Maybe some of you are like me and have driven past this place countless times and never acknowledged its existence.

Or maybe, also like me, you know it by another name, which is in large print on its door: The Gyro Joint! Much more catchy, if you ask me, but by either name this closet-sized eatery packs a big, tasty Greek punch.

The mood

What Taza Cafe is bad for: groups of four or more and first dates. That is unless your entourage would like to take turns entering and ordering, or your date doesn't mind having a face full of dinner and no booth to cuddle in.

But the restaurant more than makes up for its small stature with big flavors and generous helpings. The meats for chicken and lamb gyros temptingly spin, and the small space smells unbelievably good. When my friend Lisa and I visited, there were a couple of cafe tables set up outside, although the scenery consisted of a brick alleyway. Being in the alley, I caution you against motorists taking the corner too tightly.

The food

Forget about leafing through a lengthy menu; everything you need to know is listed on a board above the kitchen: gyros, spanakopita, hummus, baba ghanoush. (No, I didn't fall asleep on the keyboard; those are delicious foods.)

I am fairly new to the Mediterranean scene, so I wanted to try something I'd never had. Falafel is its name, and it consists of fava beans mixed with spices, rolled into balls and deep-fried. Then, they're placed into a pita along with greens and tomatoes, and topped with tahini and refreshing yogurt sauces ($5.25). Lisa, a vegetarian, ordered the same. I added a piece of spanakopita, a spinach-and-feta-cheese-filled phyllo dough, for good measure ($1.50).

We took our order outside and enjoyed our food in the sunshine -- and we made good use of the paper towel roll on our table.

The drinks

We each opted for a glass of water, topped with slices of lemon.

The damage: $12.96

Never mind the tight squeeze; you cannot beat Taza Cafe's selection, freshness, flavor and price. My husband was jealous I went without him, so I suppose there is another visit in my near future. It's Greek fast food good for a lunch, dinner or a late-night snack.