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The Simple Greek opened on October 21 — occupying the former Zombie Burger location on Ankeny Blvd, in Ankeny. Similar to Pancheros or Chipotle, the restaurant uses an assembly line style and offers choices between Mediterranean grilled meats, fresh vegetables, cheeses, numerous sauces and toppings. This is the first Simple Greek to open in Iowa, but the franchise has been growing rapidly across the country. They have opened 33 restaurants in 16 states and have plans to expand to 50 restaurants by the end of 2019, according to their current strategy statement.

The Simple Greek claims to offer a first-class experience and to re-define traditional Greek cuisine by keeping things simple while combining high-quality ingredients with a fast-casual setting. From my experience, they may not be re-inventing the wheel at The Simple Greek, but they do offer a delicious and healthy alternative to similar lunch stops.

When I arrived just around lunchtime, I heard the busy sounds of people ordering, workers preparing dishes and distant conversation. Signage from the outside of the restaurant was modest, and I could peek inside through the large windows encompassing the space.

I could see the entire space well because of the open arrangement of tables and chairs, and I could smell the fresh ingredients before I saw them through a wide glass countertop. I likely wasn’t greeted upon entering due to the busy lunchtime rush. However, I felt content blending into the business here — relaxed and unobstructed.

There were large screens displaying rotating menu options that made it easy to decide my order before approaching the counter to speak with a worker. I decided on a classic pita sandwich, which I planned to stuff with every topping available, and Greek fries, a spiced take on traditional french fries that were rumored to be fantastic.

When I got to the counter to place my order, the staff member was courteous and efficient. They move people in and out of the line without wasting time, so the three or four people in front of me disappeared quickly. My entire ordering process took around three minutes.

My pita arrived at the checkout sizzling and fully loaded. I got my money’s worth, which was about $10, including the fries, and took full advantage of their highly customizable menu. My pita consisted of traditional gyro meat, more or less every topping available (tomatoes, pepperoncini, cucumbers, garbanzo beans, kalamata olives, salad, feta cheese, pickled onions and a few other options), Greek dressing for sauce and oregano for the finishing touch. The thick pita bread was oozing with spiced, cool Greek flavors, and I was excited to dig in.

I sat down with two co-reviewers who ordered a fresh grilled shrimp salad and pita bowl, which were both a deconstructed version of what I ordered. Our mini-feast didn’t last long — it was delicious.

Textures were the best part of my meal. I bit into the warm bread that immediately was contrasted by chilled and crunchy lettuce and veggies, which were all soaked in Greek spices. All of the toppings made a unique blend of salty, sweet, spicy and most of all fresh flavor. The pita was so filling that it nearly spoiled the fries, which were equally tasty. Surprisingly, my pita turned out to be comfort food. After eating, I was 100% content, full and ready for a nap.

Altogether, this restaurant made a great first impression. Because of its busy, open and naturally lit atmosphere, The Simple Greek felt less like the new kid on the block and more like a long-term establishment. Furthermore, the food was prepared quickly and with attention to detail — my order came out even better than I had expected.

Once again, The Simple Greek isn’t doing anything groundbreaking with their franchise, but they’ve taken a simple and refined approach to fresh food. For these reasons, I’m happy to give The Simple Greek a 4.3 out of 5 review.