June in September

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before on the blog, but I am a fried chicken connoisseur. Too lofty? I'm fine then with being a fried chicken enthusiast. I'll learn about various places where fried chicken is served and figure out a time to be there, preferably with friends or a partner.

I don't know why I love fried chicken so much. Maybe it's because other comfort foods like doughnuts and sundaes are too sweet. Or maybe it's because I don't have a big enough pot nor inclination to fry chicken in my home: it's too small of a space, therefore I will leave it to the experts and pay for this service.

JuneBaby took some planning. First of all, their fried chicken dinner, wildly popular among foodies and gourmands, is available only on Sundays. Second, since they don't take reservations over the phone, you have to show up to the restaurant early to secure a spot. Third, be prepared to wait. Oh, and before all that, look for street parking.

For those who may not already know or who aren't from the Pacific Northwest, JuneBaby is a Black-owned Southern restaurant in the Ravenna neighborhood of Seattle founded by chef Edouardo Jordan. This restaurant presents dishes from the South in a reverent and upscale manner without coming off as pretentious. It backs up its offerings in quality and in taste. Last year, JuneBaby was awarded for Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. The New York Times wrote an excellent article about it and more on Chef Jourdan here.

J got there before me and our other friend Sun, which was about 4:25. That's when he put his name down for a table of 3. We arrived about 10 minutes after and found out that we will be seated somewhere between 6 to 6:15. We thought about killing time at the bar during the Moonshine Hour but noticed how crowded and noisy it was, so we walked a few doors down to the Sod House Bakery to have tea. J and Sun shared a chocolate croissant. I was saving my appetite, so I sipped a 12-oz. Grey Lady, a refreshing drink made with Earl Grey.

Since the bakery was closing soon at 6, we got out of there at 10 minutes till, then proceeded to loiter outside JuneBaby's doors until J was texted at 6:15. But even then, as we went inside, it was more waiting as our table was being cleared. By this time, the anticipation builds three stories high. I'm hungry, and I'm eating! 

After finally being seated at a cozy 4-person table, I ordered us some pig ears. They are delicious and if you are not a vegetarian and do eat pork, I highly recommend them as a communal amuse-bouche for what's to come. They arrived fairly quickly. And we already knew what we wanted: J and I the chicken, Sun the oxtail, so we got that out of the way. Time flew in the busy atmosphere as we talked about whatever it is we talked about. Finally, the food arrives!

The fried chicken is massive for half a bird. It comes with a whole thigh, leg, and wing; and then a breast. Below it and beside it are slivers of okra, tomatoes, cauliflower, and romanesco. The fried chicken is buttermilk-based, not too breaded, nicely dark, and perfectly crisp. I can finally taste what the hype is about. I taste too much that I can't finish my dinner and get it boxed up. Lastly, I order a cocktail called the Day Breakers to wash it down. (Side note: The cocktails are all named after Countee Cullen's poetry. Cullen was a Harvard-educated writer whose works were popular during the Harlem Renaissance of the '20s and '30s.)

We were too full for dessert. 

Sliced and fried pig ears remind me of a Filipino dish I've had before but whose name I don't recall.

It's a talent to fry mushrooms while keeping their size and shape!

Sunday dining with friends: To the left is an order of oxtail, above that fried mushrooms,
then the chicken dinner with the sides off to the side; forefront is the dinner plated.

Day Breakers cocktail with Pacifique absinthe, rye, and Burlesque bitters.
Looks citrusy and is quite strong!

They looked good ...