Parlour cafe in Dundee is so popular, it doesn’t need a sign outside to draw people in.
That’s why Jackie McKenzie loves the “Dundee institution” that is the Parlour cafe on the city’s West Port, which also caters well to her vegetarian diet.
Jackie runs the not for profit social enterprise Braw Tea near Broughty Ferry castle, which strives to support women from all walks of life.
She joined me for our latest Drive-Thru Review, and told me we had to visit Parlour cafe.
I had previously tried to visit and there simply weren’t enough seats for my colleagues and I – a sign of just how popular it is.
On our visit though, I was relieved to see that there was room for us to squeeze inside and grab our food to take away.
What food did we try on our Parlour cafe review?
The signless exterior of Parlour in Dundee is pretty unassuming, but as soon as you step inside the smells and sights of delicious food take over your senses.
The food on offer included sandwiches, wraps, salads, frittata and various cakes and bakes. The array is colourful and tempting, making it hard for us to decide.
We stuck to veggie options so that Jackie could try everything – and the choice on offer was huge.
First off, we tried one of the filling sandwiches from Parlour.
The sandwich (£7.95), which comes with a portion of salad, was stuffed with filling.
The crusty bread was filled with pan-fried beetroot and red onion, Turkish white cheese, a whole grain drizzle and some rocket.
This was very filling for a sandwich lacking any meat, and the sharp flavours of the beetroot and cheese worked well together.
Jackie would have liked a sweet chutney to mellow those strong flavours. But we both appreciated that it had been heated up, making the bread crunchy and the cheese soft and melty.
Jackie: 4/5
Joanna: 4/5
The tortilla/frittata (£6.95) also came with a portion of salad.
This was tasty, with a lovely caramelised top and plenty of butternut squash adding some sweetness.
Although in my opinion egg-based dishes like quiche and omelette can often be a bit flavourless, the feta crumbled in this tortilla added a unique burst of flavour.
Jackie: 5/5
Joanna: 5/5
We opted to try the Greek side salad alongside our mains. There were other salads, which included potatoes and lentils.
Ours was fresh and tasty, with a generous amount of feta. We both would have liked a wee bit more dressing in the salad though, perhaps some sweetness to combat the sharp feta.
Jackie: 4.5/5
Joanna: 4/5
How were the cheap bakes at Parlour?
The takeaway cakes were a shocking £2.50 each. I couldn’t believe how cheap these bakes were, considering some places in Dundee sell smaller bakes for £5 each.
This huge slice of frangipane caught my eye thanks to the colourful toppings – edible flowers and pistachios.
The flavour was just as impressive, the sweet vanilla and almond flavour permeating the bake.
It was a little dry for my liking, but I loved the addition of juicy apricot topping.
Jackie: 3/5
Joanna: 4/5
The lemon drizzle muffin made up for the lack of moisture in the frangipane by a mile.
This was the most moist – sorry for people who hate that word – muffin I have ever enjoyed.
The sugar and lemon juice mixture had clearly been poured generously throughout the bake. There wasn’t any bitterness either, and the icing on the top tasted perfect too.
Jackie: 5/5
Joanna: 5/5
We very much enjoyed our visit to Parlour in Dundee and I will definitely be making a return visit. For a filling lunch with fresh ingredients – at a very affordable price – I would really recommend it.
For our full thoughts and live reactions, take a look at the video at the top of this page.
To watch our other Drive-Thru Reviews, click here.
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