This weekend my little crew was looking to try someplace new.  I scoured my mental restaurant wishlist and decided upon JoJo Bistro & Wine Bar in Williamsville.  I haven’t heard too much about this place but every time I drive past I say to myself: TRY THAT, it’s named after yo’ momma!  (Joanne = JoJo)

Upon entering, I had a feeling that this may be a good match – JoJo evokes the feeling of a casual suburban-style wine bar with light woodwork accented by aluminum and stone details.  There is a large bar area (and an impressive wine rack) which is seperated from the dining room, and a song by Dave Matthews Band was pumping over the speakers.

We were prompty escorted to our table where a one-page folded menu sat on our placemats ready to be browsed. While the menu is fairly small, there are a decent number of appetizers and entrees to choose from and the prices are reasonable. We started with wine (duh, wine bar!) and shortly an enthusiastic waitress brought us a loaf of warm french bread in a paper sack to satiate us as we poured over the menu.  

We were starving, so we decided to start with appetizers.  The zucchini fries were a hit – lightly breaded, fried, and served with a flavorful pesto sauce, we gobbled up the entire plate.  Not as popular was the duck spring rolls – they were greasy and overly salty for my taste.

Shortly, our entrees were brought out.  My meal was very good – I decided to listen to my carb-o-holic roots and try the raviolli.  Each raviolli was filled with a decadent butternut squash puree and it was swimming in a rich creamy squash and mushroom sauce.  I devoured this with a big smile on my face.

My fellow dining companions were not equally impressed with their meals.  Keith ordered the meatloaf which he found slightly dry and “blah”.  His favorite part? The mashed potatoes. My mom chose the chicken cutlets which were served over a generous bed of arugula leaves.  She thought her meal was pretty good.

Overall we had an okay meal for a nice price.  The food did not stand out, but the atmosphere was comfortable and our waitress was lovely.  If we happen to be hungry while on Sheridan drive, we might consider stopping at JoJo.

OVERALL RATINGS

Price: 3/5
Service: 5/5
Variety: 2/5
Atmosphere: 3/5
Taste: 2/5