The Parker

Unfortunately, I have to update my review. I returned a couple of weeks ago and things have taken a turn for the worse. I was also back during dine out and had similar feelings then, but I gave The Parker the benefit of the doubt.
While the meal sizes increased, the food was pretty much hit and miss. Nothing was exceptional, and some things were border line not tasty. The presentation has also dropped. The price stayed the same.
The waitress was nice but she did not know too much about vegan options.
I also have to mention that I was really cold… we finished eating as quickly as we could because we were just uncomfortable.
I gave The Parker enough chances, and will not return.

Love everything about this place — except that I thought it was a bit over priced.
We had the Chef’s Tasting Menu that was $ 35 each. Good selection of beer but overpriced as well.

The dishes are rather small and simple and I could easily prepare them at home. Of course restaurants mark-​up the price of a dish in order to pay overhead costs, wages, etcetera, but the prices at the Parker seem far more inflated than the average restaurant. Price becomes an even greater concern when you consider the location of the Parker. This restaurant opened up on the outskirts of a lower-​income neighborhood, contributing to the gentrification of the area.
The Parker advertises itself as a low waste, low environmental-​impact establishment, priding itself on how eco-​friendly it is. Not so eco-​friendly as to sacrifice it’s chic flare (industrial-​style, suspended incandescent lighting throughout the restaurant), but eco-​friendly enough to have the «conscious consumer» feel good about their participation in upper-​scale vegetarian dining. The social and environmental responsibility of the Parker seems like more of a trend to encourage diner’s patronage than a genuine commitment.

Based on the reviews of this place from others its clear that Vancouverites have become used to be over charged for mediocre-​food. So if you don’t mind the high prices this is a good place. Is it value for money? No!
This place mistakenly considers itself upscale and possibly fine dining when it is far from it. It takes more than charging high prices for mediocre food to be upscale or fine dining.
Way over priced for what it is; this place should not and does need to be that expensive. Food is interestingly different, Personally, a bit of a hit and miss depending on the dish, but overall good. Pricey for what it is — given that its vegetarian — can only mean they love their profit margins.
The staff are a bit snooty — this attitude can only come from the management. We felt rushed, maybe because we weren’t spending enough money. Our server, who we think may have been one of the owners, came across arrogant and we struggled to find why he thought he had anything to be arrogant about.
Menu is clumsy held together with crocodile clip — just cheap given their prices. Wine is over priced. Best to sample this place during their Happy Hour — not exactly a great discount, but I’d rather pay $ 8 for their house wine than $ 13 per glass; or just under $ 10 for a few florets of cauliflower versus $ 13 for the same dish. We also had the lentil dish which was bland to say the least.
Their Happy Hour concept doesn’t offer anything to be very Happy about. It reduces the overpriced dishes and wine by a few dollars, not 50% like many other places. Also, you end up spending a minimum of $ 30 as you’re forced to choose 3 dishes from their Happy Hour menu for that price. They need to do something more consumer friendly for Happy Hour.

The chefs pick special will stun you. They even let us put in a preference from the menu. For dessert we had lemon sorbet with onion jam, absolutely perfect.

Had a fantastic dinner at the parker.
We had the $ 35 Degustation menu,
everything so delicious that we couldn’t say
one is better than the other. The atmosphere is
modern and unpretentious. Service was just right,
attentive enough that there not interrupting your
conversation. They had a great cocktail and wine list, the Old
Fashion was done perfectly. We will definitely be back
again to see what they have in store for the seasons to come.

I had this dinner at The Parker in November and it just keeps getting better. The menu is ever-​changing, seasonal and the produce is locally sourced. The cauliflower soup was ambrosia, the spinach with hazelnut side dish was tender and full flavoured and the roasted squash agnolotti perfect for a chilly night. My friend chose the dukka with taro chips followed by gluten free gnocchi and creamed brussel sprouts. After the chocolate truffles and carrot cake with butterscotch we were well sated and happy to sip aeropresse coffees and listen to the soft music. I’m happy we came early to get a great table in the window. We gave The Parker a Michelin * rating with delicious sustainably farmed wines and a very relaxing candlelight atmosphere.

My boyfriend and I celebrated our three-​year anniversary at the Parker last night, in the midst of Dine Out Vancouver. It was our third or fourth time dining there, and I recall celebrating our two-​year anniversary there last year as well. He is a vegan and I am an omnivore, so this is one of the few restaurants where we can share plates.
My interactions with the restaurant last night began with a phone call, where I informed them that we’d be 10 – 15 minutes late for our reservation. The person on the line sounded cold and slightly miffed. I thought I was just being polite by giving them a heads up.
At the restaurant, unfortunately 2 of the 3 servers were quite snooty. It seemed very different from a year ago. I don’t know if it was because we were there during Dine Out, but it felt as if we weren’t welcome there. The only pleasant person was the male server, who I believe is also the owner.
The temperature in the restaurant was very cold – I had dressed up for the occasion but had to wear my coat and button all the buttons. My boyfriend had to wear his jacket as well. We were a table away from the window.
We didn’t realize that we would be restricted to the Dine Out menu – we had planned to get the Chef’s tasting menu – but we each ordered one of the two appetizer and entrée options and then got the same dessert. I had the roasted cauliflower, carnaroli risotto with celeriac purée, and ginger coconut pudding. Of the three, I really enjoyed the dessert (amazing!), but the risotto seemed bare. The roasted cauliflower was good.
I ordered a non-​alcoholic pok pok ginger vinegar lime soda to drink, which had tons of ice and was very dilute. It must be a syrup and soda water mix because the flavour was all packed in my last two sips. I had expected to receive a bottle of the soda.
All in all, I was not impressed and told my boyfriend that I’d prefer to go to the Acorn for our next anniversary because: a) they don’t do Dine Out (ergo no menu restrictions), b) I won’t feel alienated by the menu listings, and c) I’m not treated coldly.
I would have rated my previous experiences at the Parker as ⁴⁄₅ and last night’s as 2/​5, so this ³⁄₅ is taking everything into account.

I am sad to say that I was extremely disappointed in my experience at The Parker.
Since it opened I have been hearing from friends how delicious and creative the food is. Although it was also consistently said that the plates were small and the prices pretty steep, it was definitely a place to go for a memorable culinary experience.
I had tried to go several times, but it had never worked out. We were looking for a Dine Out Vancouver spot for our friends birthday and thought this would be the perfect opportunity. Sadly, we were totally underwhelmed. We tired all 6 dishes offered on the tasting menu and although we were mad about the desserts, the two other courses were really unsatisfying. The members of our party who had been there before questioned whether or not they the restaurant had changed chefs since they were there last.
In addition to our poor experience of the food, we were also asked to leave our table as soon as we had paid our bill to make room for the next party who was apparently waiting. We were happy to make room for the next group so we gathered our belongings and made our way out. We stopped to chat outside the restaurant for probably about 15 – 20 more minutes and ss we were parting, we happened to look inside and see that the table we had been hurried away from was still sitting empty.
An unfortunate let down. Being a vegetarian I am always seeking exciting vegetarian fare. I have been encouraged to try it again, which I likely will, but I am certainly not in any rush to go back. As the birthday girl said, luckily we had wonderful company to balance out our not-​so-​wonderful meal.

A New Year’s Eve disaster! Having never wrote a negative review for a restaurant, I don’t know where to begin. Despite so many amazing dining options in Vancouver, my boyfriend and I decided to reserve the 10:30 seating at the Parker as it is around the corner for our place. Having had their chef’s choice menu a few months earlier before the change in chefs, we enjoyed a relaxing evening with yummy food and cocktails. We were hoping to repeat that experience. Unfortunately everything went awry!
The new chef seems to equal grumpy Parker staff. It was clear the moment that we walked in they didn’t want us there. If you want to go home early on new year’s eve, please do not offer a 10:30 reservation!!! Before we even received our first drink, two courses had arrived!!! I asked both where our drinks were and if the owner/​waiter could slow down the pace. At that point, he seemed mildly annoyed with me. The pace continued. Had I not protested two more times we likely would have been finished six courses by 11:00 and been home by of 11:15 pm!!!
As for the the food, it was not as yummy as before. For the New Year’s eve menu, there was an over use of truffles that seemed to replicate fine dining just after the new millennium. The desert was a disaster combination hazelnut gelato, wine poached pear, and lemon. I miss the old Parker.
The over use of truffle and the disaster dessert may have been overlooked if the staff was at least happy. There was also the most awkward New Years toast I have ever witnessed between staff who seemed to share no love. With only two of us left in the restaurant at midnight, they did not even bother to offer us a glass of champagne. I wouldn’t of minded the cost, but we could not get their attention. I felt like by being there for New Years I had somehow ruined their party.
All I can say at this point is either you want to be in the restaurant business or you don’t. Having spent most my life in restaurants, I have never experienced such a bizarre evening!

I made a reservation 2 weeks before my birthday to have my birthday dinner with friends to attend The Parker, December 13^th. I scheduled the reservation right when they opened for that night of the 13^th at 5:30 PM. When I made the reservation, I was in the restaurant Sharing appetizers with friends.
As I made the reservations, the owner warned me that if I did not show up for my rezo, that they would charge my credit card $ 200. I thought that was fine since I had enough time to figure out mine and my friends availability’s and if I needed to cancel or not.
Upon setting the reservation, The owner felt a bit hesitant to host my eight guests plus me due to the kitchen being so small and his lack of confidence in thinking he wouldn’t be able to accommodate all of us with food.
I spoke with the owner and we agreed I’d let my guests know that it was mainly drinks and appetizer type restaurant. I assured him not to worry, that my guests wouldn’t show up too hungry.
The evening of December 13^th I arrived 5 minutes early to The Parker. However my guests did not arrive on time.
3 of my 8 guests showed up within a half hour of the set rezo. (5:30pm) And the rest showed up at 7pm. The resturant was dead.
It was an extremely busy night in the city. The hockey game was being held in Vancouver. Traffic was hectic and it was extremely difficult to find a cab for myself and also for my guests.
Not to mention that the December season is a pressing time for many. Keeping allot of people stuck at work.
The Resturant was pretty slow with only my party of still 3 and another party of about 5 people that showed up around the time my guests started arriving.
The owner, which works regularly at The Parker restaurant walked over to my table shortly after I arrived, questioning me about mine and my guests ordering from the menu.
He began telling me that he had told me the evening of me making the rezo, that each of my guests, including me, would have to order the $ 37 tasting menu.
This was the first time I had heard of this and that’s exactly what I told him. He went on telling me that yes he did tell me and that he would have never took my rezo unless I agreed to the $ 37.00 menu for each of my guests. He then looked really dissatisfied.
He then told me that he would have to cover (out of his own pocket) of which he thought I had agreed to.
I hardly drink at all and I do not do any drugs. I don’t have anything stressful or pressing of any type that would effect me or my memory. I would remember if he had stated that.
In fact, I would have NEVER agreed to have my gathering there if that was truly the case.
The evening of me creating the rezo, I was there with friends. Surly they would have also remembered if the owner had indeed stated about the $ 37.00 menu.
So right after the altercation, I immediately got on my phone to ask my friends who were there with me that night.
«Do you remember the owner of The Parker Restaurant ever saying anything about having to order a $ 37.00 set menu for each one of my guests, in order to place the rezo.» They told me «No» with conviction. I knew it!
Yet the owner was sticking to his guns and from that point on, him and his bartender continued to give me snarky stares my entire visit.
Despite my guests and I ordered and continued to order drinks and food, we still got uncomfortable glares from the owner and bartender.
The owner then visited my table once again to tell me that if the rest of my guests didn’t show up in the next five minutes, we would all have to give up the table and move to the bar, which only had five seats.
I asked him why, and stated that the restaurant was not busy and that I didn’t understand why I had to give up the table. He said that he had another party coming in that needed the table which I found unbelievable and also rude, since I had booked this table prior, two weeks in advance and it was my 30^th birthday.
By then it was 7:00 and a few more of my guests had shown up in between this whole ordeal. So now all five of us moved to the bar and the rest of my guests arrived.
So 5 of us seated at the bar and 3 standing. We all continued to make the best of it.
Myself as well as my guests were not rude or protested with or against the owner or his two other staff on the floor which were the bartender and the cook.
Now at the bar, the owner came over to my standing guests to say that there is no standing allowed. At which point, my 3 guests irritated at the poor services and lack of friendliness, decided to part ways.
Meanwhile my original table sat empty. The rest of us settled up and left as well.
I felt Unwelcome and pushed by the owner and his staff.
I feel that they could have spoken to me in a mature adult manner instead of glaring rudely, giving dirty looks to my guests and I.
I get the sense that The Parker being a newish resturant, wasn’t prepared to have a party of 9 people. And that the owner nor his staff are equipped.

This was one of the finer dining experiences I have had in Vancouver. The food was of brilliant quality, impeccably plated, with flavours and textures that were unique in every dish. I am a raging carnivore and typically avoid vegetarian restaurants. I will return again and again. This is a great environment for business dinners — quiet, perfectly lit, and not at all a disruptive atmosphere. The servers were attentive and did a great job from start to finish. Incredible cocktails — I highly recommend «A Very Sour Shrub».
You can’t beat the location. Plenty if post-​dinner nightlife options at your fingertips.
Such a beautiful and elegant dining experience that I felt matched value to my investment perfectly. This city is filled with restaurants that just miss the mark. I’m happy to have found a new favourite.

4 stars because the food is exceptionally tasty but it’s a bit slow and yes a bit steep. It’s not a filling meal so my husband was hungry after:(
But I personally love that it’s so innovative, different and delicious. The dishes are all mildly and delicately flavoured which I appreciate being Japanese.
I would absolutely return (probably with someone else who can appreciate it lol).

I dined here last night with my husband to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary. So glad we came here. It only has about 9 tables so i would book ahead we did.
The décor and atmosphere is great, along with the fact you can see the chefs cooking your food in the tiniest of spaces and with little equipment.
The two servers were so nice and were very knowledgeable about the menu, we opted for the 5 course vegan menu for $ 32, excellent value for the quality of the food.
Each course came out in a timely fashion and was presented beautifully, it was one of the best meals we have had and would go there again!

The Parker is serious about creating a memorable experience through beautiful food and careful attention to customer service and satisfaction. A sustainable vegetarian restaurant that sources locally and stays true to the season.
Beautiful food, super fresh, layers of flavours, gorgeous presentation, each menu item, I’ve tried over the past two years has been excellent. Service is attentive and thoughtful and knowledgable and thorough.
The ambience is intimate, décor is efficient with clean lines with mirrors and candlelight. When there you want to lean in and get real.
The owner and the staff Parker are confident and embody a strong belief in creating an elevated vegetarian experience. The Parker is one of my favourite restaurants!

I have to preface this by saying that The Parker has great food, but the 2 star review is due to the exceptionally slow and poor service.
My husband and I had the chef’s 5 course meal which was delicious in every regard — innovative, tasty vegetarian dishes with unique uses and preparation of veg. If you’re looking for a higher end vegetarian meal, The Parker does it well.
However, the service was exceptionally slow and unwelcoming. We had an early 6pm reservation and was greeted with lackluster enthusiasm. Our server wore a permanent sour puss face the entire time and seemed to serve us with reluctance. I call this permanent dour visage — the Bitchface, which she wore the entire service.
When we arrived at the restaurant it was fairly empty and we received our first 3 dishes quite promptly. However, half way through, the restaurant started to fill up and we found ourselves waiting 40 mins for the next dishes as other tables were being served promptly. When I asked our server why our meal was taking so long, she went on to tell me that «This type of service is our style. We do not rush our food. We give customers 2hrs for a meal and you should expect to wait. There are other customers to serve so…» So basically, bitch out of a luck was her response! In which I responded that it was NOT reasonable to have your customers wait 40 mins for a dish to arrive, while others clearly had their food. The server did not apologize for the wait, and obvious poor management of food output. Instead she scowled at us with her bitchface and that was that.
The server could of easily just come by and apologized for the wait, explained that they were a little busy and that would have been settled. Instead, they turned their slow service on to the customer and made us feel as if we were in the wrong for asking about their slack service.
Overall, I will not return to The Parker, not because the food was bad — it was not, but rather because their service is unwelcoming and sorely lacking. Go for the food, but expect snooty wait staff.

Just got back from the Parker and all I can say is, they know what they are doing!
My friend and I shared the Degustatio (chefs choice of a 5 course meal). Fellow Unilocalers and possible future boyfriends, I do not like to experiment or try new things. Being a veg and gluten free, I’ve made life harder for myself. But I decided to live my life and try new things and I’m so thrilled I did.
To start, they offered us a tomato bisque gazpacho. I have never tried cold soup and it was at that moment that I knew The Parker was the real deal.
Next came Confit Potato. I really enjoyed the use of cashew crème and the dish nailed it.
Okonomiyaki Soufflé followed and I tend to hate soufflé. This was delicate and the mix of pea shoots and whatever else it came with added to the richness of the mushroom.
We had a cold ratatouille which was perfect and simple, but completely exquisite. This was not on the main menu so I can’t give more of a description but it was f-​ing delicious.
Last main dish was the Aquarello Carnaroli Risot which was by far the most incredible, succulent risotto I’ve ever had.
Desert is not my interest at all but it was weirdly perfect. I cannot describe it, and again, the menu didn’t list it. Regardless, it was incredible.
The price for this slice of heaven was $ 32 per person and well worth every cent. The ambiance was perfect. The staff literally cook in the smallest of spaces but you can see everything and be amazed at how they work so well together. Our servers were so attentive and just wonderful. Please go, and make resos!!!

Holy. Who knew that vegetarian food (and even vegan and gluten free food) could be this good? These guys sure know what they are doing.
The boyfriend, his dad, and I came here for a Sunday meal, and left having had a feast. His dad is vegetarian and is visiting Vancouver, so this seemed like a must try for him. We came in with a reservation, and Steve sat us at the bar while our table cleaned up. He mixed us up two top notch drinks (the Bullfight for me and the Vancouver for the boy). Enough of that though — on to the important part.
After glancing through the menu, we decided that the degustation was the way to go. It’s 5 – 7 courses that they prepare based on any strong preferences or aversions. The whole table has to do it and it’s $ 29 a person, and WELL WORTH EVERY PENNY. Everything was amazing, creative, new and exciting. We had sunflower risotto that was not only vegan and gluten free, but amazing and completely unlike anything else I’ve eaten. I won’t dive into every dish, but everything was spot on. They could charge double for that menu and I’d still think it was worth it.
Just when you think you’re done, they bring out dessert. We had two main desserts: chocolate 5 (!!) ways and rice pudding with lychee sorbet. Yes and yes. I’ll take a troth of both please. They also give you little truffles and turkish delight to finish up.
I’ll just say it: this was one of the best meals I’ve had in Vancouver, and I even love gluten and meat more than the next person, but didn’t miss it one bit during this meal. Can’t wait to see what this guy puts together with a summer menu.

Gluten free? Vegan? Both? — No problem here.
Great food — good flavour, interesting ingredients, a variety of textures, and good composition on the plate all add up to an A+ plate.
Tiny room, so get a reservation. Small parties of 1 – 2 can probably get away with squeezing into the bar, though.
Dine Out Vancouver 2014 menu is strong and nothing overtly salad-​like on it, which is a refreshing change from most veggie places. The kitchen is converted wholly to DOV, so I’ll definitely have to go back to try their regular 5-​course chef’s choice.

The ambiance: cozy and chic — perfect for a lovely dinner with a friend, family member, or date.
The food: refreshing, flavourful, and clean — leaves you satisfied yet craving for more! The ingredients are locally sourced, and the menu changes constantly based on what’s in season.
We opted for the chef’s choice which is only $ 29/​person, and were treated to 7 courses including the opening anise soup served in a cappuccino cup. The theme of the night was Asian-​inspired and, being Asian, I didn’t expect to be impressed. But Chef Luk definitely wow-​ed us, from the perfectly-​cooked Dandan noodles to the beet salad. Did you know there’re yellow beets? I always thought beets were red, until now.
The main dishes were mostly tofu-​based, but the high quality and flavourful spins added extra dimensions to the meal. Some plates were a tad heavy on the sauces, but the saltiness added to the tastiness rather than detracting from it.
The dessert plates marked a memorable finale: the pear sorbet was fresh and mouth-​watering (and actually tasted like pear!), while the handmade chocolate truffles slowly dissolved in my mouth — melting my heart at the same time, ha.
And as if all this isn’t enough: they cater to all sorts of dietary restrictions and preferences — just ask!