On Thu, 3 Dec 1998, Geoff M. wrote: > Palo Alto Joe's isn't far from where I work, on the frontage > road next to 101, but I've never been in there. I keep intending > to at least stop in for a beer after work. I figure the place > has to be good in order to survive in such a lousy location. I always thought that if they lose the horrid pink sign visible from the 101, they would do really excellent business. As it is, they're usually fairly busy for dinner, and reservations are recommended on the weekends. I've been there twice, the first time because I had the Entertainment Card which got me the second entree free (have to resort to such things when you're a grad student). I was fairly dubious myself based on the location and unassuming exterior of the restaurant, but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food and the service. It's got a bar and some smaller tables in a separate room, then a larger dining area with booths and tables in a tasteful, warm setting. I had the pork medallions with roasted Yukon Gold potatoes, fresh string beans, and carrots; my date had the artichoke ravioli with roasted pine nuts in a mushroom-artichoke sauce. We both highly enjoyed our meals, and will go back at some point to try the 5 or 6-course prix fixe menu for $32 (or $37, I think), which looks great but might require starving yourself for most of the day beforehand. Worth checking out once for sure.
San Francisco Bay Area, CA