Interior of Papous Pita in Biddeford. Photo by Aimsel Ponti
I’m pretty sure that my visit to Papous Pita in Biddeford has ruined every other pita bread I can ever hope to have for the rest of my life.
So be it.
The restaurant has been there for three years, but my recent first visit has now landed it on my list of beloved Biddeford locales. What’s more, while I waited for my sandwich to be made, I strolled a few doors down to an incredible vintage shop, which I’ll for sure be spending a lot more time (and likely money) the next time I’m in that area.
Now, about that pita bread.
First off, it was grilled and still warm when I made it back to my office to dig in. A generous size, the pita was fluffy, chewy, flavorful and could play host to just about any fillings. Heck, I think one could even warm it, slather melted butter on top and then cover it with powdered sugar and cinnamon. That’s how committed I am to singing its praises. It’s the best I’ve ever had.
The eggplant-feta pita sandwich from PapousPita in Biddeford. Photo by Aimsel Ponti
On that particular day, I ordered from the daily specials list and landed on the eggplant and feta pita sandwich ($14.99). I’ve had a love for eggplant since my late Italian aunt Lucy made it with grated Romano cheese, tomato sauce and bread crumbs. A total melt-in-your-mouth situation. Auntie sliced it up pretty thinly and removed the purple skin. Other than that, I’ve enjoyed the very occasional eggplant Parmesan sandwich.
So I had barely scanned the menu at Papous Pita when I saw the first thing on the specials list. It was an impulsive move, which I only partially regret. It was suggested, since I was using a credit card, to use the computerized ordering kiosk, so I did as instructed. I’ll never know if I failed at hitting the “hold the tomatoes” button or if the kitchen missed it, but either way, there was a ton of chopped tomatoes on my sandwich.
My disappointment, however, evaporated almost immediately when I dug into the sandwich. Speaking of which, this was an eat-it-with-a-fork situation because this thing was mammoth, and any attempt at me picking it up would have ended poorly as I’m not known for my keen coordination. The delivery system hardly mattered once the flavor hit my taste buds.
The sandwich was loaded with small chunks of roasted eggplant, caramelized onions, garlic, imported barrel aged feta cheese, tomatoes, onions and tzatziki. Did I wish the skin had been removed from the eggplant? Kind of. But that’s because I’m not accustomed to it. The combination of all of the other ingredients far outweighed my perhaps childish hesitancy about the eggplant skin.
I proceeded to rip off sections of the bread and then load them up with scoops of the filling. Although this was one of the most unusual ways I’ve consumed a sandwich, it proved to be an effective way to savor each bite.
Next time, I’ll try the Greek salad or maybe the chicken pita ($10.99). The rice bowls also intrigue me, especially the dolmades one ($10.50). I can see splitting a bowl, pita and salad with someone to much satisfaction.
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