BOISE, ID – Idaho is known for its potatoes, but the patates tiganites (French fries, to Americans) served inside the gyros made at Meraki Greek Street Food in Boise is an unmistakably Greek tradition, owner Aki Kalatzakis told the Idaho Statesman.

Sunflower oil is another key ingredient to authentic Greek-style fried potatoes. It adds a different dimension and, along with the freshness of the potatoes, creates a different texture, he said, the Statesman reported.

Meraki opened in June, and Kalatzakis and his father, Taki, is teaching him all the secret family recipies. Taki’s “tzatziki is second to none,” his son says.

But Greek food in Boise? Sure. “There’s only so many burger and pizza places that can open up,” Kaltzakis told the Statesman. “Our guests deserve to have pita bread baked fresh daily, sauces made from scratch, and fresh produce, so that they can really get that authentic Greek experience.”

Kaltzakis also says that other vital ingredients, like olive oil and cheese, will be imported from Greece.
There will be local beers on tap, the Statesman wrote, but customers will be able to enjoy a gyro with a real Greek beer. A gyro with a Mythos, “just like in Greece,” Kalatzakis says.