It’s been a while since I officially went for after-work drinks of my own and it’s definitely one of the things I miss most about the whole 9-5 thing.
Luckily for me though, I have Giles, who most definitely does still do the office work thing, and who shares my love for after work cocktails. So when I was invited along to Canary Wharf to try out The Parlour, there was only one person I could take with me.
If you work in Canary Wharf, you have probably heard of The Parlour, as it’s created quite a buzz since it opened its doors in October. And you can see why. This isn’t just another stale city bar. It’s a flexible venue with a real hint of style.
At 6.30pm on a Thursday evening, The Parlour is expectedly busy. Young, attractive city types pack out the industrial themed huge bar; laid back house tunes play out against the hum of voices; the smell of aftershave mingles with beer, in a not unpleasant way. The ceiling features huge pipes and vents which is just about all I can see over the sea of faces. I glance at the service area, and while it’s busy, the queue to get a drink isn’t unreasonable. The bar itself is long and there are plenty of staff, which gives the venue bonus points straight away.
To the right of the entrance and main bar however, is a complete contrast. The restaurant area is relatively quiet, with only a pair of City Suits on one table and Cleo Rocos and a friend sitting towards the rear.
The decor here also highlights the difference between the two areas. Whilst the bar is dimly lit, full of heavy silvers and browns; the restaurant area is clean, white and bright with a few flashes of bright green standing out against the much paler seeming wooden floors. It’s fresh, clean and inviting. I like.
Service was good from the outset. We were seated quickly, in a nice spot by the window, introduced to our Waiter and shown the cocktail menu.
One of the main reasons I wanted to visit The Parlour was for its cocktails. They’re really highly rated, and include a range of “Skinnies” – cocktails that contain less than 100 calories each. My idea of heaven, and they didn’t disappoint. The Russian Rose Martini was one of the most delicious new cocktails I’ve tried in ages…and Giles’ Skinny Margarita wasn’t half bad either.
We decided to opt for a couple of sharing plates to start and our choices of the Merguez sausage with rock salt potatoes and skillet of gambas with chilli, garlic & lime were superb. The potatoes had a delicious, roasted exterior but were melt-in-the-mouth soft inside. The prawns were perfectly cooked and the sauce they were served in delightfully spicy; so nice in fact that I found myself scooping up every last bit with the crusty bread provided.
In contrast to the Tapas style of our starters, we both opted for great British classics for mains. I find the best way to test a restaurant is by its steak, so went for a medium rare Rib-Eye with chips. Giles, in true pie week style, chose the chicken and leek pot pie, with a side order of mash. Both were enjoyable; my steak was perfectly cooked and the chips were some of the best I’ve tasted. The roasted tomatoes popped and melted away in my mouth like a dream. However, the steak, whilst well cooked, was a touch under-seasoned and therefore lacked a little bit of flavour. Only a little bit though – I still managed to polish off the lot. The chicken pie was incredibly rich with delicious, crispy, well risen pastry. The mash was tasty if a little dry for my tastes but again, despite the richness and sheer quantity (portions are huge!) Giles battled on through and finished his dish.
Which left us absolutely no room for pudding. Nearly.
After a small break and a second cocktail, we decided we might just be able to manage a chocolate brownie between us. On arrival, it looked delicious, topped with fresh vanilla ice cream and neighboured by some ripe raspberries. However, when we dug in we were slightly disappointed to discover it was on the dry side. We laid down our spoons, thinking we had saved our waistlines, only to realise the brownie was incredibly moreish – neither of us could stop going back for more. Taste wise, it was lovely.
The service throughout the evening as impeccable, and I noticed the same quality of care for other customers as they came and went throughout our stay. The atmosphere is friendly and fun, the volume loud but not overly so, and the decor modern and stylish. Even my concern at the ladies being situated right at the back of the venue, through the busy bar was overcome, as there was enough room to manoeuvre and make it there and back without any unnecessary delay! Add all this to that the fact that the cocktails were delicious and the food a very high standard for a restaurant/bar like this and I think you’re on to a winner.
Overall, I was really impressed…and will definitely be back.
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