Not Your Average Birthday Dinner

Sure, it's a chain restaurant, but serves some of the most interesting dishes in Acton. In fact, it's starting to become a tradition for my family to go there on birthdays. The fact that members of their email club can get free entrees on their birthday doesn't hurt.

Our most recent visit to Not Your Average Joe's came on my wife's birthday.

We started out with an order of the Ahi Tuna Wontons ($11.50), which is one of our favorite appetizers anywhere. Sushi-grade tuna is crusted with black sesame seeds and lightly seared so that it is still a beautiful red inside. It is then sliced, and each piece is placed on a fried wonton wrapper, along with a sliced of pickled ginger and a drizzle of wasabi aioli.

The birthday girl had one of the specials, the Moroccan Spice-Rubbed Chicken ($14.99). Pieces of chicken were rubbed with an African spice blend and then grilled and served with a spicy harissa vinaigrette. This proved to be the best dish of the night.

Our 11-year-old ordered the Balsamic Glazed Salmon ($17.50), one of his current favorites. He got a nice piece of fish that was tasty and tender. Though he continues to shun the grilled asparagus, he will eat the jasmine rice pilaf, which I have to say is one of the best restaurant pilafs around.

I wasn't quite so lucky, however. I had my sights set on the Grilled Lamb Kabobs ($17.99), but unfortunately the restaurant was out of lamb. Instead, I got the Chicken Mozambique ($15.50), which was a pan-seared boneless chicken breast in a garlic-saffron sauce. Though it sounded good, the chicken was somewhat dry and overcooked, which was disappointing.

For our beverages, my wife and I ordered the Fuller's London Pride on tap, while our son had the bottomless Raspberry Lime Rickey.

We ended the meal by splitting the Molten Chocolate Cake ($6.99). This dish is available at practically any restaurant these days, but Not Your Average Joe's makes a good one.

For more information, read my full review on Acton Forum