If looking for a quiet place to eat a little healthier, study or just sit and talk with friends, Eva's Bistro is the place to go.
When I pulled into the parking lot of the North Wheeling Avenue location, a sign on the door immediately caught my eye: Free Wi Fi. Right away I knew this would be an enjoyable place. As I walked in, I was amazed by the bright colors of pink, green, yellow and blue, reminiscent of a Mediterranean style home - which is most prominent in the Sunbelt region of the country and states such as California, Florida, Texas and Arizona.
In the corner, a pile of pillows and seating offer a place for people to talk or read a good book. There is plenty of seating, and everything was clean - in fact, a worker was mopping the floor when I walked into the bistro.
My friend and I sat in the patio in the back area. It was blocked from the main restaurant by a large window and door and would be perfect for a group of people to have a celebration. It even had a running fountain in the middle of the room and music in the background.
After surveying the layout and finding a place to sit, something caught my eye that started to turn things downhill: the prices. Although there is an assortment of subs, burgers, hot dogs, salads and sandwiches, the average price is $7.
If not extremely hungry it might be best to do what I did and order one of the Eva's Buddies meals. It comes with half a sub, a choice of side and a drink all for $6.99 - not including tax. This might seem like a good idea, but it might not be the best option after all.
I ordered a side of fries and the Italian meatball sub minus the tomatoes, but when I got it, it took me about five minutes to eat. The fries were good, but a little soggy, and for $6.99 I could have ordered a full meatball sub and no fries for the same price and might have been more full when I finished eating my meal. Smaller portions are good, but I at least want to feel somewhat full after I eat.
The good thing is I only had to wait about five minutes for my food - although the bistro only had two other customers besides my table when we went about 5 p.m. Sunday. I also did not have to wait at the counter for my food. I was given a buzzer that lights up and vibrates when your table is ready, so I could sit down or go ahead and get my drink while waiting on my food.
I should not focus on the prices too much, though, because as I was looking at the menu in more detail, I realized most of the items seemed to be healthier. Eva's Bistro has a lot of turkey, ham, veggie and chicken products that you can order on wheat or Italian bread; all considered healthy items to eat. I started thinking that it makes sense the prices would be a little higher if the food were healthier - Ball State University's healthier food is a little more expensive, so why should Eva's Bistro be any different?
Overall I was pleased with the location, and I give the place three out of four stars. The people were friendly, there were many menu options, it serves Pepsi products - which is a plus for me - and it had good food and a pleasant atmosphere. The only downsides were the prices and portion sizes.
If you go to Eva's Bistro, though, do not be shocked if you spend close to $10 on a meal. For that price it might be more filling to go to a fine-dining restaurant or buy a couple value meals at McDonald's, but at least you are spending that money to sponsor a local Muncie restaurant and are eating healthier at the same time.
NotesLocation: 1617 N. Wheeling Ave.Highlights: Free Wi Fi, very clean, menu variety and healthy options, short wait time for foodDrawbacks: Average price is $7, portions may be too small
Amanda Getchel is a senior journalism major and writes 'This and That' for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper.
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