Gyros King, Conroe

Gyros King, Conroe

by Jacalyn May

 

Finding authentic Greek gyros can be a challenging task, unless you happen to drive south of Conroe and discover Gyros King. Located off 242, just east of I-45, is a little white building that houses one of the best Greek secrets of the H-town area. It can be easy to miss this amazing little Greek gem, but this is one you won’t want to miss.

 

Craving a really good gyro, I recently Googled “gyros” and found the listing for Gyros King so my husband and I decided to try it for lunch. Located in the same parking area as a small, local car dealership, we parked in one of three parking spots outside the azure blue, open door and stepped inside. Immediately, we felt as though we had stepped into a small, quaint and cozy European cafe. Roughly four tables sat around the perimeter of the café displaying the same azure blue theme as the front door. And many, what appeared to be, hand painted works of art of Greek landscapes and seascapes decorated the walls. 

We stepped up to the counter to order and were greeted by the owner Marie and her husband. Originally from Greece, Marie patiently waited as we looked at the menu board and I chose the Gyro Sandwich while my husband chose the Gyro Plate. After we paid, my husband decided to go outside and look at the cars for sale while I waited for our food to be prepared by Marie’s husband. As I told Marie that it was our first time visiting, we began to talk about Greece, and she shared with me about her homeland and asked me if I had ever been there. Within the few minutes it took to prepare our lunch, I felt as though I had made a new friend and we were visiting the two of them for lunch. After our food was ready and since we ordered it to go, I took our lunches and was wished a heartfelt thank you from Marie and her husband. 

After arriving back home, we excitedly opened our hot bag (which Marie sweetly encouraged me to “hold from the bottom”), and I opened the foil around my gyro sandwich. A beautiful thick pita filled with a hearty helping of meat, tomatoes, onions and just the right amount of tzatziki sauce begged me to bite. I looked at my husband’s opened container and was surprised to see pita pieces, onions, tomatoes, peppers, hot Greek potatoes, a side of tzatziki and a large portion of meat atop a bed of white rice. Then he opened a smaller container which held a Greek salad with black olives (they did contain pits), tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese all tossed in a delicious olive oil-based dressing. 

 

We both excitedly began to eat and couldn’t have been more pleased with the tastes. The pita was fresh and held together well while the meat and vegetables melted in my mouth. The tzatziki was the best I’ve ever tasted; it was fresh and not too rich. My husband told me it was the best lunch he has eaten in a long time and his actual words as he ate were, “It’s like a revolution in your mouth-bold and strong.” I tasted his Greek potatoes, since I had never had them before, and they tasted similar to the hot German potato salad I’ve enjoyed in Germany. They were a little zesty and had a bit of a sour aftertaste that complemented the rest of the gyro plate very well.

 

This visit was definitely one that I will remember and want to repeat. Not only to be able to experience the scrumptious, tasty food again but also to be able to talk with Marie and her husband, which made the experience even better. If you’ve never had a gyro and especially if you like gyros, it will be worth your time and money to visit Gyros King at 8975 TX-242 in Conroe.