By John D. Gonzalez, WKTV Contributing Writer
If you’re headed down 44th Street and Breton Road, you just might miss Tasty Gyro Coney Island, which is tucked away in a strip mall behind Tommy’s Express Car Wash.
It’s truly a “hidden gem,” said Emad Shatara, whose father Sami came out of retirement six years ago to open up this eclectic restaurant known for great gyros and coney dogs.
“We’re the hidden place; we even have a sign in the front window that says, ‘This must be the place,’” Shatara said.
Best known as one of the original owners of the popular Pita House in Eastown, which opened in 1999, Emad said his dad was working as an Uber driver after selling his interest to his brother Basel about 12 years ago. (Basel still owns and operates the two remaining Pita House restaurants, Emad said.)
“He got bored, so he opened up this place,” Emad said. “Really, he just wanted to cook again, so here he is, cooking, and doing what he wants to do.”
And what he wants to do is offer an array of flavors, spices and options to make just about anyone who walks through never leave hungry.
“Just don’t hurt yourself,” said one happy customer walking out the door as father and son sat down with WKTV Journal to talk about the menu.
“Anything you can imagine,” Emad said about the diverse offerings. “Any city, any food. It’s all here. It’s a coney island so we can do whatever we want here.”
An explosion of flavors from all over the world
You will find hot dogs, coney dogs, hamburgers, gyros, traditional Middle Eastern food, and Greek and Mediterranean dishes, too.
Think hummus, Baba Ghanouj and tzatziki sauce.
“Everything is made in house,” he said. “Even the garlic sauce.”
And if it’s not on the menu, “we’ll create whatever you want,” Emad said.
The menu is a mix of traditional and not-so-traditional offerings.
Along with mouthwatering Greek Fries – French Fries topped with special Greek dressing and feta cheese – you will find other familiar fare such as Chicken or Beef Shawarma (marinated Lebanese style sandwich topped with garlic sauce or hummus and lettuce, tomato, onion and turnips) and Falafel (pita with ground chickpeas mixed with spices and parsley, then deep-fried, with hummus, lettuce, tomato, onion and turnips).
Creativity abounds
But father and son are not afraid to surprise you, too.
Emad said he would recommend two items:
The Tasty Gyro Pita (a blend of seasoned beef and lamb topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, feta and cucumber sauce), and the NYC Chopped Cheese Sandwich (seasoned ground beef sautéed with onions, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and banana peppers on a toasted sub bun). It’s their spinoff of a Philly Cheese Steak.
“It’s the greatest sandwich you will ever have,” Emad said.
And, “if you really want to get crazy,” he said, you have to try their version of Cincinnati-style chili, made popular by the Greek immigrants who started Skyline Chili. They call it Cincinnati Spaghetti.
Imagine a generous portion of seasoned ground beef on top of spaghetti, and topped with kidney beans, onions and fine shredded cheddar cheese. When you taste that hint of familiar chocolate flavor you’ll think you’re in Cincinnati.
“You can’t get this anywhere else in Grand Rapids,” Emad said.
As for coney dogs, you’ll find Detroit and Flint style on the menu, as well as traditional Chicago dogs and the New Yorker dog (with chili, sauerkraut, onion, cheddar and mustard). They use Vienna hot dogs in natural casing.
Almost every city covered
“I told you when you come here you go to every city,” said Emad, noting all the styles of coney dogs.
The craziest one may be the Greek Coney. It comes with gyro meat, tzatziki sauce, banana peppers, tomatoes and onions and feta cheese on it, Emad said.
In fact, they also created a Gyro Burger, which they named after a customer, “Yovany.” It is a 1/3 lb. burger topped with gyro slices, lettuce, tomato, onion, feta and tzatziki sauce.
“That thing is a monster,” Emad said.
You could come here every day for six months and try something new each day.
“You got a lot to try,” he said.
IF YOU GO
Tasty Gyro Coney Island
Address: 2269 44th St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49508
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Call: 616-635-2100
Menu online: tastygyroconeyisland.com
Prices: Gyros are about $11, coney dogs (Flint, Detroit and Greek-style) about $4; platters about $16-$18.
John D. Gonzalez is a digital journalist with 30-plus years of experience as a food, travel, craft beer and arts & entertainment reporter based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also co-hosts the radio show and Podcast “Behind the Mitten,” which airs at 6 p.m. Sundays on WOOD-AM and FM. Follow him on his journey to discover what’s next. You can find him on Twitter as @MichiganGonzo, on Instagram @MichiganGonzo and Facebook at @GRGonzo. He also relaunched his YouTube Channel. Email him story ideas and tips at michigangonzo@gmail.com.
