You might remember where Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was on Manchester in Ballwin. Well, Taco and Pita Grill recently took its place with a whole new style of cuisine.

Upon entering Taco and Pita Grill, the restaurant gives off a different vibe. With colorful paintings hanging on the walls and an interesting display of handcrafted trinkets, this restaurant definitely stood out to me as a “must try.” The mixed-matched furniture about the room and the knock-off “McDonald’s toys” on the counter led me to be wary of the quality of the food.

The staff seemed to be authentic to the culture of the cuisine being served, so I decided to ask their recommendation to help me pick from the foreign menu. There were three main categories on the menu: American, Greek and Mexican. From hot dogs to Greek gyros to tacos, this place had it all. I ordered the basic gyro platter with fries, as the cashier recommended. My mom on the other hand, ordered the Mediterranean salad.

Among all of the standard fast food, bench-style booths in the restaurant, it seemed fitting to choose the odd seat out. Two bucket chairs by the window with a small glass table in the center was our dinner table for the night. As we sat there waiting for our food, we couldn’t help but notice the diversity of the place. The smells of the foreign foods didn’t match the American decor splashed on the walls, and only made me more curious (and a bit nervous) as to how the food would turn out.

After a 10 minute wait, our food was served to us with a smile. Quickly, we dug into our plates and our taste buds caught us by surprise. Having experienced real authentic Greek food on a vacation I had taken to Greece years previously, I felt like I had traveled back to Santorini where I had my first gyro. The spices were spot on and full of flavor. My mom and my eyes met after our first bite, with a look of amazement as she had no complaints of her salad either.

Obviously we weren’t the only ones trying this restaurant for the first time. Even across the room I noticed a family of four having the same experience of confusion mixed with pleasant surprise as they ate their food and shared similar dialogue as us. At one point the father of the family got up and personally thanked the chefs for the outstanding food and asked of the origin of the restaurant to satisfy his curiosity of the place.

Although the appearance is odd and off-putting upon first glance, the food was spectacular. One could be easily misled if they don’t give the food a chance. Looks can be deceiving, so give it a try, it’s well worth it.