Pop in, hang out or park off. Further south than the well-known Davenport Road strip is a little alternative foodie nucleus in Glenwood. Parc opened here in June 2013 and patrons have already made themselves at home in the small, vibey restaurant owned by brother-sister team Brett and Lara Gentles.

People

“It’s always been something we wanted to do and we finally got to the point we could achieve it. We have been planning it for about 10 years and waiting for the proper opportunity,” says Brett.

Brett is a qualified chef whose experience spans working under Richard Carstens at Lynton Hall, at Paranga in Cape Town and, most recently, as sous chef at the highly regarded Durban restaurant, 9th Avenue Bistro.

The two are passionate about Glenwood, and when other premises fell through, serendipity arrived in the form of Adam Robinson from the Glenwood Bakery, who told them the shop next door to his was available.

Food

Parc’s menu evolves at random according to seasonality, and they’re also in the process of establishing a community project down the south coast where women will grow fresh produce. Collaborations are very important to Brett and Lara: they buy all their bread from the neighbouring Glenwood Bakery, use coffee beans from the nearby Colombo Tea and Coffee, and source delicious goodies from Lucy’s Cake shop.

All day breakfast is undoubtedly a sign of civilised society and Parc’s eggs Benedict is fast earning a reputation as the best in town. Perfectly cooked poached eggs are perched atop potato and rosemary bread and streaky bacon and then draped in a textbook-perfect lemon hollandaise. Finally, in a flash of brilliance, it’s topped with finely chopped capers that counter the rich sauce.

Other breakfasts are equally appealing and include sweet potato cakes with tomato relish, mushrooms, rocket, poached eggs, crème fraîche and toasted pumpkin seeds; or pork sausage with eggs, mixed greens, apple chilli chutney, toast and onion pickle. Diners who are at the mercy of a sweet tooth will succumb to one of Brett’s favourite dishes – the banana bread French toast with fresh banana, cashews and honey.

Lunch options segue from light and fresh (like a salad of grilled aubergine, baby spinach, cucumber, roast butternut, fresh grapes, mint, coriander, basil and toasted seeds with a cumin and yoghurt dressing) to heart-warming comfort food. Seek solace in a sandwich of French roast garlic chicken, onion pickle, herb and garlic mayo and fresh tomato served with a carrot and beet slaw; or a caramelised onion, beetroot and goat’s cheese quiche served with tomato relish, mixed greens and a brown butter vinaigrette.

Food is fresh and seasonal with intelligent combinations that people might not have thought about before, like winter melon and coconut gazpacho with ginger and chocolate, or the avo and vanilla shake. “We send out tasters of milkshakes and soups when the restaurant is full so people get to taste before they order. We like to interact with our clients,” explains Brett.

Wine?

A liquor licence is in the process of being approved, but diners are welcome to bring their own wine in the interim. There is a selection of teas and caffeine in all the guises you could wish for.

Service

If you have become accustomed to waiters offering a cursory smile and perfunctory service as they operate on autopilot, Parc is a revelation. Here you can expect genuine warmth, heartfelt hospitality and big smiles that leave you feeling like you’ve been welcomed into a friend’s home. They really are happy to serve, and with the quality of food that comes out of the kitchen with Germanic efficiency, why should they not be? In fact, happy seems to be the watchword here.

Ambience?  

The space, like the food, is fun and fresh with a down-to-earth honesty. It has a vaguely canteen-like feel with white tiles, baskets displaying baked goods and large naked light bulbs suspended from red cords. Modest pine-topped tables are teamed with grey plastic chairs and a smattering of vibrantly painted wooden ones that provide small explosions of colour. An entire wall is a chalkboard dedicated to displaying a daytime-only menu, which, despite being compact, doesn’t compromise on variety.

And…?

There is a sense of camaraderie as people talk animatedly over the noise of coffee being brewed and, before leaving, locals seek Brett out to thank him for opening Parc in their ‘hood.

Photographs by Fathima Kathrada of Happiness Is…

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