Izmir Market & Mediterranean Deli
3607 Greenville Ave.
Dallas, TX 75206
214-824-8484
Promised delivery time: 45 minutes
Actual delivery time: 40 minutes
Amazing phone voice, lady version (I'll explain): 11
Option for a side Greek salad instead of chips: 5
Super-nice delivery dude: 10
Large dose of snappy pickles: 13
That first bite of cool hummus on warm, soft pita:17
Filling entrees, allowing for weekend leftovers: 15
An awesome dinner for what could be my last Izmir delivery: 27
Total: 98
Top Ten
Izmir Market & Mediterranean Deli 98
Quesa-D-Ya's 94
Roti Grill 88
Chef House 79
Panda Delite 78
See complete 2009 standings here
I have to be upfront here. I know Izmir's delivery number by heart. I have ordered from the deli version of the Mediterranean restaurant for around a decade. And, 99 times of 100, I love it. My favorite part of the process is if I get the gruff-voiced man with the beautifully thick accent and he repeats my order back, tempting with, "Something to drink? Some dessert?" before closing with (the same way every time), "45 minutes, hopefully sooner." It makes me truly happy, even before Izmir's food gets me too full to leave the couch.
So, as I've been readying to move to a different neighborhood, I've been ordering like a fiend from my favorite places... And weeping a bit at the thought that Izmir's hummus won't be just a phone call away. This is a bit of a tribute, I suppose.
I didn't struggle too much with my order this time. I generally alternate between the cold mozzarella sandwich, chicken arugula sandwich, chicken schnitzel sandwich and the gyro. Since the beau was going gyro, I had to go another route (after ensuring I could have a bite, of course). I went back and forth, but since the last time I ordered, a friend and I halved a mozza sandwich and a chicken arugula between us, that left me the schnitzel (pictured above).
It's available in platter form, for you to build as you like, but if I'm getting delivery I've already committed to a certain level of laziness so I tend to order prepared sandwiches. The barely breaded chicken lounged amongst lettuce, tomato, divinely crunchy Mediterranean pickle strips and avocado aoli on a fresh bun. In one bite, you get cool, savory, crunchy, creamy and warm. A perfectly balanced sandwich that in spite of its fried bits, is in no way heavy. I got a side salad as I always do and would recommend to anyone in lieu of chips--the dressing is to die for.
The gyro (pictured at right, with chips because Jake obviously has no idea what he's missing) was also a stellar choice. The cool tzatziki against the savory slices of gyro meat makes for a lilt on the tongue--perking you up right before that unavoidable food coma. Again, there is a platter option, and I occasionally will go that route so I can really pile on the pickles, but the boy's wrap was outstanding as it was.
Apparently viewing this order as a physical challenge, we also ordered our favorite "mezza": hummus (the best in Dallas. I'm prepared to fight if you disagree), Russian chicken salad (a mix of shredded chicken, egg, peas, potatoes, pickles and more also available on a sandwich. It may sound strange but I really can't do it justice here. Just know that it's converted people who are addicted to chunky chicken salad, so trust me and order it), the requisite pita and a meat dolma for good measure. And yes, it's always tempting to order a brownie as big as my face, but I didn't this time.
Yeah, there's still some in the fridge. No you can't have any. Izmir, thank you for always, always arriving "hopefully sooner" over the years. I'll miss you, but I promise to visit.
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