By Zach Brown, Berks County Eats
One of the best things about the Fairgrounds Farmers Market is the incredible variety. It’s the only place in Berks County where you can get a bowl of Vietnamese pho, a flight of French toast, a Cajun po’ boy, and a Haitian feast under one roof.
And, as we found out, you can also get some good Lebanese food at Mediterranean Medley.
We arrived at the market shortly after 11:30 a.m. on a Friday. Julie and I walked the aisles as we waited for one of the stands to “call” to us. As we approached Mediterranean Medley, Julie saw the beef and lamb gyros on the menu board, and our decision was made.
There was no line at the time, so they went to work on the order, shaving the meat off the rotating spits behind the counter. In just a few minutes, we had our meal and headed to the quieter side of the market and the seating along the west wall near Clover Hill Winery.
Julie ordered the gyro that caught her eye from the start. The meat was a lamb and beef blend that was shaved thin and served on a pita with lettuce, tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce.
The meat was very well seasoned — a good mix of both meats for that unique savory flavor that only comes from shawarma. The pita was packed full with meat and toppings, and was flavorful on its own with just a little hint of sweetness.
I also got a gyro, but I opted for the chicken souvlaki for mine. Instead of shaved meat, it was tender chunks of marinated white meat chicken. The meat had a very nice flavor to it, but because of the chunky nature, I didn’t get chicken in every bite. (Unlike Julie’s, where the shaved meat was a more consistent presence).
The tzatziki sauce was very good, though it lost its thickness over time until it was dripping out the bottom of the pita by my last bite.
Though both of our gyros were good, I would definitely opt for the lamb and beef next time.
Julie and I also picked up a little treat for later. Mediterranean Medley’s baklava looked too good to resist — and it tasted even better.
The container had a square of baklava — three to four inches on each side — cut into two triangles. The flaky phyllo was layered on top of a decadent mix of honey and nuts. It was exactly what we were hoping for.
Our total was $27.50 for the gyros and baklava. It’s a little on the high side for the market, but the gyros were filling and satisfying.
In addition to hot foods, Mediterranean Medley offers a range of prepared foods and baked goods. On a previous visit, I picked up a loaf of sourdough from Laissa’s Baked Goods. The loaves run between $12-$15, depending on the style. We used them for breakfast sandwiches and as sides for our soups throughout the week.
I also picked up a small container of Mediterranean Medley’s baba ganouj. The eggplant-based spread had a great smoky flavor to it, perfect for my wraps that I enjoy for lunch during the week.
The hot food at Mediterranean Medley was good, but I was a bigger fan of the baba ganouj.
That’s enough to keep me coming back for more.
BCE Rating
Food: Good
Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Fair
Price: $
Mediterranean Medley
Fairgrounds Farmers Market
2934 N. 5th St. Highway
Reading, PA 19605
This story was contributed courtesy of Berks County Eats, a local resource for food and dining information. Berks County Eats is dedicated to promoting the dining scene in Reading and Berks County, PA, offering restaurant reviews, news, and events, and a comprehensive Berks County restaurant directory. You can read more at berkscountyeats.com.
