I nearly missed the Happy Greek Café the first time or two I went – there was a sandwich board sign and I walked right past it.

And, while there’s a big and bright sign now, I still always find myself turning in circles, looking for the place on the Highland Strip with great gyros and, really, great just-about-everything.

It’s four spots from the south end of the strip, next door to Belltower Coffeehouse. Just count and maybe you won’t have to strain your neck, trying to find the sign above the awning. If you do, well, so be it. It’s a small price to pay for lunch or dinner in this casual, family-run restaurant that is all about the food.

Joe Achment, who was born in Greece, owns Happy Greek Café and you’ll often find his mother, his grandmother and his niece and nephew bustling around the simple kitchen, shaving meat from vertical roasters, grilling kabobs, heating pita in a toaster oven and assembling rice or hummus bowls from a selection of prepared items in a cold case.

The gyro meat, a pressed loaf of seasoned lamb and beef, is top notch, tucked in a pita and dressed with tzatziki sauce and fresh and pickled toppings of your choice, such as onion, tomato, pickles and so on.

It’s equally fabulous or maybe even a tad better topping a hummus bowl, where it crowns a bed of creamy chickpea dip and is surrounded by a variety of the pickles. I think it’s easier to eat this way, with (sadly) a plastic fork that is still sturdy. It has warm pita on the side. Big messy sandwiches are not my thing, though I can appreciate the various parts of the ones at Happy Greek.

Chicken souvlaki, chicken shawarma, falafel, and kofta kabobs (seasoned ground beef) can be ordered in a sandwich, to top a hummus bowl or for a rice bowl. Pickled vegetables, from lightly brined onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots done in-house to pickle slices that taste like the fermented wild cucumbers that I buy in Middle-Eastern groceries, are yours to add if you want them. Pick and choose or take them all. I say pile ’em on, because they are packed with flavor. (You’ll be asked your preference when you order.)

Tamboli’s Pasta & Pizza opens on Madison

The Seafood Boil Trail: Ocean Blue

I haven’t tasted a single thing at Happy Greek Café that I wouldn’t recommend. I can say I’ve had better spanakopita, but I’ve been writing about Greek Fest for so many years that, come on, I can no longer tell you which year’s was best (though I know who makes the best, and her last name rhymes with Pergos). Still, this is a perfectly respectable version of the classic spinach and phyllo pie.

But y’all, the baklava. I can say without doubt that I’ve never tasted better baklava in a restaurant. I’m sure I haven’t tasted all the baklava in Memphis, but I believe I’ve made progress toward that goal and here’s the thing: So much of it tastes the same and when you notice that, what it usually means is that it is the same and it’s all coming from the same place. At Happy Greek Café, folks are making the baklava with very finely ground nuts and it’s a bit wetter and sweeter than your everyday stuff. Excellent.

The eggplant salad is worth noting for two reasons. If you love eggplant, you’ll be crazy about it. Thin crescents are roasted with salt and pepper, crisp in spots and soft in others, and served simply with lemon wedges for squeezing. There’s a tiny bit of lettuce on the bottom of the bowl, but it’s inconsequential and this is the second thing to note.

The salads at Happy Greek aren’t typical lettuce salads, which is good by me. The Greek salad is olives, onion, cucumbers, tomatoes and feta in an herby vinaigrette, and it’s flat-out delicious, but it will have either a tiny bed of lettuce or none at all. I say let’s all start looking at salads like this — more wholesome vegetable toppings and less sad lettuce. Just know it before you order, though you’ll likely be told anyway. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and also invested in making the family business successful, so they’ll gladly talk to you about the food.

The downside to the café is that it’s small and most seating is at two-top tables. There’s one four-top and a few bar stools at a ledge at the window overlooking Highland. There’s a table or two outside, but those depend on the weather.

On my visits there seemed to be a fairly brisk to-go business, though let’s qualify the word “brisk.” Everything here is made to order – you go to the counter to order and pick your tray up when it’s ready – and it takes a little longer than you expect. The wait isn’t extreme, but you might find yourself checking the time.

Also a downside: Everything is served in plastic containers or aluminum pans that double as to-go containers. Silverware is plastic, though as I wrote above, at least it’s sturdy. It’s a very casual place, but look past these relatively minor grievances and you will find some mighty fine food.