Pizza from Shelbi St. Cafe, 1105 Shelby St., Fountain Square. (Tom Klubens for The Star)

Gingham Side Salad from Shelbi St. Cafe, 1105 Shelby St., Fountain Square. (Tom Klubens for The Star)

Grilled Chicken Del Monico Sandwich from Shelbi St. Cafe, 1105 Shelby St., Fountain Square. (Tom Klubens for The Star)

Square meals, now hip

When my dad was growing up, he lived on Buchanan Street in the Fountain Square neighborhood. And while the house of his childhood made way decades ago for progress in the form of I-65, the circa-1928 theater building where he would later usher as a teen not only still stands, but thrives.

Fountain Square is in the midst of a mini-renaissance, and the Theatre Building sits in the heart of the newly hip district. After more than one renovation, the structure today hosts event space, a conference center, duckpin bowling, a retro diner and my recent Friday-night destination, ShelBi Street CaFe & Bistro.

This dining spot occupies a cozy corner of the Theatre Building's first floor, serving up what is billed as contemporary cuisine in a casual setting overlooking busy Shelby Street and the district's namesake fountain. I actually made ShelBi Street's acquaintance in August, when friends treated me to a birthday dinner at its open-air summer setting, the Rooftop Garden, with great skyline views.

Creative menu

After Labor Day, however, the Garden gives way to the main-floor dining area, and I was eager to return for another go at the eatery's creative menu. My husband, Pete, and I met our friend Mary for a 6 p.m. dinner and were promptly seated, since the small dining area hadn't yet filled.

I already knew how the evening would start -- with the CaFe's yummy cheese plate ($9). As a former colleague of mine once noted, "cheese makes everything better," and that's definitely the case with this platter offering three tasty wedges: drunken goat, blue and white cheddar. The trio ensures that palate preferences from mild to wild are satisfied. The menu description promised freshly baked bread to accompany the selections, but we received thin, crisp cracker ovals instead, along with grapes and strawberries.

The second course arrived at a well-timed pace, with each of us choosing a different ShelBi Street side salad (included with our meals; $5 each if ordered separately). All three showed more attention to creative combinations of ingredients than your standard iceberg-onion-crouton blend and arrived in generous portions.

Salad nuances

My baby leaf spinach salad was tossed with a sherry vinaigrette that clung to the leaves without drowning them. Cranberries and toasted pine nuts nestled throughout the greenery, with soft, creamy dabs of chevre goat cheese topping the blend.

Pete chose the Mediterranean salad, a mixture of romaine lettuce, artichoke hearts, diced red onions and tomatoes and Kalamata olives, topped off by a balsamic vinaigrette and feta-cheese crumbles.

Mary's salad offered yet a third variation. The mixed greens of her gingham salad mingled with mandarin orange slices, mixed berries and toasted pecans. A poppyseed vinaigrette and blue cheese crumbles added extra oomph.

As we polished off the salads, our entrees arrived. Pete and I both opted for one of the CaFe's dinner sandwiches. Don't let the sandwich designation fool you -- these are hearty, filling entrees. My grilled chicken Del Monico ($14) boasted a plump, moist chicken breast spiced up with a chipotle mayonnaise. Savory toppings included roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, shiitake mushrooms and provolone cheese, tucked between thick slices of French-style bread. I made it through half the substantial offering before asking for a take-home container.

Loving red meat

Pete's grilled strip steak sandwich ($14) was equally large, with beef slices complemented by lettuce, tomato, red onion and blue cheese and accompanied by a spicy horseradish mayonnaise. While he didn't rave on about the combo, he did declare it "good" and managed to polish off the entree.

Mary, meanwhile, sliced into one of the ShelBi Street's gourmet pizzas, the Margharite ($14). While in a pizza mood, she expressed disappointment that the CaFe's seven offerings overlooked the red-meat lover.

The ShelBi Street CaFe & Bistro changes its menu a couple of times a year, so when the fall/winter version kicks in, you're likely to see a different roster of recipes. I can imagine, however, what a nice respite this little eatery would be on a blustery Indy day. Portions are plentiful, desserts are made on-site and the bar serves up beer, wine, cocktails and coffee drinks in a casual, modern atmosphere. I think I'll take my dad for a visit. The Fountain Square native son will be pleasantly surprised.

-- By Julie Cope Saetre / INtake Correspondent