Getta Gyro

Getta Gyro is a drive-thru gyro stand located adjacent to the 76 gas station near the corner of SE 1st Ave and 164th St. in Vancouver, Washington. This is an expansion of owner Elayne Barlas' baklava business that she opened in 2004.

Elayne Barlas' husband asked her if she could learn to make his mother's baklava. She did that and then some. After opening a commercial kitchen selling baklava (under the business name "Pop-a-Bak") throughout SW Washington, Elayne recently expanded her business and started selling authentic Greek gyros. This spot on SE 1st and 164th opened around mid-December 2012.

Menu
(December 2012)

It's a menu with two main items: gyros and baklava. Gyros can include the usual lamb-beef blend, chicken, or a veggie option (hummus, bell pepper, and kalamata olives).

I inquired about the portion size. The regular gyro ($5.25) has less than 1/4 lb of meat, so panda logic required me to get the Deluxe Gyro ($7.25) that had double the meat portion. All gyros include lettuce, tomato, sliced onions, feta cheese, and tzatziki. Diced pepperoncini is available on the gyro if you want, so I got that as well.

Deluxe Gyro (wrapped)

Deluxe Gyro (unwrapped; fuller shot)

"Cross-section" after a few bites

Delicious gyro here. The thin strips of meat are cooked on a griddle, and you probably get around 7-8 strips for a deluxe. Juicy, tender meat, seasoned very well. Tasty tzatziki and fresh vegetables. I'm truly convinced feta cheese makes a gyro taste that much better. I've actually considered bringing my own container of feta for gyro benders should a particular establishment not carry any.

I'm not really sure if the pepperoncinis added anything more for me this time around, but then again, my palate's messed up from all those superhot stupid panda moments anyway. Gotta love YouTube.

I initially wondered if the baklava was from a completely separate business, but then looked online and noticed Elayne owned both endeavors. This homemade baklava is a family recipe, passed down through several generations. I like the bite-sized pieces here for easy eating, and the execution is flawless. Very enjoyable, not too sweet. No wonder Elayne is now lovingly called "The Baklava Gal." At Getta Gyro, you can get two small pieces of baklava for $1.75.

Bite-sized baklava comes in a small bag

Getta Gyro is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It's a family business, so I assume her family runs the stand when she is unable to. Check this spot out if you're craving a good gyro! 8.5/10