivery price restrictions.
- Closed on Sunday (if that bothers you as well).
- Distant location for a majority of Phoenix.
Best Item(s):
- Gyro platter or combo.
- Spaghetti and meat sauce.
- Any variety of salad.
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The Story:
There are some restaurants that are an absolute pleasure to be a patron of. They act as the cornerstone that all others within their field are compared to. They are the master of their domain and the archetype for what a successful establishment should resemble. That can vary from the the atmosphere they provide to category of food they make. With that in mind, enter George's Famous Gyros and Pasta (George's).
I discovered George's immediately after graduating from college and moving to Phoenix to work and live. They were the last stop in my journey to find the best American-Greek restaurant near my neighborhood in northern Phoenix. I feel comfortable saying that, lucky for me, I found the best one in all of Arizona.
George's isn't worried to much about frills. Their food, while presented in an alluring manner, is served on your basic Styrofoam (another one of those surprisingly trademarked words) plate. The unassuming menu looks like it was designed and printed at the Kinko's located next-door. Heck, even their dining room looks like it belongs in a low budget '70s film.
This is easily overlooked and forgotten after the first bite. Everything at George's has been artfully constructed by someone who loves what they do. There is a difference between simply being talented at something and enjoying it as well. I never thought you could taste the difference until I ate at George's.
To avoid boring you, I will focus largely the restaurant's specialties, gyros and pasta.
The perfectly seasoned gyro meat is thinly cut from its rotisserie and always served fresh. I can't stress the importance of this. Several Greek restaurants in Phoenix subscribe to the belief that thickly cut Gyro meat provides the best flavor possible. I'm telling you folks, this isn't true! The thinner cuts come out crisper and allow the spices to take center stage on your tastebuds. This is essential to making a quality gyro. The subtle-sweet pita bread acts as the ideal delivery vehicle for the meat and veggies. It not only literally wraps it all together, but does so flavor wise as well. Fabulous.
George's serves the basic styles of spaghetti and a few unique ones. While I did enjoy their take on 'Greek pasta,' I am going to focus on the standard spaghetti and meat sauce. Right know, I know you're thinking, "how do you mess up something as simple as spaghetti?" I agree, it's a pretty easy dish to make, but it becomes much more complicated when you include meat sauce into the equation. Here, George's has decided to make it as thick and meaty as possible. I agree with this approach. The finely ground hamburger is almost impossible to siphon from the sauce's already hearty consistency. If you prefer your meat sauce to be more of a 'hamburger soup,' then this isn't for you, but I still recommend you give it a try.
Lastly, George's customer service is superb. This isn't to suggest the staff is perfect in this area, but they succeed at creating a humble and warm atmosphere that is usually only found in small towns. You feel like your are at a friend's house after a month of dining there once a week or so.
Ultimately, George's has mastered the essence of what American-Greek food should taste like at a local eatery. There are aspects of it that could improve. This place likely isn't for you if a restaurant's decor has a large affect on your experience. Pass it over and spend your hard earned dollar somewhere that will make you happy! If not, this is a stop you can't miss. Don't forget to call out my name! I'll likely be there myself.
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