Joan's on Third

What I miss about living in San Francisco is all the little specialty food shops where I could quickly dart in for a few slices of prosciutto or bresaola, for the tin of imported tuna in olive oil that I need to make an old Piedmontese recipe for stuffed peppers, for packaged amaretti cookies to crush for tortelli with pumpkin stuffing. Now that interesting stretch of 3rd Street between La Cienega Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue has its own eclectic gourmet food shop and take-out.

Joan's on Third stocks essentials -- salt-cured anchovies sold by the ounce, capers under salt, ricotta cheese, fleur de sel (a specialty sea salt from France), and imported De Cecco brand pasta in their small "marketplace." A refrigerator case displays a small selection of carefully chosen cheeses, such as locally made burrata, English Cotswold, or a truffle-infused Boschetto. The place is relatively new, and the shelves not quite filled out yet, but so far it looks promising.

It is somewhat disorganized. When there's a rush (i.e., more than a handful of customers), the servers behind the counter can sometimes get flustered, and it seems to take longer than it should to put together an order. But the food is better than standard deli fare, made fresh and with good ingredients. You can eat in, at the few tables, or take out.

The best deal is the salad trio for $7.50: Choose from any of the salads in the deli case, from Chinese chicken salad and a pasta salad with Italian tuna, pecans, celery and roasted pepper to tarragon chicken salad with apples and pecans, or grilled vegetables Provençal. Sandwiches include affettata -- thin slices of coppa, salame and provolone cheese with a smear of Ligurian olive paste -- a country turkey meatloaf with chili aioli, and grilled maple rosemary chicken breast. Most feature field greens, Roma tomato and mustard caper sauce on your choice of French baguette or whole grain bread.

On a stroll down 3rd Street past Cook's Library and other bookstores, a button shop, resale clothing shops, boutiques and crafts galleries, stop in at Joan's on Third for a snack. Jars of biscotti and cookies, all made here, line the counter. A pastry display case holds muffins, cakes and pastries -- the lemon and pecan bars, however, are recommended only for those with a very sweet tooth.

Fax in your order, and you can pick it up just before lunchtime. They will also put together box lunches, picnics, party platters and gift baskets, too.