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Free Bacon Served Up by UES Restaurant Promoting 'Secret Menu'

 Amali Restaurant and Bar, 115 E. 60th St., is giving away free bacon with the purchase of a gyro on Friday, Aug. 30 2013.
Amali Restaurant and Bar Bacon Giveaway
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UPPER EAST SIDE — It's a gyro with a secret ingredient — free bacon.

Amali Restaurant and Bar, a Greek eatery located at 115 E. 60th St., is giving diners free bacon on their gyros Friday to celebrate International Bacon Day — while helping promote the restaurant's unique creations.

The free pork is part of the restaurant's new "street food" concept in which Amali serves Mediterranean BLTs, Greek salads and gyros in front of the restaurant.

As for why he chose to add bacon to his gyros, Amali owner James Mallios said that the restaurant's chefs and regulars' special requests were informally added to the bill of fare over time.

"It's like a secret menu," Mallios said.

The gyro with bacon, prepared "Mikey" style, became a hit on Amali's menu after a cook with the same name would eat gyros with the added meat, he explained.

Eventually, in-the-know diners got wise and started requesting the special items for themselves.

He hopes the discount will help introduce people to spins on Amali's gyro — billed by the restaurateur as the "only farm-to-table gyro" in the city.

"You want a secret menu to be somewhat of a secret," he said. "You don't want a secret menu to be completely secret. You want people to be able to order from it."