This souvlaki is bringing tears of joy to my eyes...

I had a really good souvlaki sandwich last night. In fact, I wouldn’t hesitate to call it the best souvlaki sandwich I have ever eaten. It was the kind of souvlaki sandwich that makes you stop in the middle of your feasting, lamb juice dripping from your lips, and think “Damn! This is like Zeus’ own souvlaki sandwich!”. And then you wipe your mouth, stare down wistfully into the pocket bread and, almost solemnly, you think, “I have to slow down. I have to make this souvlaki sandwich last”. Because even the most generous souvlaki sandwich will not last forever. Eventually, we all must return to our mundane and souvlaki-less lives, succored by only the memories of the spectacular souvlaki we have tasted.

Let me try to explain the majesty of this dinner to you. It begins, of course, with supple, soft, and delicious pocket bread. Without that, your souvlaki sandwich is doomed. This particular one, of course, was blessed with pocket bread of such freshness that it almost felt like vandalism to eat it. But eat it I did. And with much gusto. Yet only a fool would suggest that a souvlaki sandwich is all savory pocket bread, perversely ignoring the ingredients within. What about the lamb-meat, Kevin?, I can hear you asking. You should be patient. I was getting to the lamb meat: the lamb meat was exquisite. It was tender, yet not mooshy. It was seasoned, but not excessively so. Admittedly, I am no lamb connoisseur, but this souvlaki sandwich made me want to become one. Have I mentioned the size of this souvlaki sandwich? It was roughly the size of my head. So perhaps it is inaccurate to speak of “pieces of lamb”. We should instead talk of “an entire lamb, in little bitty pieces”.

But I fear I’m neglecting the ancillary ingredients! The bed of lettuce was fresh and crisp! The tomatoes were subtle and not too abundant! The onions were perfectly onion-y! They both supplemented and enhanced the flavor of the main ingredients, creating a bewitching melange of complimentary flavors which excites me even now, hours and hours after the fact. I am afraid I cannot comment on the tzatziki, however. I do not like tzatziki. I asked for it without this disagreeable sauce and my request was honored. Instead, I got the house hot sauce in a little cup to the side, and was thoroughly approving of its complex bouquet of vinegary spiciness.

To summarize, yesterday’s souvlaki sandwich: really, really, really good. Crafted in heaven, assembled at the Holy Land Deli, purchased for $6, devoured in ecstacy, and resurrected in my dreams...