Taryn: 

When someone tells you a place has the “best” of something, you have to try it out, right? That is how we ended up at Pita De’ Novo last week. It is a small shop you would more than likely drive past 100 times unless you were actually looking for it. We arrived for a late lunch, and we were the only ones there. I was surprised when we walked in to find a very nice, modern set up. One thing that immediately caught my eye was that the meat was on a spit, which is not something you usually see around here. Matt said that it is very common overseas. Being a vegetarian, I bypassed the meat option and went straight for what I came for: eggplant.

The owner took our order and answered every question I had. Their dishes come with different sides. I chose the greek salad, baba ghanoush and baklava for dessert. It took a little while to get the food, but it came out hot, which is always a plus. I must say I was impressed with the eggplant. It isn’t easy to make a good, fried eggplant. There was a little too much mint in the baba ghanoush for me, but the salad was great. They have an interesting greek dressing that isn’t like other places.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Pita De’ Novo. I recommend this place anytime you’re near LSU Shreveport or just looking for a great meal.

Matt: 

Until I was 24, I was a Greek virgin; it was only while living in England that I got my first taste of Mediterranean food. There are a lot of first-generation immigrants in the United Kingdom, and many of them bring their country’s culinary skills and tastes with them. Flavorful Indian food, Thai curry and authentic Middle Eastern dishes were cheap and abundant, making the small island nation a hub of authentic and – to this American – occasionally strange dinners. Greek food was among them.

I never really acquired a taste for that style of food. While not unpleasant, the strong and unique flavors and spices that make up a lot of Mediterranean dishes never really appealed to me, making it a rare treat at a select number of restaurants. Since I’ve been back, I’ve only eaten this type of food a handful of times and have usually been unimpressed. I can say without a doubt that Pita De’ Novo is the closest thing to authentic Mediterranean cuisine I have tasted here in the States. In the tradition of so many of the Greek and kebab shops I frequented overseas, the lamb they use in so many of their dishes is slow-roasted in view, making it somewhat hard for us carnivores to concentrate long enough to order our food. And it doesn’t disappoint; the meat is tender and flavorful, and the Greek sauce they gave me complimented it very well. And their vegetables all seemed extremely fresh.

If Greek food is your thing and you happen to be in the busy Youree Dr. area around lunchtime, I recommend you stop by Pita De’ Novo for an hour and enjoy some good food in a nice, friendly atmosphere where the servers are very attentive and willing to accommodate you in any way possible. Having spent three hours in their store swiveling around on some of the most comfortable stools I’ve ever felt, Taryn and I obviously enjoyed ourselves. Overall, I give it a four out of five.

Oh, and get the tea. It was some of the best I’ve had in a while.

-Taryn Ferro & Matt Haynes

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