Nikonostimies (Delphi, Greece)

Vasileos Pavlou & Friederikis 67, Delphi 33054, Greece

 

Nikonostimies is a seemingly new pita and souvlaki place that has an authentic coal grill as well as a skewer. The menu contains the usual staples of Greek grill food: gyros, souvlaki, etc.

 

I get a Pita Gyros (€2.50), which is a classic: cabbage, tomato, onion, tzatziki, fries and pork meat in a thick heated pita. The pita is not too doughy and compliments rather than dominates the rest. Still, the meat and tzatziki are a bit too weak. Still tasty.

 

VERDICT: 87/100

Pretty good and very affordable pita gyros.

Dionisys Souvlaki (Delphi, Greece)

28 Appollonos Street, Delphi, Greece 

 

Dionisys Souvlaki is a small gyros and souvlaki place in downtown Delphi, which caters to both locals and tourists. It has a classic menu of salads, gyros, souvlaki and kebab in pita or plate.

 

I get a Pita Gyros (€2.50) and a Greek Salad (€5.00) - I ask without Feta cheese though. Even though there are only two other people, it takes forever for my food to arrive. The pita gyros is underwhelming: doughy pita, weak tzatziki, too many lukewarm fries, too little decent pork. The salad is just big chunky tomato and cucumber and slices of red onion. Far too expensive.

 

VERDICT: 78/100

Underwhelming

Viva Chicken (Huntersville, NC)

9129 San Furr Road, Huntersville, NC 28078

 

Viva Chicken is a local chain of “Peruvian Rotisserie Joints” in the Charlotte area. It serves, you guessed it, Peruvian rotisserie chicken in 1/4, 1/2 and whole as well on ciabatta bread or in a sun-dried tomato wrap or on salads. The also do several Latin desserts and (sweet) drinks.

I get The Great ($8.50) on a ciabatta, which is pulled chicken from the rotisserie with lettuce and red onion and rocoto mayo. It is not mind-blowing but fresh and tasty and there are three free sauces that add some kick. As a side I get the chicken soup, which is a bit too light and mainly lives off the chicken. I also get alfajores ($4.50), three small short bread cookies filled with dulce de lecce and topped with powder sugar. They are good but not really worth the hefty price.

I FORGOT TO TAKE A PIC OF THE FOOD 😞

VERDICT: 86/100

Nice place for fresh and mostly healthy chicken-based lunch, but not particularly good to pig out.

Green Valley Grill (Greensboro, NC)

622 Green Valley Rd, Greensboro, NC 27408

 

The Green Valley Grill is a huge upscale restaurant - one of three owned by same group - which serves an original take on mostly Mediterranean food. The menu is all over the place, divided in small plates (which are really not small, but large appetizers to share for the table) and Entrées, which look like those in an upscale restaurant. However, while not a classic pig out spot, it has some relevant dishes including burgers and sliders, and…

 

the Mediterranean Street Fries ($13.95), a “small plate”, which consists of Moroccan spiced beef, avocado, preserved lemon labneh, harissa and cilantro on a huge plate of za’atar fries. It is the ultimate binch. Bit too salty but absolutely delicious! For dessert I have the Butterscotch Budino, ($7.95), Italian butterscotch pudding topped with salted caramel, chocolate drizzled housemade honeycomb and fresh whipped cream. Deceptively filling and delicious.

VERDICT: 94/100

Not your usual pig out spot, but damn, you can pig of out here!

Ghassan’s Restaurant (Greensboro, NC)

1605 Battleground Ave, Greensboro, NC 27408

 

Ghassan’s Restaurant is a local chain of diner/fast food restaurants serving “fresh Mediterranean eats. They have four locations in Greensboro as well as a food truck (extra points!). It has a bit of an odd menu with gyros, kabobs, salads, but also cheesesteak sandwiches, for which it is allegedly famous.

 

I get a Chicken on Pita platter with salad ($6.99). Although I asked to make it spicy, the chicken pita has just a weak kick, but the meat is juicy and the toppings fresh. The homemade cucumber sauce is not too thick. The salad is very basic but fresh.

 

VERDICT: 80/100

Pretty decent, but nothing special.

The Traveling Hobo Café (Watkinsville, GA)

20 Greensboro Hwy, Watkinsville, GA 30677

 

The Traveling Hobo Café is a small restaurant in the heart of Watkinsville, a town close to Athens, Georgia. It essentially is a fast food restaurant with a particular focus on burgers (beef, bison, lamb, vegetarian) and wings. They also have a variety of salads and sandwiches.

 

I get the Fried Pickles ($5) as a starter, which comes with creamy Cajun sauce. The small pickle slices are coated with a thick crunchy batter, but are devoid of any life or taste – they are sad, thin slices of dry, tasteless, rubbery pickle. I then get the Huge Chicken Tenders basket ($7), which comes with fries. The chicken tenders are indeed huge, but also very fat and a bit bland and dry. The Box Car Fries are big and curly and quite good, but a bit overcooked.

VERDICT: 77/100

Not living up to the local hype, but I’ll be back one day to try the burgers.

Grub Burger Bar (Atlanta, GA)

2955 Cobb Pkwy SE #820, Atlanta, GA 30339

 

Grub Burger Bar is a chain of (big) upscale burger restaurants for “burgers, shakes, cocktails and life”. It has locations from coast to coast. It has a large menu of burgers, salads, bowls and sandwiches. 

  

I get the Scorpion ($7.95): Trinidad Moruga scorpion sauce, grilled jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, pickles habanero on homemade bun. I also get Split a Decision ($3): two onion rings and some skinny fries. The burger is very tasty, but the fries and onion rings are not remarkable.

 

VERDICT: 87/100

Good, but not remarkable, upscale burger chain.