952 S Arthur

It may not look like much on the outside but we think they make great homemade Italian food. That was part of the note from our friends when they invited us to join in.  We would have to use the same line if we were inviting others to join us at Joe & Giuseppe's!

It's not a drive by and get attracted by the bright shiny lights out front type place, located in a very small strip mall not even on a main road.  But there's no doubt that the word has gotten out.  The place was busy the whole time and there was a steady stream of people coming in to collect to-go orders. 

Inside it's simply decorated.  Can I call it homely?  Warm colors, simple pictures (I think all Italian places / things) and plants around the place, tables close together but not cramped (probably 50 seats?).  If there was music playing I don't recall it at all but either way it doesn't matter as this was a planned very social and chatty get together with no time to be (or interest in) rock'n out.

I'm not quite sure the family dynamic but it would not be a surprise to learn it's husband in the kitchen and wife running the floor.  Both checked in on us a couple of times and the chef it seems, tries very hard to at least say hello to everyone who had come in.  As you would expect of a chef who visits the floor, he sits down and chats with his friends / favorites later in the evening.  Maybe that's part of why I got the homely vibe?

Our Server was attentive and good with the 2 youngsters in doing what she could to get their meals / drinks / desert orders taken and processed well ahead of everyone elses.  She didn't push us to get our order in and was not far away when we were ready.  She was as chatty as we wanted her to be and offered her thoughts on the menu as we went through our turn at ordering if asked.

It takes a bit to work through the menu, but it's not complicated.  There's the 'menu' and the 'specials' but there were just as many specials as not.  Perhaps it would be better labeled as 'favorites' as nearly everything we ordered came off that list?  It's not listed, but every table gets a plate of 'cookies' to finish up.

Our meal went a little like this:

• Chocolate Milk
• Chicken Fingers - had we been in possession of 6 youngsters there probably still would have been too much, the kids seemed happy and Ma probably has a lunch snack or two for herself.
• Pizza Bread - tasty and a little bit moorish, but ultimately something we could have skipped - our littlest diners might have seen it a bit differently.
• Italian Pinot Noir - strong vote for red and a lighter style seemed the best way to go.  Worked out well with our appetizer and no-one felt the urge to change.  At the richer color, but lighter and smooth end of the scale.
• Grigliata, Grilled Calamari, Octopus, Shrimp, Eggplant, Zucchini, Balsamic Vinegar - the menu says best in town.  It just might be - wonderful sauce, everything cooked just right.  This one platter was enough for all of us to share and get a good sampling of.
• Soup or Salad - comes with your Main.  Simple Salad (very strong garlic sauce), Minestrone looked good.
• Risotto Tutto Mare, Clams, Mussels, Shrimp, Crab, Fish of the Day - a very busy dish but hard to dispute it wasn't great.  The risotto and it's 'broth' clearly the stand out.
• Eggplant Alla Parmigiana - 3 thin pieces rather than one thick.  Someone who loves their Eggplant Parmigiana had no problems with this one.
• Salmon Vesuvio - Wonderful sauce, you might be able to argue the Salmon a little overcooked but not enough to complain.  No-one of our group had seen the 'Vesuvio' tag on anything other than chicken before - seems like it's a great match with Salmon too.
• Mini Braciolli, Pork Tenderloin stuffed with Sausage - more Sausage than Tenderloin but nothing was left behind.
• Linguine and Meatballs - talked out of the 'hot' sauce the Bolognese didn't cause any complaints.
• Chicken Ortolana, Artichoke, Asparagus, Sun-dried Tomato - great looking from a distance.
• Cookies - not cookie looking, but cookie tasting.  From a distance they look more like a funnel cake.  And there's no sneaking a piece - the sugar coating can't be avoided...
• Gelato, Chocolate, Pistachio, Hazelnut - not sure which was our ultimate favorite but all 3 were all gone.

It's definitely outside our pop over for a bite range, but if our friends suggest it as a get together again the only reason we could have for declining would be that we were already booked up.

Stay JOLLY!
DRon, Diane, Allison, Natalie, Louise, Chris

ps.  Thanks to the Grandparents who stopped by to collect the kids (and a to-go bag of goodies) when they started to lose interest in the whole being in a Restaurant thing!