Capt. Pete’s House of the Rising Gyros

This afternoon I dropped our fantasy football league’s trophy off at Tim Yoho’s shop to be engraved with the name of the 2011 Champion.  Since I am rarely on this side of town during lunchtime I decided to make the most of the trip and popped into Capt. Pete’s House of Gyros.  The restaurant’s name is one of my favorite in all of Tallahassee, and for some reason makes me think of a song by the Animals.

“Well, there is a house in Tallahassee, they call the Rising Gyro. And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy, and God I know I’m one ” – The Animals (kinda)

Capt. Pete’s is conveniently located on Capital Circle NE across from the prison.  In front of the restaurant were three pieces of wicker furniture painted lime green.  A sign next to the door indicated it was opened Monday through Saturday from 11 – 2 p.m.  As I opened the door my friend Joe said those were great hours to work if you could get them.

The interior is something straight out of the Greek Restaurant manual.  Intricately topped vinyl chairs surrounded beige colored tables topped with fake flowers.  Random artwork of the seas dotted one wall while an old school Coca Cola menu hung behind the counter where orders were placed.  The only things missing were bright blue walls the color of the Greek flag and a statue of a goddess.

The girl behind the counter was friendly and greeted us as we approached.  I was in the mood for a Gyro but also wanted a drink and some baklava.  I decided to order the King Gyro (gyro meat, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes and onion wrapped in a warm pita) and made it a combo.  This meant I got a drink, a small Greek salad and a small piece of baklava for an additional $4.00.  I thought the price was a bit steep, and I would have passed on the combo if I had eaten a decent breakfast.

We took a seat in a b00th. The seat was custom cracked vinyl taped over in black electrical tape.  While we waited for our food I snacked on the small Greek salad.  It consisted of lettuce, tomotoes, onions, cucumbers, a pepperoncini, an olive and some feta cheese.  The dressing was kept on the table.  I sprinkled some on and took a bite.  It was pretty good but could have used a little more lemon juice.

The salad was a mere appetizer and I was starving as the gyro arrived neatly wrapped in a basket.  I removed it from it protective cover and attacked it like a hungry wild boar.  The gyro meat had a nice flavor and was complimented by the creamy tzatziki sauce.  The pita was fresh and soft.  It was a very good gyro.  The last item in my basket was a small piece of baklava.  It was flakey with nuts covered in filo dough and drenched in a honey syrup.  I devoured it in short order and wished it had been larger.

Sure Capt. Pete’s House of Gyros could use a face lift but its shabbiness is part of its charm.  The staff was friendly, the food was well prepared and the dining room was relatively clean.  Joe remarked on our way out the bathroom needed to be cleaned, and they may want to get the Captain in there after hours to give it a good scrubbing.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: C
Taste: B+
Presentation: C
Service: B+
Cleanliness: C-
Price: $