Last week, I spent the Memorial Day holiday in sunny Socal. No trip to LA would be complete without a few food adventures, so I set out to try a couple new spots with my favorite eating partner, Jaymar. Joan’s on Third, in LA’s Mid-City West region, is a family-owned and operated cafe and gourmet marketplace offering an abundant selection of foods to be enjoyed on-site or at home. As soon as you step inside, you enter a bustling culinary world filled with cheese and deli counters, refrigerators stocked with signature soups, dips, and dressings, barrels and shelves piled high with gourmet retail items from around the world, and a dessert counter boasting delicious, freshly baked pastries. The decor is sophisticated and lovely and the space also includes wonderful patio seating (something we don’t often get to enjoy here in the Bay Area).

What we ordered:
Jaymar had their renowned Short Rib Sandwich topped with melted jack cheese, arugula and caramelized red onions on country white bread. I had the Pressed Chicken, Brie, and Bacon Sandwich on a french baguette. Both sandwiches were served with crisp homemade pickles. On the side, we ordered a salad of snap peas and asparagus, prepared with shallots, fresh thyme, and lemon zest. It’s safe to assume we cleaned our plates. The food at Joan’s on Third is fresh, flavorful, and delicious!

After enjoying our meal on the patio, we took a stroll around the marketplace. We ended up leaving with a bag of signature potato chips (they didn’t even make it through the car ride home) and one of the best ice cream sandwiches I’ve ever had. Joan’s has definitely become one of my go-to lunch locales in LA.

Photos by Dianne Que 2012