Melita's, Denver

Here's two meals right here. Oh, also baclava too. Very gooey. I took containers with me that fit in the backpack to bring half of this home. The potatoes are re-heated in oil, that would the third deep frying, and refreshed to original dehydrated crispness.

Approaching downtown Denver from the south on Lincoln heading north, past Sixth and the goofy junction with Speer, past that and now approaching the capitol going up a hill from 8th to 9th, when you get to the top at 10th, you see this on the left. It is very easy to miss and people do drive right past. Be ready to pull in, there will be a ton of traffic right up your tailpipe.

Today was Taste of Denver, a prosaic food event that draws thousands of people to fair-like food. And in the opposite direction there is Sniagrab (bargains spelled backwards) ski supply sale, an annual dealio requiring part of the street accommodate tents and that attracts the athletic types, and beyond that something happening at Tony's, roasted chiles, I think, with their own tents set up on the sidewalk, street, and parking lot. Traffic is stopped on the main street Broadway causing traffic flow on side streets to completely collapse where full block long lines of cars wait on one making a left turn, so nothing moves light after light after light. Goodness people are patient. A good day to be on foot. Come to think of it, I discovered Melita's a few years ago by avoiding a previous Taste of Colorado holiday. Who knows, maybe they changed. Maybe they're better than before. It was a good original idea, to introduce people to local restaurants, but all that was taken over by the usual fare that dominates the entire production so everyone is walking around eating turkey legs and fire-roasted chile-flavored corn on the cob.

Tonight the room turned golden orange, I turned to look and saw this. 

In the next minute it changed to this.

And the next minute it turned to this.

Baklava

Melita's Greek restaurant and deli -- Denver

Oh dear. This happened before. I was so excited to have a sandwich I tore into it before taking a few shots and not realizing that until the end and so I cannot provide a photo of a Melita's gyros sandwich in pristine form but rather must provide one in devoured form. Behold, the world's first fast-food sandwich, and still reigning champion, in my book, the lamb and beef gyros with feta and tzatziki sauce.

On Lincoln, approaching the capitol, at 10th this is what you see. 

I almost bought mountain tea by mistake, man, that would have been a bummer.

This is what I brought home in my knapsack so this delicious sandwich can be replicated here, but you know what? It's not going to be the same without fresh tomato, sliced onion, and without the atmosphere created by the friendly gracious people at Melita's.