RESTAURANT REVIEW: Joan's On 3rd

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Stepping into the unknown and taking a risk are two things that I love about trying new restaurants. Sure, most of them end up being experiences that have me saying "Well, at least I know not to go there again." But, that's all part of the experience, the process, isn't it? And, it really is all these "Well, at least I know not to go there again" moments that make me truly appreciate times I find restaurants worth going back to, over and over and over again. Joan's On 3rd just happens to be one of those awesome experiences and I just keep going back for more. It's a place that makes me want to share it with friends and family — which is what I've been doing.

So far, I have two favorites on the menu, the Pressed Chicken, Bacon & Brie Panini (pictured above) and the Southwest Salad.

The Pressed Chicken, Bacon & Brie Panini is a sandwich consisting of bread that has a crunchy outer layer and a soft inner layer. Pressed between is grilled chicken, crunchy salty bacon, melted mild brie and sweet caramelized onions. The ingredients are simple, the texture is perfect, the sandwich comes out the same every single time: absolutely delicious. It has my 100% recommendation for those yearning for a hot sandwich.

The Southwest Salad is a flavorful and somewhat exotic salad. It hits a note of comfort because we've all had some version of the Southwest salad before, but Joan's version of the salad is by far the best you will probably ever have (that's how I feel anyway). Is it the tangy and slightly spicy cilantro dressing? Yes. Is it the jicama, curried chick peas, red peppers, tomatoes, roasted corn, avocado, and tortilla strips? Yes.

Another high note, the medium shredded cabbage tossed together with the other ingredients cut into just the right size keeps you from getting aggravated when stuffing it into your mouth, you can either stab it or scoop it with your fork — it makes for easy eating which means you can concentrate on enjoying the flavors. And all together the ingredients make for a very exciting yet not too over-powering experience, it is... just right. It has my 100% recommendation for salad lovers.