PARISH CAFÉ

By JAN ROSENFELD | PHOTOS BY CHASE NICHOLL

del.ico.us | digg it! | reddit!

print | email | 0 Comments

The Parish Café isn't really my scene. It's much, much better than my scene. Bright and inviting, this bar and restaurant right by the Public Garden is the kind of cool-yet-casual place you'd take your parents to so they don't think that you survive solely on McChickens. The waitstaff is on their game—our two servers, Lori and Dustin, deftly navigate their way through a sea of drinks I've never heard of and could never understand. Onward!

Drink 1: Hunny Bunny ($9). Hey. I just drink 'em. I don't name 'em. I'm introduced to Emily, the bartender, who explains that the drink is her own concoction, a twist on a recipe she had last winter. The composition is Jameson, ginger beer and honey, served on the rocks. It's tart with a slight hint of sweetness and makes me want to chug. I resist that urge and take small sips through a straw, but then when no one's looking, tip it vertical and go for the win. Hey, just like prom!

Drink 2: Julius Echter ($8.50). Aww, yeah. The dude to my left is swiggin' on this fine piece of Hefeweizen, all but wearing a $10,000 watch and some I'm-an-undercover-cop Ray-Bans. I'll have what he's having. The beer is super light and smooth with a crisp, creamy head. Dustin even gives me the master pour, swirling the bottle to get the sediment into the glass and foam it up. Somewhere in Germany, two dudes high-five and put on a Warlock LP.

Drink 3: Piña Colada ($9). It's like an enormous tub of ice cream mixed with alcohol. Topped with whipped cream and a cherry, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be caught dead drinking this at night. In fact, I don't even order it. My friend, citing comfort with his sexuality, orders the tropical classic and then asks if he looks fat. Really.

Drink 4: The Zinger ($9). I ask Lori what a "Parish" drink would be, and she recommends this iced tea beverage. It has Stoli Razberi, Chambord and lemon with a sugared rim. I can't really imagine any members of the congregation getting zinged, but it works for me. I remember this drink as being "insanely refreshing," but I also remember deciding to Facebook the waitress. Whoops.

Drink 5: Harpoon Octoberfest ($5.50). I opt to end on a familiar note. Malty, frothy and rich, Octoberfest is a beer I could and would order just about anytime. The room is bustling but comfortable, and we're finishing up some meatloaf sandwiches (insider tip: Order the meatloaf sandwich). There's a little girl a few tables over pretending to be a waitress and she's adorable. I consider trying to get a picture for the story, but luckily remember that a drunk guy trying to take pictures of kids is comparable to crashing a car into an orphanage. With a whole day ahead of me, I'm not ruling anything out.