Heather M.'s Profile

Upon a friend's recommendation, we went to Caro Mio the other night. Just walking into the restaurant and being hit by a wave of delicious smells, you know you're in for a treat. We showed up on a Friday night around 8 and was told it would be a 30" wait, he suggested we go to the bar down the street, and he'd call us.  
Dinner was really tasty.  Portobello appetizer to start was buried in this fantastic simple tomato sauce. I had the stuffed gnocchi special with tomato cream sauce, which was to die for -- possibly the best gnocchi I've ever had in my life.  My fiance had a ziti special with peppers, sausage and meatballs which wasn't actually that good.
Loved that it's BYOB and friendly service.

Notes Cleaners successfully got a big splattering of chewing gum out of my bf's suit. Really friendly service. Not too expensive. Were friendly about re-cleaning a dress that I didn't think was quite clean enough...

If you're looking for super cheap and fresh fruits and veggies, this - surprisingly - is your place. They have some things you won't find elsewhere - jicama, 85 cent avocados, tons of peppers, and an amazing selection of Mexican / Hispanic spices ad condiments.  Canned goods aren't that huge of a deal, compared to the steals you'll get on milk, eggs and fresh produce. On the downside I did see some of the worst parenting ever amongst the $2 gallons of milk and aloe leaves.

My overpriced eyebrow was made me break out. Likely a cause of the overly chummy salesladies who insisted I try a handful of new products. I otherwise love Benefits products but can certainly do without the sales pressure.

Great bakery on Central St.  Scones, especially the blueberry Wildcat, are delicious and the bread is amazing.

Although 5 Corners is only open for dinner once a week, it is still worth scheduling your dinners around. The food is awesome, and inventive. Service, super friendly. Plan accordingly and make reservations for dinner in advance.

It's hard to figure out what I can say that hasn't been covered in the prior 760 reviews... Beretta is a fantastic spot for dinner r drinks for date night or with friends. This was the first time that Ive had sticker shop when getting the bill - not because of what it was, but what it wasn't! We split 3 apps and 3 pizzas between 5 hungry girls and all left stuffed-- the food portion of the bill was just $16 a piece! Yum.

We had a terrific experience at Gage last night primarily because of fantastic service.
We made a reservation at around 8pm for an 8:45 table. We arrived, the table was still occupied and was told it would be a few minutes. After a few minutes pass, the manager comes over, apologizes profusely, and asks if he can get us a round of drinks on the house while we wait. Um, sure! The wait had hardly been an issue, but his immediate offer to get us drinks was both unexpected and appreciated. As we're drinking our gratis cocktails, we look around, recognize that most people are in suits, tuxedos or nice dresses. We are dressy, but definitely in jeans - and about 20 years younger than the average midori sour sipping clientele.  This again is where the service at Gage stands out - many other places would have snubbed their nose at a group of younger, underdressed clients.  As we finish our drinks, the manager escorts us to the table, letting us know that he's already ordered appetizers for us, which should be arriving shortly.  Again - more stars in my book for making us feel appreciated.
The food throughout was really terrific. The mushroom toast with a poached egg was out of this world. My quinoa lobster dish was some of the best quinoa I've ever had. Fiance was singing praises about the homemade sausages.  Our wines were terrific and interesting. All in all, a really enjoyable meal, and a great spot to return to in Millennium Park.

I came to Lincoln Fabrics after a horrendous experience at Jo-Ann Fabrics in SM (Bought 5 yds of fabric, which was labeled $5.99 with a 60% off sign, so less than $3/yd, and was charged $11.99/yd (4x as much) b/c they were in the middle of inventory and moved the rainbow of similar fabrics but forgot to change the posted price for all aforementioned fabrics. They wouldn't budge on acknowleding the mis-price and I walked out).
Sure, Lincoln Fabrics ain't easy on the eyes and is a seemingly chaotic mess of fabrics. But ask a few questions nicely, and you'll be pointed toward what you're looking for, and the nice woman behind the counter will make sure you have exactly what you need before you walk out the door.  
Best of all, as I was signing my credit card receipt, she looked at my last name and asked if I lived near the Palisades.  Asking how on earth she surmised that, she said she remembered my last name, and asked if my Mom was happy with the upholstery fabric she bought .... in the 80s! (Sure enough, it was my mom she was thinking of) With a knack for names like that, you're sure to become a regular after a couple of visits if you take time to slow down, ask some questions, and make some small-talk with the woman behind the counter.
There's something to be said for an independent business making sure their customers are happy (compared to Jo-Ann Fabrics, who essentially told me to eat it.)

This has quickly become a favorite Evanston restaurant. Between the great beer list (front-runner for the best in Evanston), affordable wines, and nice patio, it's our go-to spot. Service is always friendly, food is good (the Cactus Hugger and the Salmon sandwich are faves).  It's always easy to walk in and grab a table.