Celebrating Parlour, our historic venue starts a new chapter.

Posted on 20 June, 2022

Cast your mind back to May 9, 1927, when our beautiful Parliament House was opened by the Duke of York and the country’s who’s who arrived in the new capital for the auspicious occasion.

After the ceremony, the dignitaries all retired to the brand new Hotel Acton, which was built especially for the occasion.

And then they kicked up their heels and celebrated.

If the walls of this this heritage-listed and beautifully restored Art Deco Parlour could talk, they would speak to some of the city’s most spectacular gatherings over nearly a century.

Parlour remains one of Canberra’s most iconic places to throw a wedding, event or a party. Not to mention to sit down with friends on one of the leather chesterfields with a wine or cocktail.

But it may feel a little more special now that this piece of Canberra’s hospitality legend is undergoing some changes.

New head chef Jake McAuliffe and Venue Manager Theo Boggs.

After being lovingly re-established after some years of neglect as a hip bar and restaurant in 2008 by Bria Sydney and her family, and then painstakingly rebuilt after a devastating fire in 2011, Parlour is now under new management.

It was recently bought by the young hospo team who own High Jinks, the subterranean bar beneath Parlour (which last year won ACT Cocktail Bar of the year at the 2021 Australian Bar Awards).

The owner, Noriel Calub, doesn’t want to mess too much with a good thing, and love Parlour’s old world décor.

But the feel of the venue is changing, with updates to make it a little more luxe. The crockery, glasswear and cutlery have been upgraded. There’s linen napkins on the tables, and the menu has been moved from Spanish tapas to more substantial Mediterranean fare.

New head chef Jake McAuliffe, formerly sous chef at Akiba and then senior sous chef at Sage, has put his mark on the new winter menu which begins today, showcasing comfort food classics with an elegant twist.

“I have passion for flavour and getting the most out of my ingredients. My dream is to have a 100 per cent no-wastage kitchen, using every morsel of every ingredient to their full potential. I love recreating dishes and adding my own unique Aussie twist to them.”

His top-three picks from the new menu include his “Pumpkin Three Ways” which is a hearty chunk of roast pumpkin on a bed of pumpkin puree spiced with Tasmanian mountain pepper, and a cool/sweet pumpkin water. Finished with watercress, karkalla and wild fig leaf-infused oil the dish is not only delicious but comes in at 2 per cent wastage with that 2 per cent going to the bar for the bar staff to work their magic by incorporating it into cocktails.

There’s also a grilled Brussels sprouts, where the humble vegetable is transformed by being charred over charcoal with a smoked rosemary butter, sitting on a deliciously sweet carrot puree.

Finally, Jake’s take on the lemon meringue tart has to be tasted to be believed. He fill his hand-made pastry with lemon curd, Italian meringue, freeze-dried raspberry with a little surprise of davo plum jelly in the center.

Meanwhile, over at the bar, Theo Boggs, formerly of Bar Rochford, is refining a new cocktail list and the wine list is looking to showcase Canberra’s impressive local industry.

“One of my first gigs in the industry was as a waiter at Parlour around 10 years ago and at that time it was quite the institution to learn from for it was ahead of its time in an eclectic location.

“Flash-forward to now, the location still remains charming and with the new transformation, and over time we will strive to bring an energised new approach based upon the owner’s vision of “a joint where celebration and community meets”.

Parlour’s drinks concept would also be aimed at sustainable approaches to drinks with modern techniques and attempting to uphold a no waste policy from kitchen to bar.

There would also be a focus on implementing a full strength, low ABV and non-alcoholic drinks list to compliment the new menu and for stand-alone drinks sessions in any number of the plush velvet armchairs.

Photography: Collections From Him.