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I’ve always wondered where Sandton businesspeople flee to after work for a cold drink and a quick bite … and yesterday evening I finally found out. If you haven’t yet visited Parliament Restaurant & Bar, situated above The Eatery in Parkmore, do yourself a favour and pop into this classy joint as soonest … and be sure to arrive thirsty!
Parliament is a casual yet very much trendy restaurant and bar. Their menu offers a number of mouth-watering fire-grilled dishes that boast a somewhat South African flare. Think BBQ pork belly sliders, herbed boerewors with chipotle mayo, fillet on the bone with Cajun prawns, mustard pork chop with charred pear, and glazed beef short rib with Korean style BBQ sauce.
On the drinks side of things, they have a solid wine list, elegant cocktails, and a massive selection of local craft beers, both bottled as well as on tap. Do you now see what I mean by “South African flair”?
I arrived yesterday in the early evening with my boyfriend. We took a seat at the balcony, which overlooks the ever-bustling 11th Street. The atmosphere was vibrant yet informal, which made for a lovely comfortable ambiance.
Around us were lots of businesspeople sipping on ice-cold drinks and snacking on tapas. To start off, we decided to order up some old-school cocktails, which arrived quickly. The gin martini especially was a real treat! If you’re a die-hard Hendricks drinker like myself, you’ll love their gin cocktails.
We then perused the menu and decided to order the pork belly sliders, which are served with slaw, to start. The mini burgers packed loads of flavour and were very enjoyable … and I’ll have you know that that’s a huge compliment coming from someone like myself who isn’t at all a meat fan!
Then, for mains, I went with the chicken thigh slouvaki done in cinnamon and soy yoghurt, and my boyfriend opted for the glazed beef short rib with Korean style BBQ sauce. We also ordered the beef fat fries with a lemon and garlic aioli sauce as well as the spiced butternut wedges on the side.
Our mains came out within good time and were delicious. All dishes were cooked to perfection and had that good old “real food” kind of taste, if you know what I mean. I must add that their presentation was on point too … neat and simple without being too basic.
To end off our enjoyable evening, we then decided we’d order a dessert to share. We went with the banana and dark chocolate fritters, which was one of the chef’s specials of the night. Served with cake crumble and sliced strawberries, it was a real treat!
All in all, I very much enjoyed this spot. The food was great, and the atmosphere was lovely. Plus, the service was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and the manager, Elena, made us feel very much at home. If you’re an adventurous after work reveller or simply enjoy local food with a cold beer, be sure to pop into this lively spot.
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