The Challenge - Review #1: Parish the Thought

I had somewhat of a hard time deciding which restaurant should start off The Challenge. Should it be the Buttery, the place that started it all? Should I go alphabetically? Something fancy? Something casual? I had no idea.

Thankfully, the decision was made for me. Lilly, future Gastronomy masters student and Queen of All Things Fabulous, was in town and Jason chose The Parish Cafe as our pre-karaoke dinner destination. Whew.

Somewhat hidden amongst the handful of furniture & interior design stores in Boylston Street's 300's, as well as currently being partially obscured by scaffolding, it's not the most conspicuous of eateries. In the warmer months, there's ample patio seating out front, perfect for a leisurely pint and people watching.

Boston has its fancy places, but food that is simple, familiar and comforting is more this city's style. Like the sandwich. And that is what Parish is known for. Of course, these aren't your mama's PB&J or ham & cheese. Each sandwich is created by the best chefs in Boston. That said, no changes can be made to their creations. But trust me, you don't want to.

I love Parish because you can sample the cuisine of the best restaurants all over the city in a chill atmosphere for little money. The menu also changes seasonally so there's always something different (don't worry, old favorites are put into the specials rotation).

Choosing the sandwich for my review required serious deliberation: how do you choose when each sandwich expresses a completely different restaurant, cuisine and chef? There's the SDLT from Geoff Gardner of Sel De La Terre, an amazing smoked duck BLT with applewood bacon and caper mayo on rye. Or you have Rowdy's Famous Chicken Sandwich courtesy of Rowdy Bessey from Flash's, the crispiest, least greasy but moist breaded baked chicken with melted swiss and cheddar, chipotle mayo, bacon lettuce and tomato on a roll. And 10 others. Needless to say, I was torn.

Until the review gods smiled upon me. Chilling at the bottom of the menu was a sandwich created by the chef of Parish Cafe, Sean Simmons. The Chipotle Meatloaf Club embodies all the familiarity of mom's version but with a punch of smoky heat. Served on white with melted Jack cheese and chipotle mayo, it's the perfect blend of Southwest flavor with pure Americana. And of course there's the mandatory side of mashed potatoes, which are nothing special, with a beef gravy that's reminiscent of that powdered stuff from a packet. Trade them in for the potato salad (it's some of the best I've ever tasted), and you've got a winner.

Parish also has a great selection of wine & beer, as well as some fun martinis. Lilly was excited to see the Lulu B pinot noir, a hard-to-find-bargain-priced-yet-quality wine.

With limited seating and a shortage of waitstaff, service can be slow and confusing. You don't have a specific waiter; basically flag down anyone in a black apron and hope for the best. But once my sandwich arrives, I don't really care that my water glass isn't refilled more than once. These portable culinary creations are something I can't live without.

Parish Cafe & Bar, 361 Boylston St., 617-247-4777. Full menu until 1 am daily, last call 2 am.