I’ve been to Not Your Average Joe’s a couple of times now for lunch, and both times I’ve had a delightful time. The food, the service, and the atmosphere were excellent! I like this place a lot.

The first time, I had an exquisitely-prepared mustard-crusted chicken…I was amazed that it was cooked just right, the tender breast still juicy and firm-but-not-tight. The string beans were not overcooked either, retaining enough crunch to be interesting. The second time I had the grilled black angus sirloin meatloaf, the comfort food favorite with a mix-in of smoked gouda and chipotle (a pepper I’ve recently been into lately). This was pretty good too, though not as amazing as I’d hoped. I’d call it “meatloaf plus”…it’s still meatloaf, with just a bit of extra kick. The amazing experience of the day was undeniably was S’s salad, almond crusted goat cheese “served warm over mixed baby greens with raspberries, caramelized pepper pecans and our raspberry vinagrette”. The warm goat cheese was amazing; though as the cheese cooled to room temperature it lost its potency. I wonder if all goat cheeses kick such ass when warmed up.

Prices for lunch entrees range from $6 to $15. The atmosphere and service were very nice. The decor reminded me of WIRED magazine: neon colors sheathed in trendy, design-conscious form. It wouldn’t be a bad place for a casual-but-fun lunch date.

Not Your Average Joes Locations in Arlington, Beverly, Dartmouth, Hyannis, Lexington, Methuen, Needham, Newbury, Randolph, and Watertown. I’ve been to the Lexington and Arlington locations, both were very nice.