The former location of Burger, Dogs, and Fries at 20 N. High Street didn’t sit empty for long when the brand suddenly closed earlier this year. Fatih Gunal, owner of the several Cafe Istanbul restaurants around town, snatched the opportunity to open Grill & Grilled, a make-your-own, Mediterranean fast food joint, similar to his Pera Fresh Istanbul Food concept in the University District.
“There’s more potential for customers,” manager Jason Yayla disclosed. “There’s always the potential to make money. Plus, [we] love the competition…we know we make really good food.”
Indeed, the menu is designed to allow diners to customize their meals. Main ingredients like the beef and chicken for respective Gyro platters are prepared every morning by layering marinated meat on a large metal skewer and cooking it slowly for hours on a vertical roaster. It’s then sliced when the customer orders it, either on lavash, a thin flatbread, or as part of a bowl that can also include fresh toppings like red cabbage or Greek olives.
The sides are also traditionally Mediterranean, ranging from babaganoush and tzatziki, to baklava for dessert. They’re served by a friendly bunch of workers who claim to be the secret to the future success of Grill & Grilled.
“We’re not just going to give you food and send you on your way,” Yayla shares as he looks at his guys who’ve already been hard at work since 8 o’clock that morning. “We’re going to give you friendly faces and treat you like family. And the food is reasonably priced.”
Grill & Grilled is open from 10:30am-10:30pm Monday through Friday, and 11am-11pm on Saturdays. The website www.grillandgrilled.com is coming in mid-April.