I was staying in the area for 2 weeks, and I'm glad I found Johan's Joe near my hotel. Before…read morecoming here, the only time I've really tried Swedish food was at Ikea.
With working overnight and getting back in the early morning, I would be craving "dinner" at 7am versus a breakfast spread. I found a lot of places selling breakfast at these early hours, but Johan's Joe was the only place I found that sold lunch items.
On my first visit here, I got their Swedish meatballs platter and a lavender cardamom lemonade. I instantly fell in love. In fact, out of the 15 days of staying in West Palm Beach, I ate at Johan's Joe 11 times. Every single time I'd get a plate of Swedish meatballs. I also began to try out other items, like their waffles on the weekend, scrambled eggs, bacon, and soup. All fantastic.
For beverages, I always got their lavender cardamom lemonade and later discovered the orange juice to be really good, too.
How did I manage to eat Swedish meatballs 11 times in 2 weeks? I was curious, too. Upon reflecting, I realized how perfect the platter really is. It offers perfect balance. Let me explain:
Texturally, there's a crispness from the pickled cucumbers, a slight pop from the whole lingonberries, a bounce from the meatballs, and creaminess from the mashed potatoes and gravy.
The dish also has a mix of sweetness (lingonberries), tartness (pickled cucumbers), and salt (meatballs).
There's even a mix of temperatures with the main platter being hot, while the lingonberries and cucumbers are cold.
With only time to eat one meal a day, this turned out to have everything on one plate. Exactly what I craved and needed.
The service here was very friendly, all the employees were polite and offered great service. It was also nice to see that there were also a handful of local regulars who I'd see every time. They definitely know how to create a welcoming and cozy spot.
After leaving the area, I found myself actually missing this spot quite a bit. I will be back again for work soon, so I'll be able to get my meatball fix again.
Thanks, Johan's Joe!