Located on U.S. 301, just north of downtown Sarasota, Gyros & Seafood Express has been a solid destination for a quick, affordable lunch or dinner for years, with a huge menu that includes everything from crispy-fresh salads to fried seafood platters, sandwiches and burgers.

It also has something that I'm hunting for more and more in these pandemic times: a drive-through. Being able to order and peel out eliminates the anxiety that comes with stepping into indoor spaces during the COVID-19 era. Looking for a place to grab a tasty meal to take out to Lido Beach in the evening for a sunset feast? Gyros & Seafood is your spot.

In addition to its COVID-friendly car service, however, the restaurant has also recently remodeled the interior of the restaurant and updated the outside with a fresh coat of paint, as well. The eatery now also boasts an online ordering system and even an app.

All of that wouldn't matter if the food wasn't good. But it is. Fried oysters ($4.99 for six, $9.99 for 12) are extra-crispy. Doused with a pinch of salt, a squeeze from a lemon wedge and a dab of hot sauce, they taste terrific wherever you're eating them. A shrimp entrée, meanwhile, will cost you $5.99-$10.99, depending on size and quantity, and you can order them fried, served "scampi" style or with Cajun spices.

On the side, grab a satisfying Greek salad ($6.99) or turn the salad into a meal with a heap of gyro meat on top for an extra $2. Even the cheeseburger is great—bigger than a fast food burger and priced at just $5.49.

Any place with a drive-through is getting some extra attention from me these days, and judging by the line that can develop sometimes at Gyro & Seafood Express, I'm not alone.

Gyros & Seafood Express is located at 918 N. Washington Blvd., Sarasota. For more info, call (941) 365-0404 or visit the restaurant's website.