My foodie friend and I went to Joseph's on a weekend.  First we had to find the joint which was located on the left-sided lot of the Golden State Mall.  The atmosphere was that of...

My foodie friend and I went to Joseph's on a weekend.  First we had to find the joint which was located on the left-sided lot of the Golden State Mall.  The atmosphere was that of a cozy, traditional Italian eatery with old school opera music playing in the background.  It looked like couple's night, so we felt slightly out of place for a couple of chicks who will eat a butt load and not just a sprig of lettuce with dressing on the side.  Oh well, the feasting began.

We ordered the sauteed mushrooms which had a thin layer of crispy goodness.   To clog our arteries even more,  we ordered the "Dog Bones" which were 3-inch long pieces of fried dough accompanied by both marinara and alfredo sauces.  The latter of the two sauces was underseasoned and resembled something I would use to adhere to my new wallpaper. 

For the main course, I ordered the mushroom ravioli with alfredo sauce, and my eating buddy ordered the veggie calzone.  Her dish was basically a whole pizza pie folded in half.  I don't like calzones, but that was the best calzone that we both had ever eaten.  Three words with respect to Fred Flinstone: Yumma, yumma, do;)

I think we shocked the waitstaff with how much two, petite girls could eat so much.  Our next victim awaits...until then...I'll be back, Joseph's...

The place is small and dark inside.  But the food is great.  The calzone is probably the best in town, can't go wrong with it.  The pizza is good too.  Biggest drawback is...

The place is small and dark inside.  But the food is great.  The calzone is probably the best in town, can't go wrong with it.  The pizza is good too.  Biggest drawback is its location and size.  Kinda stuck behind the old Montgomery Wards and not that many tables.  On the plus side theres hundreds of parking spots!

 This is a hole in the wall, downtown, great food, cozy, good date place, good service

 This is a hole in the wall, downtown, great food, cozy, good date place, good service

When you enter the restaurant, you will encounter a cozy and comfortable interior. As soon as I stepped through the door, the heavenly aroma of tomato and garlic greeted me. My initial...

When you enter the restaurant, you will encounter a cozy and comfortable interior. As soon as I stepped through the door, the heavenly aroma of tomato and garlic greeted me. My initial observation was the steady stream of pizzas and take-out boxes fi ling out the door. It was obvious to me that quite a few people know something that I don’t: Joseph’s is a good restaurant.



I chose Joseph’s Lasagna ($8.50) with a side of meatballs. The lasagna was pretty good, but what was truly exceptional was the side of meatballs and the incredible tomato sauce in which they were served. The “side” had completely overshadowed my main course. Don’t get me wrong, my lasagna was tasty. It’s just that the meatballs were so good they made me forget about my lasagna completely. They were serving spoon-sized rounds that were light yet full of gusto. The ingredients are simple: garlic, herbs, onion and ground beef, but the fl avor was intense.



The bright red tomato sauce that covered the meatballs was just plain wonderful. It was everything an Italian trattoria-style red sauce should be: robust with tomato fl avor, savory with the right amount of salt and herbs, and garlicky enough but not so much that the brightness of the tomato is overpowered.



Even though I had never heard of Joseph’s before, I feel like I was let in on one of the best-kept restaurant secrets in Bakersfield.



I am sure to be a repeat guest. Joseph’s is a charming family restaurant and embodies everything that is good about a small Italian trattoria: it is charming, off the beaten path and they serve honest, rustic food made with care and authenticity.