The Critics Ate Gyros, Sushi Burritos, and Pho This Week

Excellent Gyros

The Boston Globe’s Sheryl Julian checks out Gre.Co this week, which “excels at gyros,” she writes, praising the tender, juicy meat in the lamb version that comes with “crisp, slender fries.” There are also pork and loukaniko versions of the gyro, and guests can get fries as a side (covered in feta and oregano). There are also paper-thin zucchini chips, which Julian calls “outstanding.” The avgolemono lemon soup is thick one day but thinner and “more lemon-y” on another, which Julian writes makes it “quite good.” She recommends the Greek slaw and the chicken plate with spicy whipped feta. For dessert, eat the loukoumades, Julian suggests — either the classic version or “Yaya’s,” which “are easy to polish off” with their hazelnut praline and Oreo cookie topping.

Burritos in Space

Kara Baskin digs into sushi burritos from Yoki Express in Boston’s Seaport for her latest Globe piece. Unsurprisingly, the “sushi-grade burritos are the big draw here.” Baskin describes them as “large rice missiles wrapped in nori,” and they can be filled with tuna, salmon, shrimp, beef, chicken, and pork. The El Matador version comes with teriyaki beef, while the Mambo Combo is stuffed with tuna and buttery salmon that’s been “slathered in spicy mayo.” As with most fast-casual restaurants these days, there’s an option for a bowl version of the meal, which Baskin writes is generously sized.

Showstopping Goat

For The Improper Bostonian, MC Slim JB visits the new Kenmore Square location of Quincy-based Pho Countryside, finding that it plays it a bit safe with the Vietnamese flavors. “Food geeks” in search of “the heady, slightly stinky, old-country fragrances of fish sauce and fermented seafood pastes” should head to Dorchester or Fenway’s Tiger Mama, but there’s still lots to enjoy at Pho Countryside. Top picks include the goat hot pot (“the kitchen’s unqualified showstopper”) and the marinated roast quail (“lovely little chunks of slightly bony bird in a dark, sweet sauce.”) The restaurant’s other “undeniable pleasures” include its giant and fairly priced menu, friendly service, and convenient location.

• Gre.Co Is a Greek Island on Newbury Street [BG]
• Where Sushi Meets Burritos and Taste Buds ‘Pulsate to the Rhythm’ [BG]
• The Mild Country [IB]