Joseph's on Main

Hearty, simple food for those of us with great appetites

by Margaret LeRoux

Joseph's on Main 128 Main St. Marlborough 481-5553 Hours Mon. 4-11 p.m. Tues.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri. 11:30 a.m.-midnight Sat. 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Major credit cards Full bar Handicap accessible

Joseph's on Main is a friendly, roomy, trattoria-style restaurant reborn from two small business buildings right in the middle of downtown Marlborough. The restaurant is the creation of Joseph Ferro, who's been in the business for most of his life, and he offers cozy touches like candles, fresh flowers on each table, and cloth napkins.

Service was friendly, if a bit harried at first, on the night we dined there. But we arrived just as several tables of diners were leaving. We took our time reading over the menu and sipped Moulieux Merlot ($4.75/glass; $16.95 bottle) from the small wine list. By the time we'd negotiated our choices of appetizer and main courses, our waiter appeared noticeably calmer.

As my dining companion and I chatted, my eyes kept wandering to the TV screen mounted on the wall behind his head, unfortunately at eye level from where I sat. I have to admit a bias against TV screens in restaurants, where they seem more annoying than interesting.

And at Joseph's the food is good enough to carry the evening on its own. Who wants the distraction of TV when you can concentrate on delicious, hot-from-the-oven focaccia studded with garlic and herbs? Served with a saucer of olive oil, it certainly perked up our appetites and was a good example of the simple dishes that Joseph's kitchen does best.

There's an interesting selection of appetizers, including mussels in white wine ($6.95), a roasted pepper and provolone cheese salad ($5.95), warm brie with marinara sauce ($6.50), and French fries covered with gorgonzola cheese sauce ($5.95). A portobello mushroom is offered grilled atop a mixture of prosciutto, spinach, roasted red peppers, and gorgonzola cheese ($5.95).

We shared a hot antipasto, two large chunks of roasted red pepper, slices of sopressata (a mild Italian sausage), and sticks of a nice, sharp provolone cheese ($4.95). I've come to appreciate the flavor of roasted red peppers, so much more mellow than the raw version. We soaked up the peppers' olive-oil marinade with the focaccia. I ordered a house salad, a large bowl of mixed greens with a mild blue cheese dressing ($1.99), big enough to share.

Entrees at Joseph's lean heavily toward chicken. There are nine different poultry dishes, from the unusual -- campagna ($10.95), a mixture of sautéed chicken breast, mushrooms, caramelized onions, and roasted peppers and potatoes; and a mixture of chicken, sage, and Parmesan cheese with vegetable risotto ($10.95) -- to the more prosaic chicken and broccoli ($7.95).

There are also vodka penne ($9.95), a mixture of mushrooms and prosiutto flamed with vodka and served with tomatoes, peas, and Parmesan cheese; baked scallops ($12.95); and Boston scrod ($8.95). Shrimp scampi and fruiti di mare, including shrimp, scallops, and mussels, are both priced at $12.95. I made a note to come back later in the year for shrimp and spring-pea risotto ($10.95) and for linguine with fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, and brie ($9.95).

The night we dined was a frigid one in January; warm weather seemed a distant memory, so Joseph's heartier offerings were more appealing. One that tempted us was called Sunday dunk dinner ($6.95), an assortment of sausage, a meatball, and potatoes in tomato sauce with bread for dipping. My companion decided on the grilled lamb and sausage combo ($10.95), a plate of grilled lamb cubes, a large, grilled, homemade sausage, slices of baguette, and a rather odd accompaniment: hummus. The lamb was tender, and though more well-done than he preferred, quite tasty. The sausage was just spicy enough and not at all greasy. The hummus, we had to admit, was very garlicky and good. Served alongside was a plate of marinara sauce over penne. The sauce was much spicier than I expected, with a fresh tomato flavor.

My choice was veal marsala ($15.95), two thin, scaloppini-style slices of meat, blanketed by a mound of sautéed mushroom slices and rich marsala-enhanced brown sauce. Next to the veal was a generous serving of fettucine Alfredo, rich with cream. Our waiter came around with a grater of fresh Parmesan, a nice touch.

We noticed that Joseph's crowd includes a lot of family groups, and many of them were munching on good-looking, thin-crust pizzas. Served on pedestal platters, there are some unusual variations, including a no-tomato-sauce version with sausage, garlic, and mozzarella ($11.25); eggplant, roasted garlic, and ricotta ($11.50); and broccoli, plum tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil ($11.25), which is also the house special. You can make your own from a list that includes kalamata olives and fresh mozzarella

We were too full for dessert, though in addition to the expected tiramisu ($4.95) and cannoli ($2.95), there's also flan ($4.95). Our bill was $53.33, not including tip.