by Terrance Mc Arthur

Trying to come up with a theme for the Great Food Search isn’t always easy. After last month’s column, I had come up with an idea I wanted to try: vegeterranean—vegan and vegetarian food at Mediterranean restaurants. But then, I found a new restaurant in Sanger that is Mediterranean. . . but Oh! That wonderful meat!

At 544 Academy Avenue, tucked into half of what used to be a bank by a Denny’s, is Zeus Fresh Mediterranean. An outgrowth of the Zeus on North Avenue, south of Fresno, it recently opened, and I’ve become an instant fan.

Our introduction to Zeus (“Hello, Great Food Search. This is Zeus.”) was the bowl, a simple bed of rice and/or veggies topped with a protein and sauces. The broccoli and carrots are steamed, and unbelievable. In later orders, I requested all carrots; the smooth texture and hearty taste blew me away. Not to cast aspersions on the broccoli; my daughter says it’s Goldilocks—not too hard, not too soft . . . just right. The rice has good flavor and texture.

The chicken comes in shawarma, kebab, and spicy garlic varieties. The shawarma is that stacked-and-shaved Eastern Mediterranean street-fast-food style, with a slow-cooked quality. The kebab has an outdoorsy feel to it. The spicy garlic? Oh, yeah. The beef is flavorful and cooked nicely. I haven’t tried the lamb, yet, but I’m sure I will.

Zeus offers a number of sauces; We’ve tried tzatziki, garlic, curry, and hummus. Tzatziki is a combo of yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, and anything left to toss into it. The garlic is my favorite, the flavor of life. The curry carries a bit of a kick to it, good for a lunch that will keep you awake for the afternoon’s work. As for hummus, I look on it as comfort food because it reminds me of my grandmother-in-law’s heavenly tutta bread, made from garbanzo (aka chickpea) flour.

With a plate, you get a choice of sides. My favorite is the spanakopita, but it usually vanishes early (it took me four visits before I finally snagged some); normally, it’s like a cross between baklava and lasagna with spinach, cut into squares or diamonds. At Zeus, a spinach/cheese mixture is wrapped inside a triangular cocoon of phyllo dough. Oh. boy! Grape-leaf dolmas are a tube packed with rice; at Zeus, the rice is sauced and made into a taste bomb! What Zeus calls a puff pastry is a blend between baklava and a cocktail weenie, withal the goodness of honey and nuts wrapped up in flaky dough—resistance is futile!

The wall at Zeus features a photo-mural of a Greek village with white buildings and blue domes overlooking a harbor of dreams. There are a few tables for dining, but the service is geared toward take-out, with a watch-while-they-assemble-it area and plastic bowls and plates topped with see-through covers. This location is still in its infancy, working out the kinks in the ovens, but it’s an oh-so-good place for grabbing a Greek/Mediterranean meal that will make you want to come back again . . . and again . . and . . . .

Happy eating!

Check out more food articles and more of Terrance’s Great Food Search column in our Food Fun section. And check out a KRL staff profile this week on Terrance!

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.