Step into The Parlour, sit back and enjoy the taste
Samuel Norris, who opened Wishbone three years ago, recently unveiled a new concept inside the lifestyle destination Columbia Circle.
“The Parlour is a culmination of elements from our previous restaurant Wishbone — the innovative rotisserie chicken joint in northern Jing’an District, and pushing further our ideas of how we want to have a dining experience in the city,” Norris said.
“The style of the food at The Parlour is a mix of European styles with influences from the two head chefs Sam Norris’ and Arthur Joseph’s world travels.”
The 85-seat interior takes inspiration from the clubhouses of 1920s Europe where a disco-ball pizza oven takes center stage. They wanted to create a relaxed and refined dining experience for the locals.
The 85-seat interior takes inspiration from the clubhouses of 1920s Europe.
“Another focus of The Parlour is the social aspect of eating out in a restaurant. The word parlour’s original usage donates a space for discussion and debate within a public building, an ‘audience chamber,’” Norris said.
In the English-speaking world of the 18-19th century, the parlor was invariably the best room in the home, where it frequently displayed the family’s best furnishings, works of art and was used for receptions around formal occasions such as weddings and birthdays.
This eye-catching disco ball pizza oven is the perfect symbol what The Parlour represents, according to Norris. “It makes delicious Napoli-style pizza during the day, in the night it can be turned into a rotating disco ball and becomes the center of a celebration,” he said.
Both chefs hail from London so the food reflects the diversity of the city, with a big push on bringing clear distinct flavors in the dishes. Joseph worked with Claude Bosi in London while Norris worked for Nobu London, Heston Blumental in London so both of these restaurant styles are reflected in the experience at The Parlour.
The food at The Parlour is a mix of European styles with influences from the two head chefs Sam Norris’ and Arthur Joseph’s world travels.
Star dishes at The Parlour include Iberico Pork with smoked pepper sauce and salsa verde that is a sous vide cooked pork finished on the plancha. With the pork coming from Spain the kitchen wanted to reflect that in the smoked pepper sauce which gives an emotion of Spain.
Pigeon with carrot and black current is a dish giving people an opportunity to try pigeon unlike they may have been able to try and with its soft delicate flavor balanced with the sweet sour sauce from black current. The aroma from the Buddha hand infused oil that dressed carrots brings the dish together.
What I liked the most was the Wagyu M7 sirloin with pickled Shitake mushrooms and bone marrow jus. Delicious cuts of beef coming from Rangers Valley farm in Australia were served with a uniquely Asian-style garnish. The flavor and marbling was perfect, cooked on the charcoal grill with added bincho wood to impart smoky flavor.
Info
Opening hours: 11:30am-midnight
Tel: 5273-5759
Address: Unit 103, Bldg 19, Columbia Circle, No. 1262 Yan’an Rd W.
Average price: 300 yuan
