Northwest Indiana Restaurant Review

	Northwest Indiana Restaurant Review
	Baker's Square - Like Family, Take the Bad with the Good
When I have family visiting from out of town, or plan a get together with former-coworkers-still-friends, it seems we can all agree on Baker's Square to eat and chit chat. Baker's Square is a fine place to get comfortable, stay for a good while, get out all the talking you need to, and of course eat.
I'm surprised at what is my favorite dish at Baker's Square - the Stir Fry Salad. It seems cafes and restaurants that fit into this family dining category (especially Greek restaurants) can really foul up Chinese dishes. Often the vegetables are over-cooked to the point that they form an undistinguishable mass. But I'm repeatedly pleased with Baker's Square Stir Fry Salad. It comes with a nice, buttery bread stick (You know, the kind with the shiny gloss - Who can resist?), has a nice variety of ingredients (including Chinese noodles and a great dressing), and the vegetables are prepared fittingly to a stir fry dish.
And maybe more importantly, this big salad manages to leave just the right amount of stomach space for pie - Baker's Square's specialty. My favorite is the Triple Berry. Something to keep in mind when ordering is to ask the server to heat the slice. Typically pie at Baker's Square is only heated when served Ala Mode. But likely you'll agree, pie is always better warmed up, ice cream added or not.
A complaint that I do have about Baker's Square, or maybe it's just my poor luck, is that there are often way too many noisy kids climbing over booths and under tables. During one recent trip to the Merrillville Baker's Square I witnessed a window blind crawling contest - not my choice for a dinner show. Baker's Square is definitely a family place; I guess that goes with the concept of family - we take the bad with the good.
The menu at Baker's Square provides a nice variety of offerings. If you haven't already, you're sure to find a favorite that you gravitate to each time you return. If not, we can take advantage of the easy-going atmosphere, take our time, overdose on refills of iced tea, consume "just one more slice" of pie, and watch the kids scurry up and down the isles. Ah, the joys of a family restaurant.