If we could change anything about the Shai Mediterranean Cafe it would be this:

Its location, location, location.

The cool little restaurant has high ceilings with exposed beams, tasteful graffiti painted on the interior walls, wi-fi connections, a wide choice of espressos, and an overall hip vibe that is both comfortable and nontraditional. If it were in downtown Ann Arbor it wouldn t be out of place.

Unfortunately the nearly six-month-old Shai is stuck in a small strip mall along busy Monroe Street among box retail stores in the kind of generic area where you stop in a store, run in and leave without ever lingering long enough to enjoy a hot cup of house coffee with a double shot of espresso.

In short, Shai deserves better, because the food is top-notch Mediterranean fare that will keep bringing us back no matter where it s located.

Just about any Mediterranean restaurant should be judged on its hummus, and the Shai passes that test easily. A large serving ($4.95) comes with a dollop of olive oil in the middle and the ideal mix of garlic, lemon, tahini, and chickpeas for dipping with pita chips and bread. We also tried the spinach pie ($1.95), which was a thick, doughy fold of spinach, onions and spices that went well with the hummus.

The chicken shawarma sandwich ($3.95) featured slices of char-grilled chicken in a tight wrap and served with tomatoes, lettuce, pickles and garlic sauce. We had it with a side of fries ($1.99), which were hot and crispy.

Shai has a number of traditional American sandwiches like roast beef, turkey, hamburgers, and chicken salad for $6 or less.

We went with a gyro platter ($5.95) that was exceptional. The gyro meat was seasoned just right so that it wasn t overpowering and the tzatziki sauce complemented it well. Served on a bed of slightly spicy rice with lettuce and tomato on the side, it ranks with the best gyros we ve tasted in Toledo.

The shish tawook platter ($5.95) also is served on a bed of rice and it features thick chunks of grilled chicken with garlic sauce. The veggie sampler (7.95) is a healthy way to check out Shai s baba ghanoush (light and summery), falafel (perhaps a tad too crispy, which made it like a Middle Eastern hush puppy), and the aforementioned spinach pie and hummus.

The restaurant has a full offering of coffee drinks, smoothies, and tea, along with a variety of salads.

Both times we were there a Saturday afternoon and a Tuesday there was just a smattering of people in the restaurant, which is exceptionally clean and has a professional wait staff. Something tells us that if the Shai were downtown or in the area of the University of Toledo business would be bustling a bit more, which it deserves.

Contact Bill of Fare at: fare@theblade.com

First Published May 28, 2009, 1:13 p.m.