PRESS Modern Luxury, 2011... Parigi Design District denizens, including Allan Knight, Jan Showers, David and Ann Sutherland and Michelle Nussbaumer, flock to one of Dallas’ original locavore spots, where the French-Italian fare makes for an oh-so-civilized meal. 3311 Oak Lawn Ave., 214.521.0295, parigidallas.com D Magazine, 2011... The menu at chef Janice Provost’s small, chic place changes frequently based on what’s fresh and available. (Local farms and sources are listed on the menu.) Co-owner Chad Houser whips up simple yet dazzling oven-roasted chicken breast perched atop cauliflower purée. Ninny’s Salad—thin slices of lightly battered and fried okra with halved cherry tomatoes, scallions, and a “Southern” white balsamic vinaigrette—is so good it could bring even the most die-hard carnivore to tears. Fearless Critic, 2011... When Janice Provost took the reins of Parigi in 2001 she might have hoped to become one of Oak Lawn's favorite neighborhood chefs. This Parisian-style (Parigi means ''Paris'' in Italian), Italian-influenced bistro puts a crisp focus on local products from regional vendors, creating farm-to-table flavors for an ever evolving, seasonal menu. Unlike so many of the city's flashy chefs, however, Provost and her team goa bout their local/seasonal business quietly. She refrains from the blatant and crass--the blaring media appeals and Tesar-like look at me charity appearances. It's a strategy that has made Parigi a neighborhood darling for more than 20 years. Mainstays include portobello fries with truffle buttermilk cream, baked garlic, truffle pate, seasonal tapenades, and an overflowing cheese plate with many Texas options. The kitchen takes uncommon pride in forgotten elements (like proper technique), which is especially evident when it turns its attention to more plebeian fare, such as french fries. The wine list is Californian, French, and Italian, all at approachable prices, and exquisitely tailored to menu options. Great espresso and cappuccino, too, especially following dinner on the outdoor patio lit with twinkling lights. There are few such examples of reserved brilliance around. For Provost, it's mission accomplished. D Magazine, 2010... Parigi is a bona fide neighborhood restaurant in a city that has few. It’s a small, chic, chef-driven place where the menu changes frequently based on what’s fresh and available. You can even find a list of partner farms and local sources, such as Dominion Farms in Denison and Lemley Farms in Canton, on the first page of the menu. Owner Janice Provost was one of the first in this town to do the “eat local” thing, and her dedication to this movement has never wavered. Portobello fries, a starter, were magically delicious, with a crispy, crunchy crust that gave way to a fat, juicy mushroom inside. Dipped in truffle buttermilk cream, they could turn any carnivore into a vegetarian. Same goes for Ninny’s Salad: thin slices of okra, lightly battered and fried, with halved cherry tomatoes, scallions, and a “Southern” white balsamic vinaigrette. I’d give up meat forever to have this “salad” every day.But this night we were still carnivores. Oven-roasted chicken breast, perched atop cauliflower purée and served with a pool of pan gravy—was executed with precision. Veal Milanese—lightly breaded and pan fried, topped with a mound of peppery fresh arugula and thick shreds of Asiago—was better than the version I had in Milan.I was curious about the chocolate glob, a dessert with a big reputation, and our server got a little misty when we said we’d never tried it. Think of it as a bowl of half-cooked brownie batter with chunks of walnuts and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Although we had leftovers from every other course during the evening—we were trying to be dainty, okay?—we polished that thing right off. So much D Magazine 2011.... Parigi Co-Owners Janice Provost And Chad Houser Announce Café Momentum in Dallas Posted on May 10th, 2011 9:54am by Nancy Nichols Filed under Celebrity Chefs, Events, Local/Slow Food The first Sunday of every month, a lucky spot in Dallas will become Café Momentum. Yes, it’s a monthly pop-up restaurant but it not a trendy, see-and-be-seen dinner. Parigi Co-Owners Janice Provost And Chad Houser are creating an opportunity for the students in the culinary arts program of the Dallas County Youth Village . Each dinner, the students will get the chance to work with an established Dallas chef. The first event is at the Milestone Culinary Arts Center on June 5 and will feature Jeffrey Hobbs, a chef and partner at Suze Restaurant. Jump for more information. Click to buy tickets. DALLAS (May 10, 2011) – Parigi co-owners Janice Provost and Chad Houser have announced a new nonprofit restaurant concept called Café Momentum, which will serve as a culinary training facility for disadvantaged youth. To create opportunities for these teens to work with real chefs, and to raise awareness and money for the restaurant, Provost and Houser have launched a monthly pop-up dinner series starring guest chefs from the Dallas area. The first event is June 5, 2011, at Milestone Culinary Arts Center, featuring the talents of Jeffery Hobbs, chef-partner at Suze Restaurant. Café Momentum’s primary focus is the Dallas County Youth Village, a juvenile residential facility for nonviolent adjudicated young men ages 13-17. With the help of Youth Village Resources of Dallas and the North Texas Food Bank, a culinary program was created within the facility, where students currently learn basic culinary skills. When the young men graduate from this program, they will be provided with paid internships working in the Youth Village kitchen. Eventually they will have the opportunity to work at Café Momentum restaurant for one year, in an internship-style environment. Café Momentum is set up as a social enterprise program of YVRD. Similar successful concepts around the globe include Fifteen (www.fifteen.net), run by the Jamie Oliver Foundation; Café Reconcile (www.reconcileneworleans.org), in New Orleans; and FareStart (www.farestart.org/), in Seattle. “Our culinary arts and nutrition program partnership with North Texas Food Bank started in early 2008,” says Jerry Silhan, executive director of Youth Village Resources of Dallas. “The young men learn a lot about nutrition and get some real core culinary skills. Because of this certification and experience, they have been able to get employment after release, which has helped reduce the recidivism rate dramatically. Café Momentum will offer additional work experience and culinary skill development to the young men who are most interested in the food industry as a career.” “Café Momentum is a true passion for me,” says Houser. “Cities like Seattle, Washington, and New Orleans already have social enterprise culinary endeavors. It’s very exciting to think that Café Momentum will put the Dallas restaurant community on the map and at the forefront of social enterprise.” At the first pop-up dinner, Hobbs will create a five-course meal, which the students will help prep, plate, and serve. Cost is $50 per person, and diners can bring their own wine. Only a few seats remain! To make reservations, visit www.cafemomentum.org. About Café Momentum Café Momentum is a nonprofit restaurant concept that will serve as a culinary training facility for disadvantaged youth. With the help of Youth Village Resources of Dallas and the North Texas Food Bank, a program has been created within the Dallas County Youth Village, where students currently learn basic culinary skills. When the young men graduate from this program, they will be provided with paid internships working in the Youth Village kitchen. Eventually they will have the opportunity to work at Café Momentum for one year, in an internship-style environment, alongside a rotating roster of guest chefs from the Dallas area. In addition to seeing the style and technique of each chef, the boys will leave Café Momentum with a list of 12 chefs to use as employment contacts or references. For more information, visit www.cafemomentum.org. About Youth Village Resources of Dallas Youth Village Resources of Dallas is dedicated to helping juvenile offenders, ages 10 to 17, reach their law-abiding potential and divert them from further involvement with the juvenile justice system or progression to greater offenses by putting positive outcomes within their reach. Youth Village Resources is committed to bolstering the success of the work done by the Dallas County Youth Village and Medlock programs. The programs funded by Youth Village Resources are created specifically to help youth in trouble turn their lives in a positive direction through education and healthy life changes. For more information, visit www.youthvillagedallas.org. Texas Montly, 2010... A leisurely Saturday lunch delivered by friendly servers in this low-key room lifted our spirits (how do they produce such fine food in that tiny kitchen?). Our soy-and-hoisin-glazed flounder gave us enough broth to mop up the whole-wheat Israeli couscous under the fish... As for dessert, the tasty peach cobbler might have benefited from another dip of Henry’s ice cream. Edible Dallas, 2010.... Spring 'Edible' taps Parigi for salad with Tassione greens ByKim Pierce/Reporter Mar. 17, 2010 Last night, I celebrated milestone birthdays at Parigi with two friends from high school (one from So-Cal, one from New York's Finger Lakes region), which gave me a chance to try Rocky's Miner Lettuce Salad with Fried Spring Leeks, Bacon, Pure Luck Dairy's Goat's Milk Blue, Pickled Grapes and Vinaigrette. The salad was created by co-chef Chad Houser and appears in the spring edition of Edible Dallas-Fort Worth. It was my first experience with Miner's Lettuce, a green that looks a lot like watercress, but has a milder flavor. A salad with all those assertive ingredients could have been overbearing, but instead was wonderful, thanks to Houser's restraint: Nothing overpowered the whole; it was all about synergy. Those grapes were a surprise, though, adding terrific zing. Oh yeah, the recipe for the salad appears with my Edible story about Rocky Tassione and Tassione Farms, a local farmer who supplies a who's who of restaurants with his excellent hydroponic veggies. This edition of Edible also includes stories about urban chickens, Motley Farms and the unusual Arlington restaurant Potage, where you pay what you think the food is worth. Rand McNally... Since Parigi is the Italian word for Paris, it should come as no surprise to you that this is French/New American cuisine with a little Italian thrown in. The decor consists of contemporary Mediterranean and American furnishings with soft muted colors and artful accents. Expect stellar service from a charming staff. A favorite among the Oak Lawn clientele is the Beef Tenderloin with coarse grain mustard sauce and roasted shallot smashed potatoes. But if you're looking for something that combines French and Mediterranean, try the Fettuccini with chicken, ancho chili, poblano peppercorn and tomato ranchera sauce. |


