I stopped into Joe's with my wife tonight for the first time and wanted to take a moment to post my impressions. The ambiance and decor is distinctively appropriate for the uber casual environment they are trying to create. I almost forgot that I had walked in from what could one of many thousand boring suburban shopping centers. One server was working the entire dining room this evening and when we arrived I counted 4 other tables and one individual dining at the bar. She was very attentive and her timing was nearly perfect less a few instances when she was tied up doing several other things at once. There was also another girl working who appeared to be doing a myriad of activities including cleaning, clearing tables, running food, getting drinks, greeting people as they arrived, etc.
Robin wrote a good review detailing more of the menu specifics so I will spare that. I decided to get a crawfish tail po' boy with crawfish etouffee, and my wife got the catfish po' boy with jambalaya. The food came out quick, and it was very apparent that it came right off the line as it was piping hot. The crawfish were fried with a nicely seasoned batter, however I found them to be a bit small and lacking much of the flavor that one would expect. I am not sure if this is a symptom of the product, or a sign they were overcooked. This was offset somewhat by the sauce, which as opposed to a classic remoulade, appeared to be some type of honey mustard sauce with paprika and maybe a dash of cayenne (if I had to guess). I slathered some of that on the bread and added a piece of lettuce and tomato which made the sandwich more than edible, though not unforgettable. The crawfish etouffee on the other hand was excellent. The roux has a thick, almost pasty consistency and I could not taste any hint of raw flour as Robin had indicated in a previous review. It had just the right level of spice and was rich in flavor, however I have the same complaint about the crawfish itself. It would have been nice if the pieces were a bit meatier with more flavor. For this dish the excellent flavor overall offset my complaint about the crawfish. This was served as a side over white rice and made the perfect companion to my sandwich.
My wife was impressed with her meal as well. Though I neglected to try the fish, I did sample the jambalaya and found it quite appealing. The andouille was was heavily cooked to a dark brown almost black state, but retained a nice flavor with just the right amount of kick. I didn't try more than a bite, but I did also notice nice pieces of chicken, vegetables, and herbs incorporated into the dish. We both washed this down with an Abita, Purple Haze for me and Golden for my wife. Both provided excellent pairings with the selected fare. Overall the dining experience top to bottom including atmosphere, service, quality, and price added up to a very good dining experience. There is no doubt that I will be back at some point in the near future to try some of the other delightful looking items in the menu.
