Devour Your…Italian!
Blink, and you’ll miss it. Literally. The only thing that gives “The Parlor” away, is the small plastic banner hanging on the front of the building, or maybe the sandwich board on the sidewalk.
But trust me, you don’t want to miss my new favorite Phoenix eatery.
This delightful Biltmore area eatery (right across from Best Buy on Camelback and 20th) used to be the hair salon, Chow Bella. The Parlor, open for just a little over 2 weeks (as of right now), is a chic spot for all to love.
When we first drove up, I was, well, underwhelmed. The concrete facade instantly made me think: dark, dingy, small- in a phrase, not my sort of place.
Boy was I wrong. From the vine covered patio to the funky use of hairdresser chairs (functional) at the pizza bar, My initial thoughts were the farthest thing on my mind. Not only was the line out the door for almost all 2 hours we were there, but the hardwood floors and the open pizza kitchen were both spot-on Sophia pleasers.
But onto the important stuff (the food)….I loved the antipasti (try the goat cheese) to start. The grilled rosemary flatbread was super yummy!
We even got a chance to speak with executive chef Jerry Alday. While he couldn’t tell us his favorite thing on the menu, he did let us know that most produce comes from (local) McClendon’s Select, the same place Fox Restaurant, True Foods, grabs all of its hometown veggies.
Inspired by the knowledge that the veggies are local and super fresh, and that all breads, pastas and doughs are made in house, my friend Krystal and I decided to check out the pasta and pizza. We were glad we did.
I had the Pesto Chiatarra and she built her own pizza. While the pesto fell a bit flat for me (a little blan), the tomatoes in the dish were amazing!! Krystal’s pizza was yummy too.
The Parlor is a mid-price restaurant. For about $10, you can get just about everything on the menu…a glass of wine or their signature muddled drink will run you about $8!
The service was great- oh, and I almost forgot, the olives that they bring out before your meal (instead of bread) are top notch.
They are open:
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
HOWEVER, when Adam and I tried to go back on Sunday, around 4pm, the doors were locked tight.
Overall, The Parlor is a fun new place that I would recommend checking out…I know I’ll be back!
