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• Al Basha

This is a spicy gyro, $4.99, at Al-Basha, 11321 Village Square in Fishers. It's one of just three items on the entree menu. (Matt Kryger / The Indianapolis Star)

A large order of baklava, $2 a piece, is worh saving room for. (Matt Kryger / The Indianapolis Star)

This is the large order of Falafel, $4.50, at Al-Basha, a Mediterranean Resturant, Grocery Store and Bakery at 11321 Village Square in Fishers. (Matt Kryger / The Indianapolis Star)

I was intrigued by the combo of a Mediterranean grocery store/restaurant. How do linoleum and fluorescent lighting lend themselves to a restaurant atmosphere?

The dining room did seem a bit spare and disjointed, but Hayden and I left this new Fishers place with full tummies. That's half the battle, right?

The mood

A few rows of as-authentic-as-you-can-get (in America) Mediterranean grocery goodies welcomed us through the door at this shiny, new strip-mall suite.

We wound around to the restaurant part, as the man behind the grocery counter moved with us. He stood at the end of our plastic covered table, ready and eager to take our order.

For most of our visit, we were the only takers.

A family of four joined us later on, as Mom and Dad explained shawarma and hummus to their two daughters.

The food

The short menu didn't exist in paper form. A dry-erase board behind us stated what was available.

Gyros.

Falafel.

Baba Ganouj.

It made ordering easy.

A small plate of hummus to start ($3.99). And, for the main course, a spicy gyro for Hayden ($4.99) and falafel for me ($4.25).

Because we were the only diners, our food was in front of us quickly, our drinks were always full, and we were asked, with sincerity, how everything tasted.

The hummus was extra tahini-ey (is that a word?), but I prefer more garlic. This, however, did not stop us from sopping up every bit with the warm pita bread.

Hayden packed away his gyro as I picked at my falafel. My pita bread was stuffed to the brim with piping hot falafel balls, along with tomatoes and interestingly pickled pickles.

I think I ate too much hummus. But I still had room for baklava. Heaven in phyllo dough: Al Basha went out on a tasty note. Two crunchy triangles were perfectly filled with walnuts, and way too much honey -- perfect.

The drinks

One super fake-sugary diet and one raspberry iced tea ($1.99 each).

The damage: $18.91

Maybe there's a little way to go on the atmosphere, but I'll hold out hope -- the food is decent and the service superb. 'Tis a new place of business after all, and good things must take time.

Al-Basha

Address: 11321 Village Square, Fishers.

Telephone: (317) 374-9995.

Parking: Lot.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday.