Table Hoppin’
done to her “old place.” Before Walsh opened Ten West she made sandwiches occupying a small space in the former convenience store. “I had never met Darlene before, but she was so supportive,” said Khalaf. “She’s such a friendly and outgoing person.” Newsflash: So is Khalaf.
After a tour of the bakery, Walsh in a post on Worcester Eats, a Facebook page for news and conversations about food and restaurants, told followers that Khalaf’s “Joe Joe Bars are to die for and his Italian cookie trays make a wonderful gift. When you want the best cannoli, choose Joe Cannoli’s.” What’s behind the bakery’s name? “I actually got the nickname Joe Cannoli when I first worked for my uncle,” said Khalaf, who recalled days at Gerardo’s, filling tray after tray of cannoli shells for filling. “When staff needed shells in a hurry, they hollered, ‘Hey, Joe Cannoli, get over here.’ The name stuck with me.”
Khalaf said he currently offers a selection of small cannoli, with eggnog and Sicilian among holiday favorites. Cases are filled with assorted cookies, pastries and cakes. The owner takes special orders and during holidays he makes traditional Italian cookies.
Khalaf explained that his Italian mother (Sarli’s sister) wanted to name him Joseph at birth. “She was really set on it,” he said. “My father is Lebanese and he and my mother agreed on Yussef, the Arabic equivalent of the English name Joseph. When I was a kid, my mother usually called me Yussef, not Joe, when I did something wrong.
No coffee is served here. Khalaf said he wanted the bakery to be a little different from others in the neighborhood. “There are plenty of nearby coffee places,” he said.
Early January, Khalaf plans to sell sandwiches, “not run of the mill varieties.” His Italian-style sandwiches with imported cheese and meats will be made with freshly baked focaccia bread. Dressings will be made on premise.
When asked if he had a New Year’s wish as a new business owner, Khalaf answered, “being able to spend more time with family.” He currently has one employee who works the front counter and as expected as the owner and baker he’s putting in a lot of hours. “But, I love what I do,” said Khalaf.
He and his wife, Nancy, reside in Worcester and have a 14-month-old
LAUREL