190 Boone Heights Drive
Boone (828) 263-9200
We ate lunch here one warm July day. Since this was a lunch outing, some menu items were not available, but see the Second Servings note at the bottom for a supper report. Visit them online at JoesItalianKitchen.com
Ray: I had the Chicken & Peppers($8.50), but with no parmesan and with banana peppers instead of green peppers. The dish consists of two chicken cutlets sauteed in red wine with peppers, onions, and a marinara sauce, on a bed of ziti pasta. The dish was very generous, almost too large a portion for lunch (but I will enjoy the leftovers!). The marinara sauce was just right, not too spicy or sweet. The choice of banana peppers added a twang to the dish that was quite nice. The pasta was cooked just right also. My only complaint is that the dish should have come with 3-4 pieces of garlic bread instead of two. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this dish to anyone.
Tom: I chose the Spaghetti with (hot) sausage ($7.50), which also came with two pieces of garlic bread, which was enough for me, you porker! They were generous with the noodles but I kind of wish it had more of the excellent sauce (Ok, I’m a porker, too…). The homemade sausage was delicious, with more than a hint of aromatic spices. I think this was the best spaghetti I have had in a restaurant and is even better than that I make myself. And, shouldn’t a restaurant serve food better than we can cook?
Ray: Not hard to beat your cooking! The service was prompt, too, with our dishes arriving in under 10 minutes. Be warned, however, that Joe’s is a small place which tends to be very busy around lunch time. The food is, however, well worth the wait!
Tom: And some of that service is provided by you, since they take orders at a counter and you get a cold drink from a cooler. I like the atmosphere, which is very informal with checkered tablecloths. We’re talking disposable plates and a roll of paper towels on the table. But–real, and heavy , stainless utensils. Go figure! A mixture of Sinatra, Como and Italian opera music wafted over us while eating.
Ray: There is a nice, shaded front porch outside with a few tables, and a larger area inside with various Italian pictures on the wall, along with authentic Italian ingredients for sale complete the small bistro atmosphere.
Tom: And it is inexpensive.
Ray: If you’re looking for a relaxed Italian place for lunch or supper, this is definitely the place to go. If you are looking for a formal “dressy” type restaurant, Joe’s might not be your first choice, but I suggest you loosen up a little, dress down, and go to Joe’s anyway. You won’t regret it.
Tom: I agree.
Ray: You always have to get in the last word.
Tom: Word.
Second Serving..
Tom: I visited for supper in February, 2005. I had a garden salad on Joe’s advice–tasty and plenty enough given my main course order of baked ziti with meat (sausage). I chose the merlot and was a bit disappointed at the microscopic portion. Maybe it just looked small but I had to follow it up with a beer. Anyway, the food was as good as the first visit and the ambience as good as always. I also could not resist taking away a portion of cajun quiche for breakfast (Tuesday is Cajun night but I could not order Cajun–that would just not feel right at Joe’s!).
GPS Coordinates
Lat: 36° 12.035′
Lon: 81° 39.469′
Menu (prices may change)
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