Parker & Quinn

When I realized my parents would be staying right by Albert's new office, I thought it would be a great opportunity to check out the bar/restaurant he discovered during his first week on the job.  Parker and Quinn is a gastropub which basically means it's elevated bar food with fancier drinks.  The vibe is a tad more upscale, but I wouldn't go as far as to call it swanky.  The place is divided into a bar area and restaurant area, but the bar itself is in a circle so half of the bar is in the restaurant space.  The setup made the place feel more communal...which is exactly why I would steer your attention towards the many share-able items on the menu.

The octopus was good, but I thought the pimento cheese was the real winner.  Another cheese based dish, the broc and cheese (mac and cheese with broccoli) was also very nice.  My caesar salad was good (nice and crunchy, good amount of dressing) but I thought the scallops were a little flat (physically - as in squished down) and a bit over-seasoned.  I saw some pizzas (flatbread style) pass by and thought they looked pretty tasty.  It's exactly the kind of food and drink you want when it's time to unwind after work.  The kind where you can nibble and share but still feel like you ate something real (I don't get that feeling from potato skins...do you?).

The Dardanella cocktail