Help Wanted, Help Found

We moved to Valparaiso, IN almost one year ago and have delighted in checking out a variety of edibles available here. We live downtown so walking is our favorite option to access the charming and delicious downtown square's abundance of foodie indulgences. Last night my hubby and I had a walking date night. We strolled all over looking at houses, talking about our two Peeps and life in general. We ended up at Blackbird Cafe on Lincolnway for a cup of the black stuff and a sugar indulgence. It was not my first visit. The first few times I went for anything from a breakfast sandwich to a piece of pie for breakfast. I was always pleased with the results but grew to expect SLOW service if I ordered anything that needed to be made. I realized the service wasn't slow because they thought a lot of themselves, so I was OK with it. All staff was pleasant and helpful and the quality of the food made it worth the wait. The shining gem of this place I learned while on the phone wi...

We checked out the new restaurant by the airport for you! (I know, another food review...I swear this isn't a food critic blog hiding inside a customer service blog) I want to share our wonderful experience at Times Square Restaurant on Lincolnway across from the South Bend airport. You can see their menu via their other location under "Bravo Cafe" here . The first thing I noticed was they had environmentally savvy florescent bulbs in their outdoor lighting...you know the twisty kind we are all supposed to be buying. I also really liked the landscaping outside of the restaurant. It is unlikely you spend a lot of time hanging out on Lincolnway but it isn't the nicest part of town from a curb appeal standpoint. Their bright flowers, borders and raised beds make a difference. Everyone was "opening week nice" so we started off well. They didn't have highchairs which was kind of odd for a family restaurant but they are getting some soon. It was fine, o...

A restaurant by any other name, or even the same name, just isn't as sweet. The Riverfront Cafe used to be a place with fabulously mouthwatering food and a happy eclectic atmosphere. When it closed down a few years ago everyone I knew in Niles was disappointed. When it reopened under new owners about a year ago we were elated. Now we are back to disappointed again. According to our receipt our server's name tonight was Jennifer, but I am not certain she said her name. Poor Jennifer; she was a sweet young girl without an ounce of spark and only minimal wait service training from my estimation. I would love to work with the waitstaff there and help them enjoy their work. I wish someone had spent time with Jennifer, she has potential to be a great server and to really enjoy her job. If she was awesome I'll bet just her repeat customers alone could bump up business at this struggling cafe. I wanted her to enjoy taking care of us, I wanted to have a great time at the re...