Cotton candy AND artificial fog belong in your next cocktail.
By Brooklyn Rodgers | March 26th, 2025 | 5:41 PM
I was recently reminded how fun maximalist dining can be during a Tuesday night outing to Parliament, a gem of a cocktail bar in Uptown. I usually hit this spot on weekends when it’s so packed you can’t snag a seat at the bar, a table, or even a square foot of standing room—but I’ve always loved its vibe. Parliament exudes a classic feel with its moody dark finishes and warm, recessed library-style lighting, yet it has playful touches, too, like its colorful leather-bound menus and cocktail-making flair. (You’re pretty much guaranteed to see something on fire here on any given night.)
Dallas food writers often criticize maximalist dining, especially when it comes from out-of-town hospitality groups that lean into over-the-top dishes or flashy service (think serial offenders like Komodo, Monarch, and Carbone). Sure, it’s a critic’s job to focus on the quality of the food—but can we stop the performative old-school chastising for a moment and instead partake in the fun?
Parliament, while not the brainchild of an out-of-town group, does have roots in a local one—namely, the team behind nearby neighbors The Standard Pour and the newer Thomas Avenue Beverage Co. The group is run by legendary barmen Eddie “Lucky” Campbell and Brian McCullough, who take more creative risks than most Dallas concepts- at least at Parliament.
Those creative risks were on full display during my Tuesday night visit. Unbeknownst to us, my companion and I’s espresso martini and margarita arrived in what can only be described as a treasure chest, complete with fake greenery, real orchid blooms, a color-changing light, and, for good measure, some fog. Was any of it necessary? Absolutely not. But it was undeniably fun.
Then came the fog bubble. It topped my companion’s espresso martini and, after a premature pop, our server swooped in with a device called a Flavour Blaster to recreate the bubble—only to tip the box into our laps in the process. No worries, though—a couple of microfiber towels later, we were fine. And just when we thought the moment was over, we were presented with a lit-up tower featuring a scrolling LED message that read: “sorry for throwing martini at you.” Well put.
Inside the tower? Two shots (that may or may not have been Mexican Candy shots), a cotton candy garland, more fresh orchids, and some fake butterflies. Sure, none of this was on our bingo card for the night, but by box number two, I was having a pretty great Tuesday night.
All this to say: let’s ease up on shaming Dallas restaurants when they break the mold and embrace some flair. Miami, New York, and Chicago do it well—and Dallas could stand to be a little less buttoned-up. A little fun at the neighborhood cocktail bar never hurt anyone, even if that fun comes in the form of paper butterflies and rainbow message boards.
I’m even considering ordering a Flavour Blaster. Georgie has one. 🤷♀️
Brooklyn in Dallas 