AIBA Member: Cannoli Joe's
Cannoli Joe’s can be something of a surprise for the uninitiated. It’s an all-you-can-eat Italian buffet, but the food is fresh, homemade and inventive. The restaurant is huge, but its various themed dining rooms make the space feel homey and intimate. It’s a great place to bring the family, but it is by no means strictly a family restaurant. The best surprise is likely the price tag that goes along with the handmade food and inviting atmosphere.
The restaurant recently lowered its prices to $7.99 for lunch, $10.99 for weeknight dinner and weekend brunch and $12.99 for Saturday and Sunday dinner. General Manager Quirino Silva said, “The prices reflect our dedication to freshness, quality and value. We provide a really great dining experience and a variety of made-from-scratch food for a truly competitive price. We make everything in-house, from the homemade stock to the sauces and breads. Compared with lots of other high-end Italian restaurants in town, it’s hard to beat the quality and value we provide.” Unlike other buffets, Cannoli Joe’s prepares its food in small batches, so everything on offer is hot and fresh. Silva said,“All our chefs know to keep it minimal, which is how we keep up with demand.”
Cannoli Joe’s features traditional Italian dishes—including several pasta options, pizzas and salads—but also offers wide variations on the theme. Beautiful appetizers, vegetables, soups, meats, seafood, baked dishes and desserts are displayed in intimate stations along a meandering path down the center of the restaurant, inviting each guest to create his or her own perfect meal. Marketing and advertising director Scott Ziskovsky said, “It all comes down to experience. We have so many options, you can make it your own."
Cannoli Joe’s isn’t just for lunch and dinner. An excellent brunch offers Belgian waffles, French toast, Poached Eggs Florentina, ham and bacon, custom-made omelets and assorted homemade muffins. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am to 2:30pm.
Ziskovsky said he often hears people describe Cannoli Joe’s as a great family restaurant and an especially good place to take children, but says that he sees lots of couples on dates who come for the candlelight and interesting wine selection. He said, “We have cotton candy for the kids on the weekends and lots of great kid-friendly food choices, but we also have nice wines, a full bar and incredible gourmet food."
Silva, who’s been with Cannoli Joe’s since it opened in April 2007, listens carefully to what his customers want and works hard to please them. As a result, he’s made a real effort to offer a variety of healthy dishes as well as options for vegetarians and people with food allergies and sensitivities. He said, “We can accommodate folks who require a gluten-free diet, or who can’t eat nuts or dairy. In fact, we’ve kind of made a name for ourselves in the gluten-free and veggie communities.” His interest in providing options for those with dietary restrictions led him to offer a cooking class last June in which he demonstrated cooking techniques for a gluten-free, vegetarian menu. “It was great,” he says. “For $35, attendees got a full, wine-paired meal and I got to demonstrate a couple of new recipes.” Silva’s cooking classes have become a popular special event produced by the restaurant. The chef is considering a possible cocktail happy hour event, complete with special drinks and appetizers, in the near future.
Silva—who doubles as the restaurant’s head of social media—posts such upcoming events on his chef’s blog, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Gowalla. Followers are also treated to videos, recipes and other culinaria, whatever Silva deems noteworthy.
Sure to be blogged and tweeted about in the upcoming weeks are the specially priced holiday meals Cannoli Joe’s will be preparing for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Silva said, “We’ll be serving traditional holiday meals with turkey, stuffing, ham, etc., but with some extras thrown in. People really love it. We already have lots of reservations."
Take the kids, take a date, or make a reservation for the whole extended family. Cannoli Joe’s is all about satisfying food lovers of every persuasion.
Cannoli Joe’s is located at 4715 Hwy. 290 West, www.cannolijoes.com, 892-4444.
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