"As soon as we entered, we were greeted by the warm and inviting atmosphere, complete with a fire crackling in the fireplace. We had a 5 pm reservation for a table for two, nestled in the back room near the pizza oven prep area. It was nice and quiet back there, especially since the bar area tended to be a bit loud. Our server, Greg, was friendly and went over the food and drinks menu with us before returning to address our questions and offer us a wine tasting.
On this chilly, blustery evening, we kicked things off with a bowl of Parc Onion Soup, featuring sweet onions, turkey stock, aged Comté, grated raclette, and crunchy onions. WOW, WOW, WOW—what an incredible blend of flavors and textures! It warmed our souls and set the stage for the delicious food to come. This onion soup has now reached the top tier of my favorites, rivaling one I enjoyed at a French restaurant in Cold Spring, NY, many years ago, where the addition of port wine made their version exceptional.
Next, we shared the grilled Spanish octopus. I’ve held all octopus dishes to a high standard ever since I had a remarkable one eight years ago in Mainz, Germany. However, Parc Bistro’s octopus dish has definitely claimed the top spot now. It came with roasted cashew hummus, merguez sausage, Gigantes beans, sun-dried peppers, shaved fennel, roasted cashews, verjus, and smoked olive oil. The flavor profile was heavenly, making it the perfect dish for a blustery night.
For our third course, we enjoyed the classic étouffée, featuring Cajun roux, the trinity (peppers, onions, and celery), andouille sausage, blackened shrimp, and buttermilk biscuits. This comforting dish was bursting with flavor—the smoky essence blended perfectly with the pepper and the rich red gravy.
As for the wine, we started with a glass of GLS Albarino and ended up having three glasses in total (one each and one to share). Don’t forget to check out our food pictures, as the presentation was truly a work of art.
We will definitely be returning. Bon Appétit!"