Helen of Troy
Tulsa, OK
Gyros Platter
w/ Tzatziki, Basmati Rice, Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, Pita
Dish Score: 72
Overall Score: 72
Price: $$
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SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Presentation & Creativity: 10/20
- Portion Size & Nutritional Value: 7/10
- Ingredient Compatibility: 8/10
- Flavor, Taste, Texture, & Doneness: 30/40
- Service: 9/10
- Restaurant Appearance: 4/5
- Cost vs. Value: 4/5
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REVIEW
After a day of driving around Tulsa, I began to feel a grumbling in my stomach. Feeling the need to feed, I began wracking my brains on where to go to eat. Unable to make a decision, I chose to narrow it down by ingredient. Lamb it is. When I think lamb, the first thing that pops into my head is gyros. Now we’re getting somewhere! Using my trusty Urbanspoon app, I found that Helen of Troy was close to location. With my destination in mind, I set off to ease my hunger.
As I arrived, I was greeted to a banner out front advertising that the place I was about to eat had been voted Tulsa’s best restaurant from 2007-2010. Always promising. As I entered I was welcomed by the chef, the only other person in the building, who was very friendly and exuded a certain air of respectability. As I took my seat, he brought me a menu. Having already decided on lamb, I chose to get the Gyros Platter. For my sides, I chose to get Hummus and Baba Ghanoush.
While I waited for him to cook my meal, I took a look around the restaurant. Soft Mediterranean music set the atmosphere for the restaurant. The dining room seemed a bit weathered and could use an update. However, my eye was drawn to an exterior window with a view of angled fences and a twisted tree. Call it the artist in me, but I thought it was an interesting view. The kitchen is open to the dining room allowing for a full view of the working chef. I was a tad upset to notice the microwave in a prevalent location within the kitchen and that my rice was going into it.
He finished plating my dish and brought it out to me. Tasting the meat, it had a mild flavor and was a tad greasy. I also had no knife, so it was difficult to eat. The tzatziki had a nice cucumber flavor and complimented the lamb. The bed of microwaved Basmati Rice was very bland and would definitely have benefited from seasoning. Moving on to the Hummus, it had a good texture, an oily flavor, and finished with a slight kick. The Baba Ghanoush, although very similar to the Hummus, had slightly more flavor initially with less kick at the end. The Pita provided was soft and fresh.
Overall, Helen of Troy was pretty good. The lunch portion of my meal would probably have been sufficient, but I was half an hour late on my arrival. The chef was polite and attentive. Although they probably won’t get my vote for best restaurant in 2012, I definitely left satisfied.
