It took 15 years, but Joan’s on Third is now in expansion mode. Chef Joan McNamara and her daughters, Susie and Carol, recently replaced a bygone Studio City post office. The family-run business also has an outpost in the works for Santa Monica’s Ocean Avenue South development, but let’s focus on the Studio City spinoff, which is where Joan’s team convened a media dinner to showcase seasonal dishes from their catering arm, which is a major element of the business model, and an operation that predates even the 3rd Street cafe.

The Studio City space rests on Ventura Place, right outside the Sunday farmers market, and features a front patio, high ceiling with exposed white beams, and sections devoted to cheese, baked goods, ice cream, coffee and a plethora of ingredients for home cooks. McNamara also enjoys shopping for antiques, which are scattered throughout the retail and cafe environment.

We sat around a communal table, including McNamara, and sampled a few different dishes that Joan’s team will soon be pumping out at parties across Los Angeles, including salad, apple pie, and a creative play on Québécois poutine starring short ribs. One of Joan’s most popular dishes is a short rib sandwich featuring tender shreds of slow-roasted beef. The same beef joins beef gravy and molten mozzarella in a cast iron dish, along with boiled-then-smashed new potatoes instead of French fries. The potatoes sported crispy skins and soft cores that beautifully soaked up the jus. It’s too bad this dish isn’t normally available at Joan’s cafes, but they’ll be happy to make it for you at home (or a place of your choosing).