This tiny Greek place is located almost inside the Fountaindale Sunoco gas station at 4304 Old National Pike in Middletown, Maryland. (Just slightly west of Frederick, not far off I-70.) There is no indoor seating, just a counter where you place your order and a handful of picnic tables next to the parking lot. But the ambiance is actually a lot nicer than it sounds!
There is also a very small patio with a few tables and chairs, as well as potted plants overflowing with blossoms. An arbor covers the patio, strung with Christmas lights. I imagine the place could be quite romantic on a summer evening, despite the close proximity to the gas station. As we sat down to eat, Greek music was piped through speakers above our heads. Charming!
The menu is not enormous, but covers the basic scope of familiar Greek dishes. In addition to the gyros, which come on a pita, a sub, a platter, or on a salad, you will find souvlaki (pork or chicken, $9.95/platter), falafel ($9.95/platter), pastichio (a Greek version of baked ziti, sort of, $10.95), and mousaka ($11.95). There are also side dishes like hummus ($3.95), spanakopita ($4.50), dolmades ($3.95), and taramosalata ($4.95 small), as well as many salad choices. For the less adventurous eaters, there are American-style subs. And if you are not completely full after all that, there are homemade Greek pastries!
Because we were not thinking like a couple of food critics, my husband and I both ordered exactly the same thing. Sorry about that! Since we both had the gyro platter ($9.95 each), it is the only thing I can review firsthand. Neither one of us realized that the platter was NOT a sandwich on a pita, but more of a small salad with meat and feta on top, pita pieces on the side. Therefore, it was a little more labor-intensive to eat. That was disappointment number one.
My favorite gyros of all time have been enormous, sloppy, drippy endeavors which necessitate the use of numerous napkins and possibly paper towels. This gyro platter was no such creation. There was a distinct dryness to the whole affair: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and possibly a little bit of onion underneath, with shaved meat and a light dusting of feta on top. No dressing at all, but a tiny tub of tzatziki on the side which tasted like plain Greek yogurt to me. I could have gone for A LOT more flavor, especially in the garlic department. The meat was spicy, but dry. The small pita triangles were definitely fresh, though. The fries on the side were supposed to be "boardwalk" style, which I guess means greasy? I found them slightly odd, perhaps a tad undercooked, and certainly under-seasoned. Very plain. Definitely not your McDonald's crispy and salty type.
I wish I had tasted more of the dishes, and I really wish I could recommend this place more whole-heartedly. However, it is NOT a cheap date by any stretch of the imagination. We paid about $25 for lunch for the two of us and the amount of food was not overly generous. As a huge fan of Greek food, I had really hoped to love this unique cafe hidden in the corner of a gas station parking lot. I'm afraid I could not.
hocofoods@@@
There is also a very small patio with a few tables and chairs, as well as potted plants overflowing with blossoms. An arbor covers the patio, strung with Christmas lights. I imagine the place could be quite romantic on a summer evening, despite the close proximity to the gas station. As we sat down to eat, Greek music was piped through speakers above our heads. Charming!
The menu is not enormous, but covers the basic scope of familiar Greek dishes. In addition to the gyros, which come on a pita, a sub, a platter, or on a salad, you will find souvlaki (pork or chicken, $9.95/platter), falafel ($9.95/platter), pastichio (a Greek version of baked ziti, sort of, $10.95), and mousaka ($11.95). There are also side dishes like hummus ($3.95), spanakopita ($4.50), dolmades ($3.95), and taramosalata ($4.95 small), as well as many salad choices. For the less adventurous eaters, there are American-style subs. And if you are not completely full after all that, there are homemade Greek pastries!
Because we were not thinking like a couple of food critics, my husband and I both ordered exactly the same thing. Sorry about that! Since we both had the gyro platter ($9.95 each), it is the only thing I can review firsthand. Neither one of us realized that the platter was NOT a sandwich on a pita, but more of a small salad with meat and feta on top, pita pieces on the side. Therefore, it was a little more labor-intensive to eat. That was disappointment number one.
My favorite gyros of all time have been enormous, sloppy, drippy endeavors which necessitate the use of numerous napkins and possibly paper towels. This gyro platter was no such creation. There was a distinct dryness to the whole affair: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and possibly a little bit of onion underneath, with shaved meat and a light dusting of feta on top. No dressing at all, but a tiny tub of tzatziki on the side which tasted like plain Greek yogurt to me. I could have gone for A LOT more flavor, especially in the garlic department. The meat was spicy, but dry. The small pita triangles were definitely fresh, though. The fries on the side were supposed to be "boardwalk" style, which I guess means greasy? I found them slightly odd, perhaps a tad undercooked, and certainly under-seasoned. Very plain. Definitely not your McDonald's crispy and salty type.
I wish I had tasted more of the dishes, and I really wish I could recommend this place more whole-heartedly. However, it is NOT a cheap date by any stretch of the imagination. We paid about $25 for lunch for the two of us and the amount of food was not overly generous. As a huge fan of Greek food, I had really hoped to love this unique cafe hidden in the corner of a gas station parking lot. I'm afraid I could not.
hocofoods@@@
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