South london, for one reason or another, always falls short to the misconception of being the wrong side of the river, so I decided it was time, to try and change people's minds.
Sifting through my research of local independent eateries, the diamonds in the rough, said to incorporate a westend vibe of cocktails, service and of course delicious cuisine, brings me to Joanna's, nestled on Westow Hill, Crystal Palace, within the infamous 'triangle'.
Established since 1978, with window seats boasting the best views of the city, south london has to offer, cocktails with their own unique spin, and tempting treats of British comfort and international flair, Joanna's already holds a lot of promise to be the saviour of the south, changing unpopular opinion for the rest of time, and I was about to find out if all the hype lives up to my excitable expectations.
Arriving at Joanna's, my first impressions are that it looks immaculately clean. Large glass windows adorn the front of the restaurant and directly opposite, those glorious, talked about city views. Wood panelling throughout and decorating the bar, invoking a New York City bistro vibe, with a lively, yet, enjoyable atmosphere, accompanied with easy listening music, allowing for a speak easy venue.
Staff are decked out in smart attire, which equally matches their hospitable and professional service. Warm, welcoming, comfortable, clean cut, are the descriptions that spring to mind when thinking back to my enjoyable visit.
Once welcomed, and my reservation quickly located, I was asked as to wether I would like to be seated at my spacious table with the added bonus of the view, or, if I would like to first have a drink at the bar. Now, I think we all know me well enough as to what option I eagerly decided upon. "Espresso martini at the bar please".
Whilst on the subject of drinks, the cocktail list is extensive, with much loved classics and also Joanna's very own twists.
The Porn Star Martini, is in fact the best I have sampled anywhere, and yes I do really mean anywhere, and I have been to a lot of high standard bars. The venues twist on this sweet temptation is the tantalising passion fruit foam, sweet without being sickly, with delicate, balanced flavours, and of course, as with all Porn Stars, a shot of prosecco.
Another of the restaurant/bar's creations is the Smoked Apple and elderflower Martini. This is a theatrical crowd pleaser, and perfect for any self professed blogger and instagraming lover. Be sure to be at the bar when ordering this smoky delight, in order to capture the magic in all its glory.
Replacing the conventional starters place, I decided to order from the snacks listed on the brunch menu. Bread and salted butter, olives, padrón peppers and polenta chips with aioli dip. All of which were fresh and delicious, especially the thick cut, crispy Polenta chips which I would highly recommend.
Next up was Joanna's signature burger, cooked to ones taste, medium rare, which was perfectly executed, with smoked bacon, cheddar, club garnish, all inside a glazed bun, accompanied by thin, crispy fries and a crunchy coleslaw. All of the flavours complimented one another and the portion was HUGE. This was definitely not a problem, as it was so delicious I finished every last mouthful. Man vs food eat your heart out.
Deep fried fillet of haddock, with minted peas and thick cut chips. Another classic, comforting dish that you can never go wrong with. The fish was fresh, the batter was thin and crisp, not dripping in oil, which makes a refreshing change from other venues I have had similar from and the thick cut chips were fluffy and moorish.
Cocktails still flowing, it was time for dessert. Again, plenty of choice with many old time favourites. Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, was a sizeable portion of heaven in a bowl and Joanna's tasting plate which combined "a bit of everything". Notably, the lemon cheese cake was my favourite, which is bizarre, as usually I am not a huge citrus fan, but the flavours were so perfectly composed that it created a refreshing, creamy delight on the taste buds. I fear I will not find another as good as Joanna's.
There was only one very small disappointment to the visit, the al a carte menu was unavailable and instead a Saturday brunch menu (12pm-3pm) took its place. This wasn't too problematic as there was still an array of gourmet goodies listed, but I feel having both options available would be of greater satisfaction for diners.
Another very small pointer to add, I would swap out one of the home made chocolate brownies, on the Joanna's dessert tasting plate (as you get two) for a small portion of sticky toffee pudding. Again a very small pointer, and not anything that could be considered a disappointment .
All in all Joanna's did it, they are the southern belle, the 'triangles' tantaliser, the west end vibe in south london connoisseurs have been seeking. A venue so good, that, in my opinion, is right up there with my all time favourite, Bob Bob Ricard, matching them on service and comfort foods without the murderous price tag.
The venue is perfect for brunchers, lunchers and cocktail drinking hunters. Families, couples and single diners. You will feel welcomed like you have stepped into an old friends home and attended to like you are in a 5* central london restaurant.
Unlike the Bermuda Triangle where you wouldn't want to get trapped, Crystal Palace's very own, has a mystical untouchable spot, where you can disappear into a world of enjoyment for a good few hours, but unfortunately, you have to leave eventually.
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