First Look at the New Joan's on Third

It's amazing that Joan's on Third was able to continue service in their old space during expansion construction.The service counter has doubled in size (that's the old counter in the back of the picture), as the western wall was removed making a large U in the center of the clean, white space. Separately standing in the northwest corner is the dessert counter featuring gelato, cupcakes and Joan's other notable sweets.
The cheese counter has expanded and continues to be helmed by Marty the Cheenius (that's a terrible pun for 'cheese genius'). Expounding more facts than wikipedia (and certainly more trustworthy), Marty offered slice after slice of delicious, smile-inducing cheese. I could have sat there for hours, and he even noted that a customer once pulled up a stool to get a lesson.
Breakfast items like an egg sandwich, roasted breakfast potatoes and french toast stuffed with chocolate were fantastic.
We got things that were new on the menu, which mainly were breakfast. Pancakes, oatmeal, blended mocha drink, fruit smoothies,
The grilled cheese with tomatoes was good, but not the best I've ever had. Definitely reminded me of my youth and would go perfectly with Joan's tomato soup. Next time I'll order it with bacon inside.The muffaletta was extremely fresh and light for an oil-rich, tepenade-topped sandwich.
Chocolate cupcake with maple meringue frosting.
The fresh fruit slushee was not overly sweetened like most Jamba Juice-style concoctions, and dare I say tasted hangover-conqueringly healthy.
Back to the cheese counter for my favorite, the Mongier. Note that the cheese should always be unpasteurized from Franche-Comté (which, despite the sign, is where Joan's is from).
Lastly, the vanilla gelato in brioche was good, but probably would have worked better with chocolate gelato. The gelato itself was terrific. The lemon pudding went quickly, and is very rich. It will be one of their more popular desserts, especially if it was served with fresh vanilla wafers. Other desserts included apple turnover, fruit tart, blackberry cabernet sorbet (which was said to be phenomenal) and white cake. These are the chocolate mousse:The southwest wall is lined with deli cases holding salads, fresh dressings, dips, drinks and a variety of other quick service items. Shelves and shelves of snacks and spreads further Joan's unique-to-LA collection of high-end deli items. The chocolate cows on the table in the center of the new wing are quintessentially Joan's- unique, clean and made of chocolate.
Joan's was always one of my favorite places in LA- for it to grow the way it has is like an edible gift from above. I can't imagine how crowded it's gonna be in a few weeks...