Every month in this space we'll highlight comments from the Reader Restaurant Raters and pick trends from our stream of incoming reports.

CUBAN RELATIONS

Can't figure out why, but for some reason we have Cuba on our minds this month. Here's what Raters are saying about a few local Cubans:

Café 28 (1800 W. Irving, 773-528-2883), originally a quaint, inconspicuous little place hard by the Northwestern tracks, has become a Raters' destination in recent months; suddenly it's among our top ten most frequently visited restaurants. One Rater gushes, "I cannot think of a better way to describe this place besides ORGASMIC!! The restaurant is in a far north neighborhood, who would have thought! The style is Cuban/Mexican and the food is terrific. It might help that buying bottles of wine at a liquor store and drinking them on this adorable little European style patio got us a little drunk....but the overall experience was great and I cannot wait to go there again!!" (Next time you can skip the liquor store -- Café 28 recently obtained a liquor license.) Says another Rater, "You know you are at a great restaurant when cuisine flares by your table and you say to your friends, 'That looks amazing.' That happened three times last night at Cafe 28. I keep returning to this restaurant in order to try more items on the menu. The freshness of the ingredients is second to none."

Though we haven't heard much about it lately, Cuba Cohiba (2642 N. Lincoln, 773-871-2180) has impressed a lot of Raters. It's owned by and right next door to Lindo Mexico, a popular Mexican hangout for years. Our latest report says: "Tasty food--Cohiba rebuffs the notion that Cuban food need be dull. Knowledgeable waitstaff offer helpful recommendations to those unfamiliar with the cuisine." Another Rater says, "We visited this restaurant twice, both times with Cuban friends. They all gave their vote of approval." And another: "We were pleasantly surprised to have found such a gem! A beautiful, quiet room with authentic Cuban decor. Interesting and innovative dishes on the menu. Fabulous, attentive service. Everything we had, aside from the sevice, was spectacular -- infused with flavor and freshness. The crab & yucca cakes were out of this world. Please try this place and tell your friends! I'm afraid most of Chicago is still a bit wary of Cuban cuisine and this place was EMPTY. I don't want it to close -- spread the word!"

Raters find a personal touch at Rancho Luna, which has relocated from Foster Street to 3357 W. Peterson (773-509-9332). "Unique selection of food and drinks, but cost is a bit high. Staff cares, as shown by the waitress notifying us that our food was delayed because the cook decided to re-do our entrees when they didn't come out to his/her expectations. Live music with dance floor available -- Spanish, of course. Good for a different experience." Another Rater says: "The host was very friendly, he checked on us frequently, he even gave us dancing lessons on their dance floor when we had finished our meal!"

The crowd at Café Bolero (2252 N. Western, 773-227-9000) is described by one Rater as "a mix of yuppies and Cuban emigres." Another calls it "An ideal spot if you're looking for above-average food -- and a lot of it -- at a reasonable price. I spent a fair amount on dinner, but went all out, with several appetizers, bottle of wine, etc. Judging from the other menu items (sandwiches starting at around $3.00, appetizers around $2.00) one could certainly feast on a budget, as I'm sure I will sometime."

Finally up in Evanston there's Mambo (726 Clark St., 847-570-9616), a BYO storefront where the décor is minimal but the food shows promise. It could be just the thing for the Northwestern neighborhood, but so far we have only one report. Why don't some of you northerly Raters check it and out and give us the word?