Joe's Italian

10/12/09

great Italian dining experience right in our neighborhood!!!

by scole101 at Citysearch

When Joe's opened up within walking distance of our house, I was wondering how it would do at the entrance of our subdivision. But after eating there several times myself and seeing the crowds every day, it is no wonder why they are doing so great. The food is fantastic, the service is good and there's nothing like it around. With the bread & oil, then the fantastic soup (or salad if you prefer), it's a great start. If you like an appetizer, the mushrooms are awesome. I've had their lasagna, chicken parmagiana and the chicken fettuccine - all great! My wife and mother-in-law have enjoyed the lobster ravioli and egglant parmagiana. Recently, my wife & I shared one of Mama's specials - cannelloni. It was so good that I think it's become one of my favorites. And don't even get me started on their desserts. They are too good to be true - Mama's strawberry cake and chocolate cake - Yum! And the cheesecakes are good too! There's nothing I don't like. I've also had take-out several times and have gotten food from their catering menu for a couple of events. I've never been disappointed. I'm glad they're finally getting to expand at their present location. Thanks Joe & family for a great Italian dining experience right in our neighborhood!!!

• Pros: the food
• Cons: the crowds

10/03/09

FANTASTICO

by foodlover0956536 at Citysearch

- From the basket of warm bread to the hearty minestrone soup to the "house made" Italian dressing on the salad to the grilled eggplant with spaghetti and house made fresh tomato sauce to the wild finish of Mamma's marscapone rum cake, the experience of dinner at Joe's Italian ranks among our favorite meals ever. Not since the long-ago original Vince's in Oakland have my husband and I found another truly great Italian restaurant. We never saw Vince himself during the heyday of the Oakland A's, but the real Joe is very much a presence at Joe's Italian, Pizza, Pasta & Caffé, as is Mamma. Mamma invents and bakes new cakes with texture that is almost unbelievable. (Edgar's Bakery, move over.) Mamma's cakes can only be described in superlatives for moistness, presentation, and flavor.

Joe's was packed on a Wednesday night. A Wednesday!! We had a short wait. Watching all the food pass by us to tables made us anticipate our dinner that much more. Todd, our waiter, could recite all of the ingredients in the regular entrees, the specials for the night, and the wide assortment of desserts, mostly Mamma's imaginative cakes.

Knowing that Joe's house made sauces and ambience are less than an hour away from Montgomery is likely to make us regular Wednesday customers.

• Pros: Best Italian EVER
• Cons: Food is so good that the wait to get in can be long