by Lexi Walls

Westborough – A new restaurant opened in the food lover’s town of Westborough last June. Not Your Average Joe’s moved onto Route 9 where Applebee’s used to be. This restaurant is a new chain that was started in 1994 in other locations across Massachusetts. Now, in 2008, there are over a dozen of these restaurants in the Massachusetts and Virginia Areas.

The restaurant was first opened in hopes of bringing city dining into the suburbs for better prices and that community restaurant feel, a tough task for any chain. So far Not Your Average Joe’s has succeeded. The Westborough location has been drawing large lunch and dinner crowds every weekday and night since their opening.  Friday and Saturday evenings are when business really picks up for Joe’s.

When one first walks into the restaurant they are greeted by a helpful hostess at the door. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating, and table booths under the expansive roof, or outdoor patio tables for a open air dining experience. The restaurant has a modern feel to it, and the rectangle patterns used on the carpet and the walls give it a good modern vibe. The restaurant is always packed, even on Wednesday nights – a typical lull for the restaurant business.

As soon as you are seated by the hostess, a waiter or waitress arrives at your table with a plate of their special dipping sauce and a basket of warm, delicious homemade bread. The dipping sauce is prepared at your table and is made of parmesan cheese, olive oil, and red pepper; the perfect blend of heat and taste.

The drink menu has a lot of  alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options with an array of smoothies and mixed drinks. The appetizers are large enough for many people to share. The chicken quesadillas are a favorite appetizer.  Also the entree menu has food for every mood that you could be in: seafood, steak, ribs, and the list goes. The main courses are well sized, delicious, and all well priced ($10-$20) which is much less expensive than many of the other frequently visited restaurants in Westborough like Outback whose meals are slightly pricier ($15-$30).

After the bread, the drinks, and the delicious main courses that are plated artistically, comes dessert. For dessert you can either choose a ‘sweet petite’ for two dollars or a full sized dessert for under seven dollars. Whatever you choose at this restaurant you are sure to be pleased by the size of your bill, and the taste of the food.

Not Your Average Joe’s menu is available online at  www.notyouraveragejoes.com. The restaurant is open from 11:30am-10pm most weekdays and until 11pm on the weekends. On Sunday the shortened hours are from 12pm-9pm.