Parlor Market Restaurant Review

So Daniel and I went somewhere new last week. We have been looking forward to this place opening for awhile. Parlor Market is downtown, not far from the newly renovated King Edward Hotel. They have a website, but there didn't seem to be much on it. Check them out on facebook if you're interested.

First off it was such of a treat to go out. We don't go out much, and our goings out have to be early being Simeon is pretty dependent on me for bedtime. And really I don't mind being a home body. Daniel and I had years to ourselves before we were blessed with a child, and ate out plenty.

So we met some friends down there and had a delicious supper. The atmosphere was very nice, it is very nicely furnished and is a dressier kind of place. The food was very good, portions were small and pricey but very good. And to be fair it was pricey, but no than other nicer restaurants for dinner.The draw for us is the food is local and that was fun to choose from entrees from our state and states close to us. I had the quail and it was tiny, but so delicious. If Daniel hadn't ordered a salad and our friends hadn't ordered an appetizer I would have been still hungry. To be fair it was listed as a "small plate". Daniel had trout and said it was really mouthwatering good. We had a "salad" that was wilted romaine, fried oysters, and comeback dressing. It was good and I don't usually like Oysters.

If you want to go somewhere nice I'd recommend it.

Beach Bums

  Daniel, Barley, and I went to the MS coast last weekend. We had a wonderful trip. Pet friendly hotels are great. However if you don't have pets you probably don't want to stay in one; Barley decided to bark at one of our neighbors in the wee hours of the morning. Otherwise he behaved and we had a great trip.

By the way to make this a more business like post I have a restaurant review. Schooners in Biloxi is awesome! I should have taken pictures, by the time we got our food we wanted to eat and weren't thinking about digitally capturing our food. Daniel had a half oyster, half shrimp po-boy that was wonderful. I had a crab & cheese po-boy which would have been wonderful if not for the processed yucky American cheese. McElroy's in Ocean Springs had an ok po-boy; slightly overcooked shrimp, not as hot, plus more expensive. We had supper at Al Fresco in Ocean Springs, great homemade Caesar salad. I got a good deal on enough food for 2 people, Daniel wasn't as happy with his slightly overcooked fish. I'm definitely going back to Schooners, but I could pass up McElroy's and Al Fresco. I know I'm a restaurant snob, but you might as well enjoy what you pay for.

Oh business, I'm missing another market this week, I know pitiful. Our house is still not back in order at all. I'm hoping I can help Daniel finish up the baseboards & quarter-round so we can get things back in order. If I do the market I will have no time to help and my china will remain all over the guest bedroom, where my market supplies are burried. It's probably good I didn't realize how out of sorts our house would be for almost a month now! I'll be in Clinton next week, hope to see you there.

The food industry is misleading us again...

This article was shocking to me. I personally have checked restaurants online menus to find the healthier selections before I eat out. And working in the food industry myself I am always honest with customers. If you are going to make something that is high in fat & calories you need to tell people. The thought occured to me, if they are going to lie about the "healthy options" how much are they lying about the "traditional meals". Shame on those restaurants.

Yet another reason to cook & eat at home.
-If you prepare the food then you know what is in it.
-If you eat at home you are less likely to overeat.
-Plus I've mentioned before the spiritual connection I believe exists from preparing your own food.

Mediterranean Cafe

Our favorite restaurant by far is Mediterranean Cafe, located on Old Canton just on the Ridgeland side of County Line. (And by favorite, we mean they catered our rehearsal dinner, and we hardly ever go anywhere else.) This is one of those local spots that beats any chain restaurant hands down. The owner, Elias, greets his customers by name and cares about providing healthy, quality food. Be sure to chat with him when you go.

We haven't had a bad meal there, but the Kibbi and the Red Snapper are our favorites. Kibbi is a Lebanese meat dish- made fresh by Elias's wife, Joanna. The Red Snapper is perfectly flakey, sauted and topped with tahini, olive oil, and other spices that you will come to crave. The hummus is very good, and a simple veggie plate is a full meal even for carnivores like me. I never liked dolmas (grape leaves) until I tried them here. The walls are lined with tons of hard-to-find ethnic foodstuffs like spices, nuts, dates, and canned goods. Round things off with a glass of wine (Wente Shiraz is my favorite there), or a slice of Joanna's tiramisu.

There's a crop of new Mediterranean-styled restaurants like this in the Jackson area- Alladin's and Jerusalem Cafe are also good, and all beat Keifer's southern-fried-Greek food. But Mediterranean Cafe has got to be the best. So, check them out, and tell them Daniel and Elizabeth sent you!