Parallel Reviewed

Parallel

4800 Burnet Rd., 371-7000

Monday-Friday, 6:30am-8pm (till 9pm on Thursday); Saturday, 7am-8pm

Forget what you know about fast-food and takeout joints. The geography of takeout in this century is an entirely new landscape from the one forged along the interstate system of golden arches and plastic big boys. Today's takeout is smart, self-aware. and worldly. Parallel, a new Austin eatery that defies categorization, is pushing the limits of takeout even further. The first tenant in the new Burnet Road shopping center at 47th Street, Parallel triangulates its position somewhere among retail, coffee shop, and personal catering. The store dabbles in a little of everything: Along the back wall, there's the food – individually packaged meals, cheeses, and snacks. Then there's the wine and coffee bar that serves fresh-brewed coffees and wines by the glass. A high-toned, Wi-Fi-enabled common space allows those who want to surf the Net and savor a glass of chardonnay the ability to do so in elegance. Shelves and display cases arranged throughout the store peddle cute, gifty merchandise: pretty glass bowls, colorful bags and purses, and stylish house wares that look as though they were lifted straight from the pages of Dwell Magazine. There's also a food case for kids, overflowing with individually packaged homemade mac 'n' cheese, PB&Js with the crusts removed, carrot sticks with ranch dressing, yogurts, and homemade butter cookies, which, with their delicately scented lemongrass and cardamom flavor, are really more of a treat for mom than for kids.

This is a business that is actively seeking out its niche, trying on styles and genres to see what fits best. Owners Geoff Helt and Carolyn Carlson are local residents and would like to see their business rooted in a neighborhood clientele. Parallel is basically their experiment in food and retail. A DJ spins dreamy Europop for the bar crowd on Thursday evenings, while Saturday mornings are devoted to kids story time.

Helt and Carlson have hired Scott Collins away from his most recent posting at Louie's 106 to helm the kitchen at Parallel. The small kitchen staff turns out an impressive selection of daily specials that are then packaged in individual-sized portions, ready for pickup, or for dining in. Busy people who love fine cuisine, but who can afford neither the time to cook nor the money and energy to get it at a stuffy restaurant, will find an answer to their prayers in Parallel. The food is exceptionally good.

Parallel publishes a new menu once a week. The offerings change daily and vary from hearty comfort foods to Haute Nouveau American. Breakfast items include quirky tacos stuffed with such ingredients as egg, broccoli, and St. Andre (it was delicious), or chicken and red peppers. Lunches and dinners range from sinful crawfish and cream lasagna to perfect Roasted Pork Tenderloin With Miso Gravy and Edamame ($6.50). Small side dishes include risotto cakes, Cauliflower Flan ($4), or simple roasted potatoes. Each dish is its own culinary excursion.

Prices at Parallel are not cheap: A typical lunch and dinner dish runs about $6.50 and really requires a side ($3-4) to make it a complete meal. But I think the quality and convenience do make it worth the stop. This will be especially true once Parallel offers larger quantities designed to feed families or groups, as they intend to do in the coming weeks. This nascent business is still trying to decide what it wants to be when it grows up. But its youth shows real promise.