Joan's on Third

I arrived at Joan’s on Third, self described as a gourmet marketplace, with my Grandmother and Uncle to have a nice light lunch. We hopped into the sandwich line that ran along the deli counter and picked out our orders from a large blackboard. The two of them had usuals, but I chose the apricot glazed ham and brie on whole wheat. The name sounded interesting and brie with fruit is a classic combination. We waited at one of the many sidewalk tables with a number on a stand, eagerly expecting the sandwiches. Somehow along the way we ended up with nine place settings for the three of us, members of the staff just kept bringing them, but that wasn’t a significant influence on the dining experience.

When I took my first bite of the sandwich I found it truly great. The brie and ham were complemented well by an aioli, the greens provided a diverse set of textures that deviated from a typical bland lettuce, and the bread tasted fresh as well as providing a nice wheat texture. The flavor of the apricot was not very pronounced, but that was not a big surprised. I generally feel that any flavor listed with a meet (oat meal ribs, maple bacon) is usually not very distinct from the flavor of the meet itself. From what I tasted of my sandwich as well as a small portion of the turkey meatloaf I found the ingredients fresh, interesting, and well composed. My only issue was with the pickles, which I found too sweet, but others who prefer a taste more like a cucumber would enjoy. For those willing to spend a little bit more for a gourmet sandwich, I would highly recommend Joan’s on Third.