Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, August 27, 1993                   TAG: 9308260034
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: BRIAN DeVIDO STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                 LENGTH: Medium

EAT AT WHERE?

He hurries into his restaurant, a one-day growth of stubble on his face, and sits at an empty table. He plops a half-finished can of Nestea on the table and looks up at the television by the bar. A Whitney Houston video is playing. It becomes obvious that the entrepreneur does not like Whitney Houston.

"Turn Mrs. Bobby Brown off," he yells to one of his workers. The worker changes the channel. The entrepreneur leans back in his chair and laughs, his long, curly brown hair moving to each side.

The entrepreneur is Joe Steffen, part owner of the East Coast Hockey League's Roanoke Express and recent owner of Eat at Joe's Cafe International, a new restaurant at 103 W. Jackson St. in downtown Blacksburg.

"I've been busy," he said, laughing. "Very, very busy."

Not too busy, though, to put together a variety of international entrees and evening entertainment at Eat at Joe's. The food is served like the name of the restaurant - with an international flavor.

There's Pasta Fierenza, a pesto-based dish with pine nuts that has its origins in Northern Italy. Cost: $5.95. There's chicken mole, a boneless breast of chicken served with a bitter chocolate sauce and black bean salsa. Cost: $7.95. The cost of entrees at Eat at Joe's ranges from $5 to $13.

Steffen, 35, said the restaurant also offers two "signature items," Miami key lime pie and French onion soup.

"The key lime pie is authentic," he said. "It's not the green stuff you see in other pies."

And the French onion soup? "It's very authentic," he said. "We do it with the right cheese, the right bread . . . the right onions," he said, laughing.

But Steffen said the selling point of Joe's, located where Buddy's used to be, isn't just the cuisine. It's a combination of the food and the night life.

"Many college bars serve food because they have to," he said. "Many restaurants have night entertainment because they think they have to. We do both because we want to."

The entertainment at Joe's will vary, depending on which night it is. Sunday and Monday will feature comedy followed by karaoke. Tuesday night, Steffen said, he hopes to work out a dinner special/bus ride to Roanoke for Express games. Starting in September, Wednesday nights will offer live original country music. And Thursday through Saturday will offer a little bit of everything.

Being a former music promoter doesn't hurt Steffen's cause. He has managed groups such as the Rhinoz, Yams From Outer Space and Cimarron, a country group from Roanoke that has a couple of videos.

"We're billing ourselves as Virginia's music showcase," he said.

Steffan already has some top acts lined up. Drivin-N-Cryin, a punk/metal/folk band, will play Aug. 31. Chairmen of the Board, a beach-music group, will play Sept. 4. And Steffan has comedian Bill Hicks scheduled on Sept. 5. Two nights later, Hicks is to perform on the "David Letterman Show."

"We're pretty ambitious," Steffan said.

But that name? Eat at Joe's?

"Howard Petruziello [a DJ for WROV 96.3 FM radio] came up with it," Steffen said. "I wanted `Club Michele,' but people told me it would sound like a disco. People hear `Eat at Joe's' and they chuckle. I'm real pleased with the name."

\ Eat at Joe's: 103 W. Jackson St., Blacksburg.

Phone: 951-0959.

Reservations: Not taken.

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-midnight.

Beverages: Beer, wine and mixed drinks.

Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard. Children's menu available.