If you like Uno's you will love this Uno's

Uno Chicago Grill

1230 Commonwealth Ave.

Allston, Ma 02134

I say this often but since I have been writing this blog, I have realized a lot of things about my eating habits. For example, I eat at a lot more chain restaurants than I would have guessed.

I don't always like writing about the food at these places because #1 I think most people have visited them and #2 a lot of them have similar menus, or approaches to their menus. Places like Fridays, Applebees, Unos or Ruby Tuesday's consistently add and remove items from their menus, and they seem to always go with some old time favorite's ie. nachos, boneless wings, and artichoke dip, and then they add what's "in" ie. sliders in all flavors and small desserts.

In a way, they are operating like the fashion industry. There are the classics, and then there are the trends.

Since all the menus in these places are the same, I started to think, why do I choose one over another? Last night for example, Lou and I drove to our favorite Pizzeria Uno on the corner of Commonwealth Ave, and Harvard Ave in Allston. We like this one because the service always seems a little bit better, and they have a really cool staircase in the middle which descends into a lower area with great booths and a bar.

This has always been our pick for the Unos to go to, but last night it seemed even a little bit better. When we walked in, there was a manager at the host stand who helped to greet us. Everyone seemed a bit more friendly than usual. The place seemed a bit more cleaner, the booths seemed to have been redone, and were there more televisions?

We got sat in our favorite place downstairs, and the hostess let us pick any booth. After we were sat she introduced herself and the manager, Jackie. When our server arrived he too introduced himself, Matt and then the bartender as well, saying they would both be taking care of our table. All these introductions and formality made me have to ask, was this place under new management?

Yes, the server said, and her name was Jackie ( manager at the host stand) Apparently Jackie had been managing their location in Harvard Square but had been transferred to this location, and this server loved working for her, so moved over as well. He may have just said that, but it seemed pretty genuine. I figured he was her spy. All good restaurant managers usually have one or too making it seem they have eyes in the back of their head.

Our meal was great that night, there is a 4-7 and after 10 pm menu where you can get apps for $2.99 a pop, saving a lot of money. They are paired down versions of the full plates, but still fairly generous. There are also some great new menu items, like the pork sliders, and the mushroom flatbread pizza. We even got drinks at the server's suggestion, which we never do, but in honor of the horrendous weather we've been having, we each got a dark and stormy. Ginger beer, with dark and light rums.

Lou and I go to this Uno's about 3 or 4 times a year. As I said at the beginning we have always liked it, the service it good, the food is consistent, but somehow this new manager Jackie has made it even better.