It was back in 2008 when Nada Hammoud opened the Castle on Park Avenue, a great year to open a business, right? She had a super product, from her gyros to her baklava to her falafel (and her daughter introduced me to the fabulous falafel-Fanta orange pairing), but it was a tough economy.

Within a few years, Hammoud teamed up with the Jr.’s Fish and Chicken folks, who partner with struggling restaurants and bring in a standard fried fish, chicken and fries menu, but keep a few things that are popular at the existing restaurant. Sometimes, over time, the original food just disappears.

But at the Castle, it went the other way.

$10 Deal: A-Tan’s General Tso’s chicken is a delicious classic

“That only lasted maybe a year and a half,” Hammoud said. “Business dropped off so much. I told them it just wasn’t working, that I needed my restaurant back.”

Her prices are up a little; it’s been 14 years and, well, we thought 2008 was bad until the universe said, “Hey, let me introduce you to 2020.”

Still, a $10 Deal is easily found at the Castle. All sandwiches are $7.99; add fries and a drink and it’s $10.99 for everything except the falafel, which is a $9.99 combo.

Sandwiches are: Falafel, gyro, shish kabob (beef), shish taouk (chicken), Philly chicken, Philly steak, chicken tender, chicken, or a ½ pound burger.

And more. You can also get some of those as entrees. The falafel is $9.99, the gyro is $11.99, and the shish kabob and taouk are $12.99; all come with rice and salad. There’s also a meat deal entrée that past experience tells me feeds two with leftovers for $16.99 (gyro, shish kabob and shish taouk).

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My second favorite thing on the menu is the vegetable deal, with hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, dolmades, spanakopita and bread for $13.99. Again, it’s enough for two, which means that really, everything at the Castle is a $10 Deal.

I say “enough for two” often, and sometimes people call me out on it, so let me explain. I make a deliberate point of watching what I eat, because I eat many different things and I will definitely gain weight if I’m not careful. Lucky you if you can eat at will and everyone wonders where it goes.

But I never eat alone, and I judge the servings by how my companions eat, too. If other people are leaving good food on the plate or packing up leftovers, it’s obvious to me that the food is shareable.

Recipe Exchange: Jim’s Place East Asparagus Mousse

For today’s deal, I ordered the gyro, and as I’m wont to do, let me give you a quick pronunciation lesson: Yee-ro. There’s no G sound, no long I, but you get points for rolling the R if it suits you.

Gyro meat is ground lamb and beef, seasoned and commercially pressed to make a uniform cone that fits on a vertical rotisserie. As the meat spins, it cooks, and it’s fine carved right from the rotisserie and put in a pita or a plate. But Hammoud, who makes everything in the small restaurant from scratch, adds a nice touch when she gives the strips of meat a quick sizzle on the flat top.

It intensifies the flavor with a bit of caramelization on the edges and gives it a little texture, like the lacy edges on a good smash burger. The meat is stuffed in a large and soft pita, topped with tomato, red onion, shredded lettuce and tangy tzatziki sauce. It was lunch for two — and we didn’t quite finish it — for $7.99.

Hammoud is personable, even kindly, as she both takes the order and prepares it. She has help, including her daughter, but was alone when I was there this week.

If you want to go a little over $10 (you do), here’s a worthwhile splurge: baklava. It’s $2.69 for a generous portion and as for sharing, you do you. It’s enough for two, but I chose to horde mine and will nibble on it here and there for the next couple of days. Just because I don’t eat it all at one time doesn’t mean I won’t eat it all.

Castle Restaurant, 3992 Park Ave., is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-7:45 p.m. Call 901-320-1020.