Parigi has the friendliest wait staff in Dallas.  Yep, this is the first time we’ve led a recommendation with an assertion like this.  After our many visits and discussions as we began to write, we kept coming back to that one thing that always left us with a smile on our face as we walked to our car.  Of course the food is great (or they wouldn’t be on our site) and we’ll get to that later and we love the bistro-y atmosphere and the commitment to all things local.  But it’s that dying breed, the unfortunate anomaly of the wait crew that clearly enjoys what they’re doing and are happy you’re spending part of your day or evening with them that really turns us on.  Imagine – someone that’s both competent and conversational, knowledgeable but not overbearing, attentive without being annoying, and kinda hip and cool all at the same time! The Parigi team really comes off as a family that is relaxed in their own home…just ready to host you.

Snootyfoodie proverb:  In any customer service business, it’s your product that brings in customers but it’s your service that keeps them coming back. 

So, where does this elusive spirit of people pleasing come from?  Is there something in the Natura water at Parigi?  Do all those JT Lemley tomatoes have special powers of pandering seeded into them?  We think the answer is much simpler.  Chef/Partner Janice Provost is clearly one of the good guys, er, girls in the local restaurant business…and she’s the mama of this family.  She left a catering job at Marty’s in 1995 to be a prep cook (read: chop onions) and get a more hands on experience of a restaurant.  She ended up buying Parigi in 2001 and now plays the role of chef, restaurateur, host, sommelier, happiness consultant, you name it.  There’s something to knowing a restaurant from the inside out that makes leaders successful and garners respect from everyone else.  People follow people they believe in.  End of story.  She took on partner Chad Houser in 2008 after quickly realizing they shared the same culinary vision and commitment to localology.  Two organic peas in a pod if you will…

And after a QUARTER OF A CENTURY there’s obviously a loyal following that is a bigger testament to the place’s greatness than anything we’re writing here today.  For whatever reason, we didn’t have Parigi in our normal rotation.  Now, granted, it’s a very large rotation but we always had a good experience there and neither of us could figure it out.  So, we’ve slapped each other to our senses and Parigi is in the mix now – better late than never!

The website says Parigi is patterned after the bistros of Paris.  And, although not too many around here are going to mistake the Reunion for the Eiffel, DMA for the Louvre, or the Trinity for the Seine, we can agree the wonderful patio, unassuming location, quaint feel of the dining room, and unpretentious menu remind us of a couple of spots in the city of lights.  But, screw the frogs.  I mean, we can go there but we’d much rather refer to Parigi as one of Dallas’ few true bistros.

But as quickly as I dismiss the Frenchies, let’s start the food discussion with the paté which is one of the best we’ve ever eaten.  In fact, I’m struggling to think of a close second.  Now, do you like yours smooth or country style?  No worries, Parigi’s rendition serves it both ways.  The smooth blend is pork and dark chicken with studs of truffles.  Ohhh, it’s good.  But the country, pork only version is great too, particularly when you smear a little whole grain on the crouton and put one of those little tart pickles on top.  Yum Yum.

We’ve tried to think of one thing we would change about the portobello fries but we honestly can’t come up with one.  Wedges are lighted dusted and deep fried and served with a creamy buttermilk truffle sauce.  Now, this isn’t ranch dressing with a swirl of truffle oil on top.  Bits of truffles are swimming throughout and that makes me want to jump in the bowl and swim with them.  As it were, I just plunged the mushrooms and gobbled them up like they had a 30 second expiration date on them.

And we would be remiss if we didn’t laud the award winning Cesar salad (AWIF competition 2007).  It’s everything a good Cesar should be – leafy, not overdressed, with great croutons.  Tack on chicken, shrimp, or cheese if you like. 

Off the lunch menu, we tried the lobster knuckle sandwich – a Panini like combo of lobster, bacon, scallions and avocado.  There’s a lot of flavors going on but the hunks of lobster are plentiful and their sweet meat taste comes through big time.  Eggs Benedict is one of those brunch dishes that we judge a restaurant by.  I mean, if you’re doing brunch, you’re eggs benedict had better rock.  And rocks their’s does!  Toasted muffins, a perfect poach on the eggs, Canadian bacon and creamy hollandaise is all that’s in the recipe but its really not that easy to find a place that does it right.  It is said this dish was named for a wall street broker who, back in 1894, wanted a cure for his hangover.  Well Mr. Benedict, our stomachs and pounding Sunday morning headaches thank you for your contributions!!  They also recently had a soft shell crab sandwich on the menu and it was equally satisfying in its freshness and simplicity.  And, for what its worth, our 3 year old was really digging the waffles with hot maple syrup.

Whatever the fresh fish special on the dinner menu is, get it.  We’ve had parm crusted flounder over pappardelle with grilled vegetables and recently a mahi mahi with a sweet corn sauce.  Both were simple, fantastically fresh and delicious.  And if you’ve read our reviews, you know we’ve never met a piece of dead cow that we didn’t like.  Sauced with whole grain mustard or green peppercorn over skin-on mashed potatoes?  Um, count us in.  It wasn’t UFO size like you might find at your favorite steak place.  Rather it was a reasonable cut of tenderloin cooked perfectly.  You good with that?  It’s rhetorical…we’re good with it and that’s all that matters!  

Then she also cooked up a great combo of bay scallops over a pureé of beets and mashed potatoes with a grapefruit beurre blanc.  It was to die for and we’re hoping it takes up permanent residence on her dinner menu.

And now, deep breath everyone.  Let’s go to the desserts. 

We love a good buttermilk (chess) pie.  Blame it on our southern roots but with a good flaky crusty, thick and rich filling and just a tad past firm top, this makes me miss my grandma.

The Chocolate Glob has been on the menu since day one.  It’s a bowl of absolute decadence with a slightly crispy outside that, when prodded, gives way to a chocolate gooeyness that truly makes my mouth water.  Thank God those doctors are saying chocolate is good for you now! 

And I have to say I’m a sucker for peach cobbler and the thicker and doughy-er the crust the better.  The good folks at Parigi share my love.  But, hmm, we love chocolate AND we love peach cobbler.  What to do, what to do?!?!  Well, our friends at Parigi have that figured out too.  Go for the Half and Half – a truly blessed bowl half filled with Chocolate Glob and half filled with Peach Cobbler.  A la mode?  You’ve come this far, so why not? 

Earlier we alluded to how locally focused Janice and Chad are.  But it’s worth mentioning that she was going local before going local was cool.  And in addition to the lauded Lemley tomatoes, you’ll routinely see as many as a half dozen other Texas farms and creameries listed on her menu.  Heddin, Bluebonnet, La Cuesta and others. 

Cocktails anyone?  We love the idea that Parigi shows a by the glass wine with every entrée shown on the menu.  It makes it easy on the diner to have a wine pre-selected allowing them to keep their focus on the important things like food and conversation.  Beyond the by the glass selections they do have a smart, worldly wine list.  Sparklings, Champagnes, White Burgundies, and Rhones to accompany a solid lineup of Italians and some very interesting selections from California and Washington as well as a couple of ice wines from Oh Canada.  Outside of a few big name bottles, the list is reasonably priced with plenty in the 30’s and 40’s.  But before you dig into that bottle of vino, do yourself a real favor and order a couple of the Parigi signature cocktails.  The SOLA (South of Lemmon Ave) is a frozen concoction of Smirnoff vodka, limeade, and mint.  The St. Germain Stroll is a refreshing blend of Hendrick’s Gin (our personal fave), Elderflower liqueur, accompanied by splashes of cranberry, grapefruit and Natura water.  For a hot summer afternoon reprieve, check out the Cucumber Cooler.  Square One organic vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup poured over the rocks and garnished with a thick slice of organic cucumber.  Its damn near healthy! 

So we painted a well rounded mural of booze huh?  Speaking of murals, you’ll notice a local artist’s work on the dining room walls.  The artwork rotates and is for sale so go on and support your local starving artist people!!  But, the deets of Parigi’s relaxing vibe don’t end there.  Your shoulders drop when you walk in and this is no accident my friend.  This “family” wants you to settle in and stay for awhile.  If you’re really paying attention, you’ll notice the ridiculously gorgeous flowers set against a backdrop of soothing tones at the front bar.  If you notice the little pops of chartreuse and fuscia and the borderline OCD attention to detail on the napkins, creamers, etc then you’re in the Parigi zone.

The dollar is still not all that strong against the Euro and those jackasses at AA are charging the price of a good entrée to check your bag.  So, why go to Paris and roll the dice on rude service and that not so subtle anti-American sentiment?  Wasn’t it McArthur that said he’d rather have a German army in front of him than a French army behind him?  Anyway, I digress.  Just navigate your vehicle down to Oak Lawn to get a Parisian experience that is decidedly Dallas at the same time.  The Parigi family is waiting with open arms.