The Undeniable Vixen

Let me tell you..this is the neighbor bar that you need! Parliament is a mainstay in what I remember as a child being near Thomas street and a great chicken spot that stayed open way past 2am. Things have changed and now townhouses, boutiques and eateries have appeared. I work In Richardson so leaving at 3:30pm I will get to the downtown area a little before 5pm. I was walking up and standing at the door. The staff manager profusely apologized that he had us waiting since they had a meeting before opening up. The first drink is on house. It was 5:06pm 🫢🥰. Now that’s customer’s service. I appreciated that even though I didn’t think that was so long. Parliament has a standard they follow for all patrons and they uphold it well. We sit at the bar but the seating is plentiful. There’s also outdoor seating. It was perfect day to enjoy the fresh air. The bar is impressive as well as the crafted drink menu for happy hour. As we started into our first hour the seats begin filling up. By the time we left (7pm) there was a eager couple hoping they could take our seats. The only thing missing was a little snack. My friend said they did have snacks but I would have enjoyed that too.

This restaurant has been on my list for years. I lived so close by but would always forget. I heard it's one of Dirk’s favorite restaurants. I always say yes to traditional French cuisine because escargot should be on the menu. It was my birthday and that also meant restaurant week 🫠. I’ve long stopped going out during that time because the prices increased and the portions shrunk a long time ago. Alas, I’m still out for an adventure. It was crowded and buzzing so you definitely want to secure a reservation. I sat at the bar waited for my table and asked for water. The bar area was overwhelmed with making drinks as the waiter impatiently asked for drinks and I was lost in the fray. After about 10 minutes of waiting and attempting to cool off, I received some water but my table was ready. Sigh. There's an open kitchen and we felt it. The heat was severe along with all the bodies. Keep the water coming!!!
I ordered the escargot and lamb chops. My friend ordered steak. The escargot was mid. I've had better at smaller bistros. They were small and had more butter than snails. I made the best of it using the soft bread to get more of the savory juices. The lamb chops were perfect and paired lovely with our bottle of wine. A half bottle was plenty so I wouldn't feel waterlogged. I was surprised there was no ambient music to mask table conversation from louder tables. Unfortunately, I knew that I would be incredibly full so I declined the dessert souffle that had to be ordered at the beginning of the meal.
I wouldn't mind going again without a crowd to enjoy a meal.