I went to check out Olive&June . It’s where the old El Arbol used to be, great atmosphere. The restaurant was bustling but not too busy. I made a reservation with Open Table and our table was ready when we arrived. The servers were friendly although the actual service was a tad slow. We were a big group though, so it was to be expected. We were seated downstairs and the kitchen has a large window so you can get a peek at what is going on.
Our waiter explained that the food is made with a few simple ingredients and is meant to be shared. I must preface that with the portions are quite small. The small plates are literally two bites. But two very tasty bites. I appreciated the simplicity of the ingredients however some of the dishes left me wanting just a little more. More spice, something a little heartier or savory. Great thing about going with the group is getting to try lots of things! So I’ll let y’all know my favs.
Cute little set up try had going.
Beautiful flower arrangement at the end of our table.
Sneak peek at the menu. They came with a leather backing, nice little touch.
We started off with some pork meatballs. Traditional and tasty.
Fried Ravioli and Suppli. See what I mean about the 2 bites.
Nice presentation none the less. Suppli was basically fried risotto.
Seafood Misto antipasti. Can’t really go wrong with calamari.
Zucchini Involtini small plate. This was my favorite in the “something I haven’t had before” category. These little bites were hearty and fresh all at the same time. These didn’t strike my eye at first on the menu but I’m glad we ordered them.
Eggplant small plate. One the larger portions of the small plates, the texture was a little off for me but the mint was a nice addition.
This is the fried artichoke. Definitely different because it’s not breaded. Not going to lie, it kind of looks like dead grass but the taste was great! It was salty and crispy and actually reminded me a lot of kale chips.
And these were my fav antipasti! Burrata! These little crustinis were not what I was expecting but were tasty little bites with lots of garlic and olive oil, so of course, I loved.
Grilled Orata. This flaky white fish was served skin side up.
Butternut squash mezzalune was buttery sweet. One of my favorites of the evening although I’m not sure if I could finish a whole plate of these myself.
Seafood Linguine. Definitely a crowd pleaser.
Pappardelle. Hard to say, lovely to eat. The combo of tender short ribs and apple was delightful! Another favorite of the evening.
Cavatelle. The Brussel sprouts hidden in this dish were my favorite part.
And of course the evening would not have been complete without a few bottles of Chianti. While I prefer heavier reds, this was a good middle of the road choice to please all palates.
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