My husband and I decided to eat at June’s All Day in November. We went on a Saturday night with an 8:30 reservation. This is a smaller space on South Congress that I’ve heard a lot about and was excited to try. We were seated in the banquette seating across from the bar, which is a beautiful honey color with a white marble top. Being a later reservation for this spot, there were folks everywhere, but it didn’t feel crowded. There’s even adorable splashes of neon lights through the restaurant making any of the more traditional elements of the decor here feel a bit more hip.

We started out with drinks. I ordered the Vodka Cocktail and my husband opted for the June’s Punch. The cocktail I ordered was a minty and refreshing combination of vodka, passion fruit, pineapple, and lime. June's Punch was just as delicious. It was smooth, strong, and refreshing with the addition of green tea to this cocktail.

Initially for appetizers, we had wanted to order the Whipped Ricotta with figs, hazelnuts and habanero honey. Unfortunately June’s had run out of this dish, which is understandable on a busy Saturday night when it comes to crowd pleasing dishes. Instead we ordered the Boston Lettuce Salad with black truffle vinaigrette & mimolette cheese, as well as the Broiled Petit Brie with cornichon, boiled potatoes, & frisée.
 

The salad looks a little plain, but it has so much more flavor that its presentation would suggest. Mimolette is a French hard cheese with a velvety texture featuring notes of almonds, truffles, and caramel. Paired with the delightful umami of the black truffle vinaigrette, this salad was anything but simple when it came to flavor. The Broiled Petit Brie made for an interesting second choice. I’m not usually a fan of pickles, but the cornichons in this dish had a sweet and tart flavor that complimented the notes of hazelnut in the Pico Picandine (a French goat cheese). The combination of pickle, potato, cheese, bread, and frisée made for an interesting combination of flavors that I’m glad I tried.   

For our entrees, My husband ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich with kohlrabi ranch slaw and fries. Kohlrabi is a German cabbage like vegetable. It has a sweet, yet peppery flavor and excellent crispness. Paired with the distinct heat of the hot sauce, this was anything but your typical fried chicken sandwich. The chicken was juicy and tender with a flavorful breading. The hot sauce proved to be a bit too spicy for my husband, so keep that in mind if you’re dreaming of ordering this sandwich. Initially, I had wanted to order the Couscous with Caponata & Shrimp as my entree, but June’s had also sold out of this dish. Instead I ordered the Bone Marrow Bolognaise with handkerchief pasta, kale, parmesan, and chili flakes. It was everything I wanted from this elevated Italian culinary classic. The sweetness of the tomatoes and the heartiness of the ground meat were nicely complimented by the heat of the chili flakes. I was intrigued by the handkerchief pasta having never had it before. With a little research, I learned that it has origins dating back to the Middle Ages. The Italian name for this type of pasta is fazzoletti di seta, meaning “silk handkerchief” and the process of making it is similar to that of lasagna. The handkerchief pasta paired very well with the hearty bolognese.

For dessert we had our eyes set on the Marshmallow Fluff Brownie and a Chocolate Almond Biscotti, but once again we’d chosen a very popular item that was sold out. Our server Paul suggested the Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies, so we ordered two of those to go. These giant cookies were the definition of scrumptious. I didn’t think the classic cinnamon, sugar, and butter combination of the Snickerdoodle could be improved upon until I tried this cookie. The addition of pumpkin to the recipe added a nice depth to this delicious cookie.

Overall, I enjoyed June’s All Day. The food was good, but I did find that the dishes were a bit overpriced. With June’s being located on South Congress the prices were as expected, but I didn’t feel like the overall dining experience justified the price points. If you’re planning on eating at June’s All Day, definitely grab an earlier reservation so you don’t miss out on any of their fast selling crowd favorites.