The Yiros Shop - Brisbane

Yum city/10, yiros are always juicy and delish. Feta on the feta chip was a bit ???? And defs didnt taste as delicious as your normal feta... But the flavours of everything else made up for it!

This establishment is the epitome of deliciousness. Bright, welcoming and doused in the sensational aroma of grilling meats and garlic, The Yiros Shop truly is a beacon of hope for all. I asked the boys behind the counter for their most delicious Yiros that money can buy (for $12.80) and they did not fail to deliver, coming through with a succulent lamb with the perfect amount of meat-salad-sauce ratio. Well done lads, and well done to all who have the sense to eat from here.

I've scoffed plenty of late night kebabs of dubious ethnic pedigree in my time, some of which have certainly purported to be 'gyros'. Today, daytime and sobriety led me to the pleasure of a proper authentic yiros. It was impressive. Between 4 of us we were split - 2 chicken and 2 lamb (with pork and beef the other protein options). All were chock-a-block full of tender meat, plentiful salad and crisp fresh chips which added crunch and texture, then encased in light fluffy pita bread. Special sauce was lathered generously and lived up to the name. Impressed also at how everything magically held together without turning into a soggy mess at the bottom. All in all it was an very satisfying experience. We're keen to return and sample the combos, maybe to share. Don't be put off by the simple surroundings. This is a great lunch (or late night) option!

Greek food ain't anything rare or super-special nowadays in Australia, especially not in the cosmopolitan cities such as Brisbane ... doubly so with the famous West End area... let's restart. The brainchild behind the operation, a Greek-Australian called Nick James, has a plan for all of these outlets. Take what the implications of the kebab are late at night, and that is what goes through his head with the operation. Take here in the CBD, where it is well situated adjacent from a couple of hotels and business just might be booming before he knows it. But that ain't my scene exactly, I just like to eat. Transition! One day I was meeting a friend in the city as per usual for a general catch-up. At first the idea was to try for some breakfast, but plans her way made it that she would be a busy woman during the morning rush so she asked if I was able to make it for around lunch time. Being one without a whole lot to do, my schedule was easily fixed around her's and it was off to the usual meeting spot to go and get some grub. Often I am either dead there on time, or trend towards being a little late - that changed as I was quite a bit early (this worked in her favour). With a bit of a wander around the blocks nearby, it had to be quick and she had known about this place. The Yiros Shop had been gaining some traction in recent memory, with this being simply another outlet - well place to boot - and I was up for it. The best bets to my stomach are that the food is hot and the portions are big (grease also helps - that is not a pun). Inside isn't the greatest I admit. Often when going through these, I am not the most finicky or fuddy-duddy person on the planet but some might have their preconception about places. If you are fine with the kitchen being exposed, and it looking more like eating at the back area than a restaurant than the charms are certainly there. It is laid back, with some tables inside, a few tables out the front underneath the trees, or order it to go. It is all well and good. Maybe compared to some similarly structured places such as getting bahn mis, the service might be a little slower than them. In honesty I have noticed that it is a little more leisurely than most fast food ... possibly to a fault, not from my perspective but others could have an idea. In its defense, what this means is that the food is fresh and ready made instead of sweating in a bain marine. I definitely know my preference, thank you. It has a very simple menu. They have three different kinds of meat all slow-roasting on the spit, ready to be carved off and served in a myriad of ways. Whether it is on some pita bread, on a plate with some salad or maybe have it a bit of both, they have it covered here. All of it is to make it as streamlined as possible, and that is not just to appease the busy office workers in the city. It is much the same in South Bank, and that is to make hungry stomachs satiated quickly. In addition to slow roasted meats, several other sides are there which include the classic haloumi, some seafood, and heaps of dip. With the meal that I got, it is hard to go by one of the combos here. That comes with either a choice of fries or salad and a drink. With the yiros, the general fillings are the choice of meat (lamb, chicken or pork) then a salad of tomatoes, red onion and parsley (free to omit any of them) then some tzasiki or a choice of sauce (I was offered the special sauce) and finally a good handful of fries. And if you get fries on the side, think of the fries in the pita as extra fries. So for me, it was the pork combo, fries, and I went with water for my drink. Also on the yiros I had some haloumi. This was absolutely tasty. Every single bit of it. While the price is a little higher than some other options for your sandwich date, what is more than made up for here is how much they put into it. There is a reason that it is wrapped up in paper regardless of eating in or on the run. It just can't contain as much as it has got. If you're hearing it from me, that is the utmost compliment. Each bit of it is really good. The salad is not an afterthought here, since the tomatoes are fresh and juicy, the onions are not too sour, and the parsley adds a bit of flavour. Better yet is the meat, which is tender and moreish in the mouth. Something about pork done this way might well best pulled pork. Also, the fries, both in the yiro and on the side, are fresh, hot and crispy. A whole lot of salt is added to them and mixed through and about the only way it might be better is with chicken salt. Now with the haloumi, call me a hipster but I had really like haloumi many years before it stared appearing everywhere. That might have been to do with living so close to a Greek restaurant for nearly 10 years, but that Greek restaurant got a lot of visits from my family - and many typically Greek flavours were devoured over the years. One of them was haloumi, and it had to do with the strong and unusual flavour - plus it didn't melt when cooked. It's hard to ruin haloumi, but one thing I have noticed is that most of the time now, the flavour is mild. This time around, I was taken back to when it was full on salt, very strong and characteristic. Call it a nostalgia flash, but that was what I personally experienced with it. What I quite like more is the touch of it all being served on a breadboard with a handle. Plus the little fryer basket for the fries (so they don't sweat in their heat too much). That makes for good presentation and is quite photogenic. Much the same reason that I rated the last place at South Bank a 4.0 is the reasoning behind here. There is not that much special about it all; what it is instead is a wholesome enough option that is quick, filling and not super-expensive. The meat is always really well cooked, slowly with the flavours being infused, and there is enough filling in each order to balance out two yiros. The turnaround is really decent and at a high volume, it works well to a budget for most people, lots of fat is trimmed with the service and it is certainly recommended as a break from the humdrum fast food places. TL;DR: Taking the popularity of street foods in a similar vein, this time around it is the much overlooked yiros full of gyros and salad. It is a little bit of a franchise, so there won't be too much differentiation from one outlet to the next. By that, it is what it is, and a filling meal is absolutely possible combo or no combo. In and out quite quickly and everything is made fresh, so hopefully this is an available option as a snack between times. Colour me impressed all the way.

Greek food ain't anything rare or super-special nowadays in Australia, especially not in the cosmopolitan cities such as Brisbane ... doubly so with the famous West End area... let's restart. The brainchild behind the operation, a Greek-Australian called Nick James, has a plan for all of these outlets. Take what the implications of the kebab are late at night, and that is what goes through his head with the operation. Take here in the CBD, where it is well situated adjacent from a couple of hotels and business just might be booming before he knows it. But that ain't my scene exactly, I just like to eat. Transition! One day I was meeting a friend in the city as per usual for a general catch-up. At first the idea was to try for some breakfast, but plans her way made it that she would be a busy woman during the morning rush so she asked if I was able to make it for around lunch time. Being one without a whole lot to do, my schedule was easily fixed around her's... read more