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| - What a stunning space was the first thought in my head as we first entered Parc Central! With it high ceilings, sexy and sleek decor (as if Scottsdale needs more of that, right?), I hoped the food would at least match my first visual impression. It was a Tuesday evening, and early (about 6 pm). There were a few tables already seated and not many people at the front bar. Perfect, I thought, for my old high school friend in from Dallas and I to catch up. The restaurant started to get a little busier around 8 pm, and the noise slightly ratcheted up, but we were still able to have great conversation without speaking louder than our normal voices.
Let's start with the drinks . . . The wine list takes up the entire back page of the menu and we started there, but then were persuaded by our server to try one of their specially mixed cocktails. She raved about the mixologist and how she could blend unusual mixers. I had the Lemon Tree which was so delicious I could have drank it like I was drinking iced tea . . . it was garnished with a very unusual cherry soaked in rum or brandy (what a confection)! My friend had the Park Central Harrington, a citrus-orange based concoction which I tasted and was equally as tasty as the Lemon Tree. Mind you, the cocktail prices are upwards of $11-$13, a little hefty in my opinion, but worth every savored sip! So far, our server has batted 1000.
The appetizer and salad menu had so many interesting choices we had a hard time deciding. One of the most unusual items on the app menu is Welsh Rarebit. The cafeteria at our old school used to serve Welsh Rarebit and we had a good laugh about that being on the menu. I wanted to order it for old times sake, but my friend couldn't remember if she even liked it, so we passed. (Don't worry, I won't pass up the opportunity to go back and try it although I doubt our old cafeteria version had beer in the cheddar sauce.) Again, based on our servers recommendation, we chose the Parc Central Salad and the Crispy Tiger Shrimp Tempura. Both were beautifully presented. The salad was dressed perfectly and a nice size for sharing. The shrimp was out of this world delicious. I saw that one previous Yelper thought the sauce was too sweet. Hoisin sauce is always sweet (ever have Moo-Shu pancakes -- that's hoisin sauce!). We languished over ever morsel. The shrimp were huge - plump and juicy, and the tempura batter was crunchy -- just perfectly coated. Again, our server has batted 1000.
The entrees ran the gamut from smaller hand helds (like mini-burgers) to larger portions of fish, beef, poultry and lasagna. It has something for everyone. My friend had the ahi tuna grinders which she enjoyed -- I didn't even get a taste :( -- which came with either shoestring fries or beet chips. She chose the beet chips, which came as a plentiful helping, more than enough to share. I opted for the Roasted Chicken Lasagna which our server described as more of an alfredo version of lasagna (no red sauce). The fact that it had truffle beurre blanc was the real selling point. What came on the plate was a deconstructed version of a lasagna. It was superb, but I was so full from the prawns and salad, I only had two bites and brought the rest home. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach, so I am always bringing home a doggie bag. However, the true testament to a great dish is being able to bring it home, heat it up in the mic and away from all the ambiance and distractions, and still love it. Sometimes it is even better when the flavors get to meld together a little longer. Another home run this afternoon for lunch!!! And just in case I was a little tipsy from the alcohol at dinner, I had my husband (who wasn't with us) try some for breakfast, and he was equally as pleased!
So with all this batting 1000 and home run references, why didn't I give Parc Central 5 stars? They struck a nerve with my biggest pet peeve -- bringing out the entree when we weren't finished with our appetizers!!! A huge faux-pas in my book.
But don't let that deter you from going to Parc Central . . . it was a great meal in fab surroundings. Also great for people watching -- my friend found it interesting that there were so many tables scattered about with groups of women dressed to the nines. I explained with three words -- "that's so Scottsdale". Now, that might deter you :)
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