The latest entry from the Century Hospitality Group, The Parlour occupies a spacious, two-floor area in what used to be a downtown hair salon. With high ceilings, the main floor has a communal feel, while the second floor, with booths done up in red, offers the chance for more intimate conversations.
Parlour is a pizzeria first and foremost – a dedicated pizza maker was brought in from Italy to supervise the making of the wood-fired pies.
Our group tries two basic white sauce pizzas – a four-cheese pie and a mushroom one. The crusts are perfectly done, with just the right amount of char to capture the fire-roasted feel.
The Parlour offers a series of pasta and crust offerings, and usually has gluten-free options on the menu as well. The cheeses are made in-house.
Our party also orders the hearty meatball sub and the branzino, a seared sea bass that our server tells us will be as delicate as butter. The meatballs are hearty and filled with flavour; but the biggest raves are reserved for the bass. The fish is perfectly cooked, kissed with garlic and olive oil. The gold potatoes give an extra dimension with crunchy fennel. On a day we go for pizza, the fish is the star.
But I do go back again a week later, tempted to try the lasagna I’ve been hearing so much about. Instead of using ground beef, short-rib meat gives the lasagna a bit of an American-barbecue feel. But the layers upon layers of pasta and sauce make this a you-can’t-finish-this-all kinda meal. It’s decadent, 20 layers thick and my wife and I are happy to tear into the other half of it as a midnight snack. (10334 108 St., 780-990-0404, centuryhospitality.com/parlour.php)
