Thursday, April 29, 2010

The Best Thing I Ate Today: Joan's on Third's Turkey Meatloaf Sandwich


You wanna know how good my Turkey Meatloaf Sandwich from Joan's on Third was? So good, there's no picture to accompany this post. I got that excited. One bite and everything else in the world melted away until all I could do was open wide and savour.

Joan's on Third is an LA culinary institution so exceptional, they have their own Wikipedia page. Walking in, it feels very Hamptons meets Hollywood. If Ina Garten every got Barefoot in the City of Angels, this place would be right up her alley.

The problem with Joan's is it's addictively delicious but prohibitively expensive. Two sandwiches with a beverage can set you back over $30. God forbid you want a side or something from the cheese case. You might have to take out a second mortgage.

But every bite is worth the lein they're going to put on you.

This afternoon I met my friend Stacy for lunch and found myself elbow deep in $12 worth of sumptiousness with their Turkey Meatloaf Sandwich.

Served on your choice of bread, I opted for the crusty french baguette which arrived smothered in chili aioli, creamy, spicy and faintly sweet with just the slightest hint of chipotle, topped with mixed greens, cooling tomato slices and some of what could be crowned the best turkey meatloaf in Los Angeles (though Basix is running neck-in-neck for that title). The densely spiced, garlic-studded meatloaf has a souffle-like quality which melts into the aioli and bread, making each bite swirl with flavor and texture as crust gives way to tender meat.

Since it's the end of the month and I'm on a budget, I refrained from my usual side order of roasted baby carrots, which I like to pile onto the sandwich the way you might with chips on a $5 dollar foot long. Instead, I used Joan's house pickles, dill chips and white onion slivers to lend an added dimension.

It was total sandwich rapture.

Joan's on Third
8350 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-2285

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