Joe Beef

Joe Beef Restaurant Review:

A purveyor of the current casual food wave --- away from white tablecloths and hush-hush dining rooms --- the scene at Joe Beef in the gentrified Little Burgundy area is homey and laidback. It quite literally encourages you to dine heartily and lick your lips; the napkins are white and blue kitchen towels. If the foie gras double down sandwich (two slabs of deep-fried foie gras packed with bacon, maple syrup, cheddar and more) doesn’t get your heartbeat racing, you may be a good candidate for the spaghetti lobster or the five-pound côte de boeuf dripping with gravy. But do bring support, as the latter is built for two, or three, really. The menu is somewhat difficult to read with everything listed on one chalkboard. But make your way through it carefully; it’s sprinkled with hidden gems that change regularly according to what's in season. If you don't care about hype or gluttony, the food might not live up to the prices. But you can't go wrong with a glass of biodynamic white and some of the freshest oysters in the city at the bar. Small family-run wineries are the focus of the wine program, much like at the wine bar next door, Le Vin Papillon.