RESTAURANT REVIEW: Parq Bar

225 N. Canon Dr. (inside the Montage Hotel)  |  Beverly Hills, CA 90212  |  (888) 575-5964  |  www.montagehotels.com/beverlyhills/dining/parq-bar/  |  Price : $$$

Parq Bar, located in the courtyard of the Montage Hotel, is a refuge from the hustle and bustle of Beverly Hills. My dining companion Sarah and I felt instantly at ease the moment we walked through the doors.

Perhaps it was the serene elegance of the dining room’s lush, blush and plush décor; or maybe, just maybe, it was the harpist sending us into a blissful state of tranquility. She was playing for the benefit of guests enjoying Afternoon Tea. We briefly considered sitting outside on the shaded patio as we took our seat indoors, entranced by the hypnotic serenade.

Executive Chef Gabriel Ask graciously offered a few suggestions as he shared the inspiration for the seasonal all-day menu. Not unlike his peers, Chef Gabriel attends the Wednesday Farmer’s Market in Santa Monica in addition to the Sunday market in Beverly Hills. The results are appealing to the taste buds of hotel guests and locals alike.

Our courses were timed as beautifully as the music, beginning with the Montage Roll from the “Catch” portion of the menu. It was made of delicate crab wrapped in soy paper and again wrapped in salmon. The roll called to mind a favorite sushi restaurant of mine in the Valley, but the exquisite plating of the roll dotted with nasturtium greens quickly reminded me of my whereabouts.

We wanted to get a good feel for the broad range of options on Chef Gabriel’s menu so we ordered the unlikely pairing of French Fries to accompany our roll. We opted for the Jalapeño & Paprika Dust, one of three variations offered. As a Canadian, I take my fries seriously. Parq Bar’s fries with skins intact held up to my high Canadian standards, while the seasoning challenged my taste for heat.

Should you find you’re having a day where you’d like to try a sampling of a variety of items, consider ordering The Tiffin Box. Think “Bento Box” with four different items that change daily.

In our case, Chef Gabriel filled the Tiffin Box with two immensely popular salads from the “Garden” section: Baby Kale & Pickled Golden Raisins and Lobster Chopped Salad.

The kale salad, lightly tossed in white balsamic vinaigrette, features strawberries from Harry’s Berries, Pecorino and toasted sunflower seeds. It was nothing short of amazing.

The Lobster Chopped highlights salad-du-jour Little Gem Lettuce tossed in a zesty chipotle dressing intermixed with avocado, corn, tomatoes and Marcona almonds. The lobster-to-salad ratio is impressive, ensuring this salad would keep you going for some time if ordered as an entrée.

Sarah enjoyed the “nice lemony undercurrent” in her Quinoa Tabouleh topped with grilled shrimp, while I was quite satisfied with my tender Octopus Salad, composed of pee wee potatoes, suprêmesgrapefruit sections, celery and Parmegiano Regiano dressing.

Lunch ended on the perfect note with a slice of Montage Cake. Executive Pastry Chef Julie Jangali has created un chef d’oeuvre of dense, moist dark chocolate cake, layered between a light mousse sprinkled with crisps. We gleefully dragged our forks through the puddle of caramel.