Joseph's Bistro

Good taste for everyone

by Margaret LeRoux

Joseph's Bistro 97 Main Street Westminster (978) 874-6371 Mon.-Wed. 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.-Sun. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Major credit cards Full bar Handicap accessible

After a late-afternoon hike up Mt. Wachusett, we were thirsty and hungry; so my suggestion that we stop at Joseph's Bistro in nearby Westminster was roundly approved. Though I'd not yet tried Joseph's, I noticed its popularity at the recent "Taste of Massachusetts." Joseph's samples of pasta with chicken and broccoli drew the longest line at the event (more about this later); and I wondered if the pub's regular menu was a crowd pleaser, too.

Less than 10 minutes from the base of Mt. Wachusett -- in the middle of Westminster's business district -- Joseph's is prettier than your average pub. The decor is a mix of Victoriana, casino, and cute shop. And the service is prompt, cheerful, and competent.

We started with the combo appetizer platter ($6.99), a huge sampling of onion rings, chicken fingers, buffalo wings, stuffed jalapeño peppers, and mozzarella sticks. It was a cardiologist's nightmare, but we enjoyed every deep-fried crumb. I liked the onion rings best of all, with their light and crispy batter.

Joseph's menu is a wonderful example of American offerings, with all its pop-culture influences. Among the specials of the night were meat loaf and boiled lobster. Steak, chicken, and pasta are regular items, as are an assortment of omelets and eight variations of fajitas.

You want a sandwich? Joseph's has deli favorites (all priced at $3.99) like corned beef with melted cheese, BLT, and tuna salad. A half-pound jumbo beef burger is $5.99, and a sirloin steak is $10.99. You want eggs with that steak? No problem, breakfast is served until 4 p.m. Baked haddock is offered with lemon and butter or your choice of florentine, au gratin, or tomatoes and garlic, all for $10.99.

Our group of four was pretty representative in our choices: veal basilica ($10.95), chicken spinach Popeye ($8.99), haddock and clam-strip platter ($13.99), and a Caesar salad with grilled chicken ($5.99).

Both pasta dishes were very tasty. Veal basilica featured cubes of veal with bits of tomato in a wine-and-garlic sauce served over ziti (or linguine if you prefer). It was a generous helping. The chicken Popeye had similar ingredients with the addition of chopped spinach and bits of bacon; very tasty, we agreed.

The Caesar salad had plenty of crunchy romaine and several strips of broiled chicken breast, but the bottled dressing detracted rather than added to the flavors. It was served on the side, so I avoided it after the first taste.

The overall crowd pleaser in our group was the haddock and clam platter. The clam strips were tender and sweet -- there were so many of them, our friend ate his fill even after sharing with the rest of us. The crisp, battered coating on the haddock didn't overwhelm the fresh fish. This was a most satisfying dish.

We also shared an order of garlic bread ($2.99), though we realized later that more garlic was too much of a good thing.

After eating so well, we were prepared to resist the dessert tray, which included pecan pie, Kentucky Derby pie, cheesecake, and an assortment of truffles. But the seven-layer chocolate cake ($3.99) was just too tempting. Served with a squiggle of whipped cream and chocolate sauce, it was dense and very sweet. A perfect dessert to our great American meal. Our bill came to $69.12, before tip.

HATS OFF TO Nashoba Valley Winery for its Taste of Massachusetts, held in the winery's orchards, featuring several area restaurants, caterers, and purveyors of gourmet foods. On a gorgeous summer afternoon, a congenial crowd lined up to sample delicious selections from more than a dozen participants. Among the dishes offered were smoked-salmon clam chowder from the Wachusett Inn, grilled key-lime shrimp from Sonoma, chilled soup from the Brass Pineapple, blackened sea scallops from J's, goat cheese in phyllo dough from Crystal Brook Farm in Sterling, and apple pie made from the fruit of Nashoba's own trees. All the samples were paired with Nashoba Valley wines.