Parish Restaurant

This blog initially started as a restaurant review blog until my life totally went off the rails. I still eat out and sometimes I have such strong feelings about a restaurant that I have to blog about it.

Last Monday (the day of the wacked out S emails) I had an ill advised date. Ill advised because, for one, he's short. I have, at least temporarily, sworn off short men (the exhusband was short...). He told me to meet him at Top Flr at 6:30pm. I warned him I'm always early. I showed up at 6:15'ish at Top Flr. It's closed. I stand out in the Georgia heat in long black pants and a thin sweater. I'm sweating, I'm annoyed, he's late.

He wants a hello hug (seriously? I'm sweating like a pig here...). Then we debate where to go. I try to keep it close and suggest Avra (an old standby). He wants to go to Parish in Inman Park. Fine, Parish it is. As a parting shot I tell him that for inconveniencing me he'll have to loan me money for the valet because I don't have any cash.

Have I mentioned that I am a bitch on wheels on the dating scene right now?

Luckily this man has some kind of thing for bitches.

Anyway, I head over to Parish, valet the car (I did look for a spot on the street, in my defense). I go in and get a table for 2.

This is one of my restaurant pet peeves. The 2-tops were so close together that you'd feel like you were having dinner with the couple next to you. I nixed one table, then another, then we got seated in a 2-top by the aisle. Terrible table still but better than sitting on top of those next to you. I told the hostess that her 2-top situation sucked. She didn't seem to care.

Now, it was not just the 2-top situation that annoyed me. It was Monday night at 6:30pm. There were several 4 tops open - but she refused to seat us at one. Couples who came in later got to sit at one but we got screwed.

Anyway, I turned my attention to the menu (after a much needed glass of wine). It was on chalk boards on the wall. This annoys me because I know I can't take my mom here because she couldn't see it. Anyway, the menu is very aggressive. Lots of game - duck, rabbit, etc. Few mainstream entrees. We decide to stick with the appetizers (that's my thing anyway) and order oysters, a crab dip and a sausage cheesecake. The oysters were fine (what can you really do to them anyway?). The dip was underwhelming and seemed like it was a bunch of stuff left over from yesterday thrown together and heated up. The cheesecake, while interesting, is not something I'd repeat. It was mostly cream cheese with a hint of sausage.

Dessert was bread pudding. I love bread pudding and this was OK. Food 101 is still the reigning champion.

All in all, the restaurant is one I will not visit again.

There is a bright spot here (and it isn't really the date though he was nice and interesting) - the market below the store was very cool and had some very interesting items. That is somewhere I'd be likely to wander into for pastries, interesting gifts or wines.

So, Parish was a definite disappointment. The date turned out better than I thought and I managed to get up and run the next day.

Take care, dear readers.