My husband was craving Italian food this past weekend, and since I can nearly always be coaxed into eating Italian (very easily, in fact), it was off to Joseph’s in Bradford, MA for dinner. Joseph’s has a little bit of everything – it’s part restaurant and part bakery, with a small bar and a catering business. They have an elegant but relaxed atmosphere, and many homemade pastas (some of which are for sale in the bakery area). The dinner menu also includes seafood, sandwiches, meats, and other options.

We started our meal with the soup of the day, pasta e fagioli (known affectionately as “pasta fazool” by many). It was served piping hot and the waiter grated fresh Parmesan cheese on top, which melted beautifully into the soup. The soup had a stunning array of ingredients – everything from the expected pasta and beans (cannellini and red kidney beans) to pancetta, parsley, tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and more. Given the number of ingredients, I expected a complex flavor. We were disappointed to find the soup flavors were a bit muddled – the soup tasted mildly of tomatoes and was quite salty. However, the number of ingredients did create a wonderful mouth feel – many varied textures, which I enjoyed. All in all, it was a decent soup but not up to Joseph’s usual standards of excellence which I did find in a wonderful duck entrée and a decadent piece of cake. If you’re in the Haverhill area, Joseph’s is worth a try – for a snack, drink, or dinner!