The Tampa Bay Food & Wine Society
EXQUISITE DINING
Parlor House Bistro
of La Fleur Renaissance Sauternes.
The service staff kept the
evening moving seamlessly,
as all of the moving parts
meshed together like a fine
watch movement with food,
wine, silverware and glasses
all appearing and disappearing
smoothly.
By Aaron R. Fodiman and Margaret Word Burnside
The Tampa Bay Food & Wine Society dinner at the Parlor House
Bistro in Dunedin featured this combination of an elk chop and a
This special evening was a testament to
the chef’s creativity and the restaurant’s
dedication to perfection, which have made
it one of the Tampa Bay area’s most popular
culinary destinations in recent times.
This is despite the fact that the restaurant
opened just as the coronavirus pandemic
was making itself known. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: For more information
on the Tampa Bay Food & Wine Society, call
(727) 791-4800. The Parlor House Bistro
is located at 1757 Main St. in Dunedin,
(727) 754-3978.
CUISINE
lamb chop with corresponding sauces.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 155
When choosing a host
for a food and wine
dinner, the Tampa
Bay Food & Wine
Society carefully considers a
number of criteria that range
from décor to proven ability
to perform on a level that will
satisfy the members who are
the organization’s heart and soul. We knew
that the Parlor House Bistro in Dunedin
had the skills and attitude we look for and
also understood the type of experience
that we require. We waited a year during
COVID-19 to schedule an event there. It
was well worth the wait.
Our first course consisted of two
small appetizers, a loaded smoked duck
baguette paired with a delightful Chateau
Castigno “Brut Nature” sparkling Saint
Chinan from France and a beef sparerib
on crostini accompanied with a 2019 Haut-
Blanville Pinot Noir from southern France’s
Languedoc region. Next was a savory
mushroom covered pastry that we enjoyed
with a 2018 Gary Farrell Chardonnay from
California’s Russian River Valley. This was
followed with a cup of hearty butternut
squash bisque and a crisp fall salad with
apple. The fourth course was a small,
tender lobster tail over pasta and a 2019
Garganega Soave Classico from Italy. The
main course was a duo of a lamb chop and
an elk chop on the bone with two sauces,
one for each. These were accompanied by
Dauphinoise potatoes served in their own
crock. The 2019 Piattelli Malbec Mendoz
from Argentina complemented the flavors
of both chops.
We concluded the meal with a cheese
plate that featured two cheeses with flavors
enhanced with a mixed berry jam. This
was followed by a seventh course of a
silky smooth chocolate tart with a touch of
orange that blended perfectly with glasses
GRAM