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The Gyro Project, a new fast casual restaurant, is set to open next month at 2151 Lemoine Avenue in Fort Lee. The restaurant is the brainchild of George Tenedios, an Englewood Cliffs resident who recently opened fresh&co in Newark and Spiro Kokkosis, who owns several restaurants in New York and lives in Fort Lee.
Tenedios and Kokkosis are childhood friends who have been friends for 25 years and are both second generation restauranteurs with Greek backgrounds. Kokkosis came up with the idea for the Gyro Project and Tenedios soon was attracted to the idea of serving Greek food in an elevated fast casual restaurant.
"It's what I eat and breathe on a daily basis," Tenedios said. "We're not a quick service restaurant, but we're also not a full service restaurant. We live somewhere in between in that middle category that doesn't exist yet. We do a little bit of everything."
Patrons can expect Greek specialties like gyro platters, lamb chops, loukoumades (Greek donuts), and souvlaki. The Gyro Project will also have a marketplace attached, allowing people to buy Greek branded vinegar and olive oil.
Tenedios said he feels Fort Lee is the perfect location to try out this new concept, especially since both live so close to the location.
"There's nothing like this that exists here or in any of the neighboring towns," Tenedios said.
The simplicity of Greek cuisine is what makes it so appealing, Tenedios said.
"It really values fresh high quality wholesome ingredients," Tenedios said. "It's the simplicity of the flavors. It's super tasty. We tend to let the actual food items shine as opposed to masking it with seasoning, sauces and spices."
Tenedios said he is looking forward to seeing customers try their feta brined rotisserie chicken as well as their lamb chops, which he said have never really been offered in a fast casual setting.
Whenever he visits the location, he said he gets mobbed by people in Fort Lee wanting to know when they are officially opening.
"There's tons of excitement and enthusiasm," Tenedios said.
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