Parkallen Restaurant

In belated celebration of Hubb's birthday, Vinny, Mrs. Vinny, and the two of us went to Parkallen Restaurant. I had heard fabulous things about the place both from Mrs. Vinny and from several reviews written online, so it was with much high expectation that we went there.

We arrived later than the Vinnys, so we sat down with them right away. The first bit of news we were given already left a bad taste in my mouth; they had lost my reservation (made only a day prior), and the server, an elderly Lebanese fellow, when told by Mrs. Vinny that she had not made the reservation herself, "jokingly" informed her not to trust her friends, because (*insert finger rotation gesture near temple of head*) they might be crazy. Nice. I was insulted before I even sat down!

Though the exterior of the Parkallen is rather bland and casual, their interior had a very comfortable feel. The chairs and booths were well padded, the walls were an inviting mustard colour, and the lighting was warm. The arrangement of the tables was not too crowded, and the natural light streamed in from the large windows at the front of the restaurant (which is where we sat).

Our server brought us water right away, and throughout the evening was very prompt (albeit a tad abrupt) at refilling our glasses. The menu selection was quite varied, and offered both steaks and traditional Lebanese fare. Their wine menu was even more impressive, although none of us decided to sample the spirits this evening.

We decided to split the Taster Platter ( Humus, Baba Ganouge, Tabouleh and Baked Goat Cheese Rolls) to start. For our main entree, we also decided on communal dining. Their mansaff ( A traditional feast consisting of a slow roast Baby Lamb, served on a generous platter of Lebanese Rice and finished with a variety of indigenous Nuts. Truly a tremendously tasty meal meant for sharing and celebration) was just too enticing to resist, so we decided to be adventurous and give it a try.

After we ordered, our pita bread was brought out to us. We waited until our platter came out, and then jumped right in. The tabouleh was (in my opinion) at tad too lemony, but very refreshing nonetheless. The humus was denser than I am used to eating, but tasted great served with the olive oil. I enjoyed the baba ganouge, which was also served with olive oil; this particular dip had a smooth and light consistency and was done just right. The baked goat cheese rolls were my favourite; the flavour of the goat cheese was strong and powerful, but the texture was creamy and rich, and when combined with the grape vine leaf (in which it was wrapped), formed a delectable contrast in my mouth.

We then waited for a long time (think 30 minutes) for our mansaff to arrive. When it was finally brought out, our first thought was, "Oh, we should have ordered two of these!" The entree was served on a large platter, with the fragrant nutty rice on the bottom and slices of grilled lamb piled on top of this rice, garnished with some lemon wedges. The meat-eaters at the table (the men!) weren't sure if there would be enough meat; I was a little worried myself. However, when we began to eat, it soon became apparent that the lamb portion was almost just right; we could have had a few more slices for the guys, but they were pretty satisfied with the amounts that they ate. The lamb was delicious; it was thinly sliced and grilled well, with just the right balance of lean to fat. The rice was amazing; it was prepared with pistachios, almonds, and pine nuts, and spiced with cinnamon as well as some other Mediterranean spices. It was very hearty and filling, and the portion provided in the mansaff was well beyond what the four of us could eat.

Next, dessert! We saved small corners in our tummies for the sweet treats, and looked forward to an equally tasty finish as our main courses were. Mrs. Vinny and I both ordered coffee, which tasted like standard coffee provided in restaurants. The Vinnys ordered a Lebanese dessert called the ismaliya ( Shredded Filo Pastry filled with custard and finished with rosewater blossom syrup and pistachios), while boring Hubbs & I opted for vanilla and blueberry creme brulee. I would have to say that we were quite disappointed that our memorable meal ended with such a fizzle. The Vinnys found their dessert to be strange, and the salty nut topping didn't seem to mesh well with the dense custard of the ismaliya. Our creme brulee was poorly prepared; the sugary top layer was hard to crack, and could literally be removed from the rest of the creme in the pot. The creme was far too dense and not nearly smooth enough to be a true custard cream, and in the end both my Hubbs and I (avid lovers of good creme brulee) did not finish this dessert.

The verdict? Parkallen is a great place to go if you want some delicious Lebanese cuisine in a nice and comfortable environment. It is not the place to go if you want fantastic dessert or impeccable service. Go for the mansaff and the baked goat cheese rolls, and forego the sweets.

Rating: 7 / 10
Hubby's Rating: 8 / 10

(Note: For a portion of our time there, the Parkallen was playing Coltrane. That's all Hubbs needed to hear to give it a higher rating).