CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Upscale restaurant, PARA, is set to open in South End on Wednesday, January 19th.
The new restaurant will serve globally influenced small plates and creative cocktails.
Industry veterans Chet Desai, Jigs Desai, Dave Feimster, and Ricky Patel teamed up to create Parliament Hospitality Group LLC, and they choose PARA as their first concept under the new umbrella.
“When Jigs, Dave, Ricky and I got together, we knew we wanted to bring a new concept to Charlotte based on our experience and travels,” said Partner Chet Desai. “From the interior decor to our mural by Dustin Moates, to the food by Alex Verica, we can’t wait for Charlotte to experience the vibes at PARA. “PARA” is short for “imparable” which means unstoppable; “PARA” also means “for”, as in “for Charlotte” – we hope you feel both energies when you dine or imbibe with us.”
Executive Chef Alex Verica has helped create a menu that boasts inventive dishes that are meant to be served family style and highlight local farms via Freshlist and Small City Farmer.
Some menu highlights include:
- Deviled Eggs with miso, shrimp, trout roe, and scallion.
- Lobster Toast with milk bread, chive aioli, caviar, and radish.
- “Tuna” Crudo with jalapeño, lime, avocado, citrus, hot pepper, and radish.
A late night menu and a dessert menu will also be available.
The cocktail program, developed by Yashira “Yoshi” Mejia, features creative cocktails including:
- Berry Nice with Grey Goose Strawberry & Lemongrass Essence, Lemon, Lemongrass, Topo Chico, and Strawberry St. Germain Foam.
- Mez Me With That with Illegal Mezcal, Orange, Lime, Cilantro Oil, and Togarashi.
“Developing our menu was equally exciting and challenging,” said Chef Verica. “I wanted to make sure and incorporate as many local farmers as possible while still achieving a more global approach to the overall menu. We look forward to seeing people’s reactions to what we’ve been working on.”
The new restaurant features a full bar, dining room, and lounge seating on the patio.
General Manager Stephen Johnson will run the front of house operations.
Johnson brings extensive experience to this role, most notably with positions previously held at Red Salt and The Stanley.
Restaurant officials say Johnson has not only been instrumental in prepping daily operations but has also played a substantial role in assembling the wine list.
PARA will be open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Fridays & Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.