We just took our family to the Sunday BBQ at Joule. Salmon was the theme of the day and it was ridiculously good. So was the black currant snow cone-- damn. This place doesn't generally have the kid vibe since it's smallish plates that you don't want to eat in a rush-- but they are doing these summer Sunday BBQ series with emphasis on welcoming families. Our kids are 3 years and 9 months old and they were was awesome to us all. I even watched one of the chef/owners walk a bowl of water out to a dog leashed up while the diner ate. And the food was excellent (portions are fine but not huge so order sides if you're super hungry). Having a great dinner out with our lil' ones isn't something we take lightly. Go to the Sunday BBQ and they will feed and treat you RIGHT!!

Joule is (finally)a place where quality doesn't suffer at the hands of awkward purgatorial creativity. No, here the flavors are complex and deliberate, reflecting ingenuity on the parts of Chefs Seif and Rachel. The joint itself perhaps doesn't match the esteem of the food, but there is something raw and empowering about eating high-class food at an everyday restaurant.

Don't ask questions. Just go eat here.

Some time ago, I noticed this little store front was being refurbished. It has housed many restaurant initiatives over the years, some more successful than others. We've lived in the area for over 34 years, and have always been receptive to appealing restaurants. Joule is certainly that. We had a chilled seafood salad, kalamata gnocchi, prawns with butternut squash chips, and a bison hanger steak. Every dish was nicely done. The seafood salad had plump and tasty prawns, mussels,calamari strips,pickled grapes, and a tangy red chili dressing with mixed greens. The kalamata olives in the gnocchi were a welcome flavor. The prawns with butternut squash seemed to have a curry tang to them; the butternut squash chips were more like crisp curls as a garnish, which were so wonderful that I desired more. The bison hanger was amazing, and we were fortunate to hear from one of the chefs about the source of the meat. Having had bison before and expecting it to be dry and chewy, we were amazed at its tenderness. Evidently it comes this way, and needs no extra treatment. The wine list is interesting and reasonable, with a few surprises such as a sparkling sake. We were too full for dessert, but it looked tempting. It's wonderful to have another fine little place in Wallingford where we can get a good meal. This neighborhood has languished for far too long.