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baklava

The Weekend of Greek Eats and Treats

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There will be dancing !

OPA ! That’s the most overheard phrase at this weekend’s Dayton Greek Festival.

This Food Adventure has been a fixture in the Miami Valley for 61 years.  It is the perfect time for Daytonians to eat, dance, sing and celebrate Greek culture.  It promises to be a weekend full of good food and drink.

 

HERE’s THE SKINNY on THE GREEK FESTIVAL:

—Festival location:
The grounds of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
500 Belmonte Park North
(next to the Dayton Art Institute)

Preparing Desserts

Preparing Desserts

Festival Hours:


Friday, September  6       11 am to 11 pm
Saturday, September 7    11 am to 11 pm
Sunday, September 8      11 am to 6 pm

— Friday 11am- 5pm admission is free
5 – 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday all day, admission is $2.

 

GREEK FEST ATTRACTIONS:

There will be live music !

  • Food and pastries, imported beers and wines

  • Unique imported boutique items

  • Cooking demonstrations

  • Kids area “Zorba zone”

  • Church tours

  • Live music

  • Dance performances

 

PASTICHIO

MUST EATS at THE DAYTON GREEK FEST:​

—PASTICHIO:
Layers of Greek pasta, sauteed ground beef and topped with a rich cream sauce (bechamel).  This is a Greek version of lasagna.  It is delicious and the flavor is unique.

 

—LAMB GYRO:

Lamb Gyro

Flavorful lamb,  grilled and served on pita bread topped with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki sauce.  Truth be told, getting a couple of these is probably our favorite tradition.

 

—LOUKOUMADES (Honey Puffs):
Little “Greek donuts,”  these puffs of fried dough melt in your mouth.  A huge hit with kids and adults.

 

Honey Puffs

—GREEK LAMB SHANK DINNER:
Delicious roasted lamb shank served with rice pilaf, green beans, Greek salad and bread.  This is the big specialty of the festival.

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—TRIGONAS – TIROPITA:
Blended cheeses wrapped in a buttered fillo dough.  The result is a triangle shaped pastry to go filled with hot cheese.

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—TRIGONAS -SPANAKOPITA:

Trigonas


Spinach and feta filling wrapped in a buttered fillo dough.  This triangle shaped dough appetizer is great on the go, but be careful, the spinach inside is hot if you get a fresh one.

—BAKLAVA
Layers of fillo with a filling of chopped walnuts and cinnamon, covered with syrup.  This is the most popular dessert at the festival.  Don’t leave without getting a few.

​

Lots of different spellings

—KATAIFI
Shredded wheat-like buttered pastry topped with walnuts and almonds, covered with syrup.  This is the dark horse on the dessert menu.  You need to give it a try.

This is one of Dayton’s top festivals. If you have not experienced it, you are missing out on some fun.  The party is hopping on Friday and Saturday nights.  Lots of fun and people watching. 

If you do not like crowds, may we suggest you slip in on Saturday or Sunday at 11am .  The crowd will be light and the food lines will be short.  Parking will be easier too.

**SHUTTLE SERVICE **
We encourage you foodies to use the free shuttle service. The shuttle begins Friday at 5pm, and will run all week-end, from Grandview Hospital employee parking on Shaw Ave. Guests will be dropped off at the Festival entrance.

Thank you for reading this week’s Food Adventure installment.  Find us posting food related articles each and every week, EXCLUSIVELY on Dayton Most Metro.

Like Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Spanakopita

The outside of the church

Follow the gyro smell

Inside the Church

Gyro Central

Pastichio

Fresh Baklava

Honey Puffs

Our Trifecta

Kaitdaifi

Trigonas cheese and spinach

Lamb Gyro

Enjoy The Tastes of Sunday’s Turkish Food Festival

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The Turkish American Society Dayton Community center, located at 2601 E. 4th Street will be opening their doors and welcoming in guests to join them for a the Turkish Food Festival this Sunday, Sept 2nd from 11am – 4pm.

I attended their last event in May and was wowed by the welcoming atmosphere, variety of homemade foods and very reasonable prices. I appreciated the signs that gave the ingredients for the dishes, making it easy to explore so many new tastes.

 

Upon arrival you purchase tickets and use those tickets to pay for your food at each table that line the walls of the center. Most items were just $1 -4. There was plenty of seating set up in the middle of the room and even a turkish coffee area set up, showing off some very elaborate brass and copper pots.

 

 

 

Gigi’s Gyros Ribbon Cutting Today

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This Mediterranean restaurant opened quietly at the beginning of August in a strip mall on Central Avenue in Miamisburg  and now Gigi’s Gyros is read to welcome the masses with a ribbon cutting special offer today.

Their signature sandwich is thin sliced beef and lamb served on a warm pita bread, topped with tomato, red onion and tzatiki sauce for just $5.99.  They also offer a chicken gyro , a falafel sandwich and tilapia or veggie pita sandwiches.  You can upgrade them to deluxe for an extra dollar, which adds feta cheese, lettuce and pepperoncini.

Side orders include dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), spanakopita, rice pilaf, greek fries and Kalamata olives. And of course there is baklava for dessert! Check out their menu:

 

 

Gigi’s Gyros
1238 E Central Ave,
Miamisburg, OH 45342

Owner:  Gigi Latif

Open Mon – Sat 11am -9pm
Closed Sunday

(937) 530-8241

Greek Food Truck to Hit Dayton Streets

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“The Greek Street Food Truck” is about to explode onto the streets of the Miami Valley

Food Adventures has super secret info that we have been waiting months to release right here on Dayton Most Metro.  It concerns Dayton’s newest food truck, that will soon make a splash in the Miami Valley.

The scoop is so fresh that their website isn’t up yet, but you can find them on Facebook —>here.

THE GREEK STREET FOOD TRUCK is putting the final touches on its menu and final tweaks on operations, but looks ready to roll.

We are excited because this will be the first strictly “Greek Based truck” that we know of and brings further diversity to an already incredible selection of local food vehicles.

So whats the scoop on the new kid in town?  Who is behind the Greek Street Food Truck?

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON THE OWNER:

— CHEF CHRIS SPIRTOS, owner and operator of Greek Street Food Truck has an extensive cooking background.

Traditional Beef/Lamb Gyro from “Greek Street Food Truck”

— Chris went to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago to hone his craft.  The Centerville native, also  worked at L’Auberge and as a sous chef at Sung’s Korean Bistro in Cincinnati.

— Chris also studied under the Chef for Oprah Winfrey, Chef Art Smith, while living in Chicago.  He was so well thought of, that Chris was flown to Oprah’s California home to help fix a dinner she hosted for the first graduating class of her school in Africa.

— More recently, Chris has worked on the incredible food truck, Zombie Dogz

— Born into a Greek family (his grandparents were from Greece), Chris’ recipe for Baklava is his mom’s, and it is a traditional favorite.

 

What type of eats can you expect on the truck?  Food Adventures  has all the scoop right here.

 

 

Stacked Chicken on the Spindle cooker

Other GREEK STREET FOOD TRUCK info:

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON WHAT TO EXPECT:

— The meats are individually layered on a spindle and cooked.  There are no compressed or processed meats.  Just a Beef/Lamb mixture spindle, and a Chicken spindle.  Each gyro is sliced to order.

— The Greek Street Food Truck will have a core menu of:
   Gyros
   Greek Fries  or Regular Fries
   Spanakopita (a Greek spinach Pie)
   An assortment of dips, possibly including hummus
   Homemade Baklava

— The menu will feature daily, revolving specials as well

 

Now, without further delay, let’s give you our menu items from Greek Street Food Truck that are absolutely, “Must Eats”….

 

MUST EATS:

— CHICKEN GYRO, STREET STYLE: Stacked rotisserie chicken breasts slices, piled into a pita and topped with “street style toppings.”  Street style means:  tomato jam, pickled red onions, crumbled feta, fresh herbs, fries, and tzatziki sauce.  Quite honestly, one of the most flavorful and unique gyros we have had.  If you try one thing, this is item to grab.

— BEEF GYRO, TRADITIONAL STYLE:  Shaved slices of stacked lamb and beef rotisserie cooked meat.  This is a throwback to the gyros of the old country with “traditional toppings.”  Traditional toppings are: tomato, tzatziki sauce, onions, smoked paprika and french fries.  This gyro is authentic.  It is like a steak sandwich, no processed meat here.  Damn good food on the “go.”

 

Owner Chris Spirtos of “Greek Street Food Truck”

We are excited for the first Greek themed entry into Dayton’s food truck scene.  The Food Adventure crew of The Big Ragu, Chef House, and Hungry Jax, wish Chris good luck with his “Big Fat Greek Food Truck.”   We think Greek Street will be a huge hit… here’s to you .. OPA !

 

Below are more practically edible photos of the luscious food at Greek Street Food Truck.

For the best photos and info on Dayton’s food scene, “like” Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Also, follow Chef House, The Big Ragu and Hungry Jax on the Instagram Food Adventures account by clicking HERE.

The “Street Style Chicken Gyro”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greek Salad

Website . and Instagram

The Chicken Gyro Street Style is a MUST EAT !

Greek Beef Specialty

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greek Street

Coming to your city

Spanakopita – homemade

Greek Shrimp

Beef and Lamb meat, stacked and cooking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traditional or Street Gyro? you cant go wrong

Greek Street Food Truck side view

The pickled onions on street gyro are amazing

Handful of Greek Street Food !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yaffa Grill: Our New Favorite Spot

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Marinated Chicken on the Yaffa Grill

If Fred Flintstone  was on Colonel Glenn Highway, he would say “Yaffa Gotta Do !” …and guess what, he would be right.

Yaffa Grill can be summed up as “simply exotic.”   It has worldly tastes of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine that are as authentic as they are delicious.  At the same time they serve the food on paper or styrofoam plates.  You see?  Simple and exotic.  Food Adventures have tagged this as our new favorite eatery, and have been visiting the 2 Yaffa locations with some frequency.

Want an authentic, unique Food Adventure that is affordable and fun?  Then look no further than Yaffa Grill.

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— They have two locations, one at 2844 Colonel Glenn Hwy (across from Wright State), and the other at 21 Alex Rd in West Carrollton which features a Middle Eastern Market.  A local family from Palestine, owns both businesses.

 

— The food is Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean.  It is unique and exotic, but delicious!  You will see spindles of meat and flaming shish kebabs.  Yaffa Grill is a great place to experiment and try some new dishes out of your comfort zone.  You will be happy you did!

 

— The prices are right.  The most expensive thing on the menu is a whole grilled chicken for $15, and we know you cant eat that by yourself.

Click to enlarge this incredible appetizer called “Musabaha” which is much like hummus

— Very casual atmosphere.  The dining area is almost like a “to go” deli.  Warning: the drink selection is very limited  (cans of pop and bottled water).

 

Don’t know what to order or where to start on such a diverse menu with possibly unfamiliar choices?  No problem, The Big Ragu, Chef House and Hungry Jax have a list of “must eats” that wont disappoint you.  There are various spellings out there of the dishes below, but we will use the spellings on the Yaffa menu.

 

MUST EATS:

—MUSABAHA : The hardest thing about ordering it, is pronouncing it.  It is a crushed chickpea puree, much like a hummus, with olive oil, lemon juice and spices mixed in.  One of our favorite appetizers for sure.  Dipping the pita bread served into this appetizer is one of life’s golden pleasures.

 

—EGGPLANT SALAD:  The Big Ragu has seen his fair share of eggplant dishes.  This was one of the most unique and delicious ones we have come across.  Served cold, it is perfectly mixed with roasted peppers, tomatoes and vegetables.  Excellent pairing with the pita bread, it is a meal in itself.

 

— YAFFA MIX GRILL: A sampling of 3 of the best shish kebabs in Dayton.  The plate consists of a chicken shish kebab, steak kebab, and a beef/lamb mixed kebab.  It is fun to watch the cooks prepare the kebabs on the huge skewers, over the open flame.  We loved this dish.  The grilled meat and vegetables make it a heart healthy choice.

 

Kufta Kebabs. Get the Mixed Grill and sample all 3 types of Kebabs

— THE HALF GRILLED CHICKEN:  We don’t know how, but Yaffa Grill made a delicious chicken like we have never tasted before.  The Mediterranean spices were marinated and infused into the chicken in some sort of delicious sauce/rub.  The result was a lip smacking, moist, melt-in-your mouth experience.  A definite ‘must eat.’

 

— BEEF SHAWERMA:  Flame cooked lamb and beef, sliced from the meat rotesserie.   We especially love dishes that are carved off of rotating spindles of meat.   It is a tasty treat that explodes with flavor.   When served in a wrap, it is a “Food Adventure on the go.”

 

Honorable Mention:  Fatayer: a delicious bread stuffed with your choice of spices.  Lentil Soup:  Yeah, we never thought we would ever write this, but the lentil soup is amazing.

 

With so many great choices on the menu, it was hard to limit our ‘must eats.’  Even the “Baba Ghanouj” dip was some of the best we’ve had.  If you like hummus, try it.

 

Dates, and other produce at Yaffi Market in West Carrollton

Yaffa Grill is a perfect place to experience a new culture and have your very own Food Adventure.  It is a fascinating place for true foodies, and a sampling ground for those with an open mind, who are tired of the “same old thing.”  Vegetarians love this place for the flavorful entrees!  They even have a kids menu with hot dog, burger and chicken nuggets option.

Yaffa Grill does not have a website yet, or a Facebook page, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get some delicious food.  Don’t forget that the West Carrollton location has a market  with various hard to find imported groceries from far away lands.  Canned goods, baked items, meats, nuts and even dairy products line the shelves.  It is definitely worth a visit.

Make sure you get some grub at Yaffa Grill,  The Food Adventure Crew cherish it as one of their favorite places in Dayton.  We are addicted, and we think you will be too.

Here is something you wont see anywhere else online, the Yaffa Grill Menu —> PAGE 1   PAGE2   PAGE3   PAGE 4

Some of our best photos of the year are in the picture gallery below, so make sure you scroll through them to see all of the dishes that Yaffa Grill has to offer.

What’s almost as good as a freshly grilled Yaffa Kebab?   The answer is “liking” Food Adventures on Facebook, by clicking HERE.

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