Parlay

Lush greenway views, a vibrant atmosphere and delicious food are par for the course at a restaurant named Parlay.

Located at the Merrimack Valley Golf Club in Methuen, Parlay overlooks the gorgeous greens with year round incredible views and a robust menu to go with it.

Owner Kirby Kattar-Shaheen wanted to create a place offering whole in one food and cocktails at the golf course that's been in her family for over 60 years.

“I would describe Parlay as a modern, upscale but still casual restaurant. Definitely intimate, cozy and just a really great vibe is what we try to accomplish all around. We wanted a place where people that live nearby, or people that were golfing, but looking for a little bit more of an upscale dining experience could come to.”

“The menu is definitely eclectic. It's different kinds of food that we have. It was kind of just a combination of my favorite dishes. We try to make the menu upscale but approachable. So we have lobster ravioli and we have a raw bar, but we also have pizza and burgers. It's a mix of all of our favorite items, and there's something for everyone on the menu.”

Let's tee things off with some appetizers, because Parlay offers some expected favorites as well as unique bites you have to try.

The scallops are pan seared to a golden brown, and they're served over creamed corn with fried basil for added crunch and finished with a dollop of caviar on top to take the dish to the next level.

For something unexpected, opt for the Korean barbecue wings. They're smothered in a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce topped with sesame seeds and served with a scallion aioli for dipping.

But for that homemade taste, Kirby recommends the meatballs and ricotta.

“I absolutely love them. It's a blend of beef and pork. Our marinara is delicious. Our chef just makes the best marinara I've ever had, and it has a little whipped ricotta with it. and when you take a bite, you just get all of the elements of a perfect dish. Really, between the meatball, they are fried, so you have a little bit of a crunch on the exterior.”

“They are so juicy on the interior, the marinara sauce, the acidity, and it is absolutely perfect. The sauce is to die for and the ricotta adds a little bit of a cooling element. It is the perfect little appetizer.”

And for the perfect entree, Parlay has plenty of options there. Pizzas are all fired in a brick oven, so everything comes out melty and delicious, while the crust maintains a slight chewiness and still holds up to all the toppings. And speaking of toppings, their hot sausage ricotta pizza hits it straight down the fairway.

“It starts with our housemade vodka sauce, and it's topped with mozzarella, broccolini, ricotta and hot Italian sausage. The result is slightly spicy, a little creamy and totally delicious. Carl's pastas also bring big flavor, like the sausage and the roll fusilli. The chef lets that flavorful sausage speak for itself. It's lightly tossed with just the pasta and some extra virgin olive oil or something not so subtle.”

The chicken cutlet and vodka sauce is an eagle of a dish.

“Our cutlets are crispy on the outside. They are thin, but they are not too thin. It's extremely juicy. I wanted to make sure it was as good as my mother's cutlet, if not better, and I feel like we nailed it, although she'd be upset that I said that.”

“I have tried vodka sauce all over. I am a big fan of vodka sauce, and I really wanted us to create one that I knew would stand up to the best, and I feel like we did.”

For something on the lighter side, parley offers fresh yellowfin tuna pan seared with sesame seeds served over a crispy scallion rice cake and some baby bok choy in a soy ginger sauce.

And if you worked up an appetite after playing 18 holes or just by sitting there watching, you gotta get the ribeye.

This is 16oz of top quality steak grilled to your liking and served with creamy mashed potatoes and crispy Brussels sprouts.

“The steak has a perfect marbling which adds the juiciness along with the natural steak flavor, so you get a little bit of both. That fattyness of a ribeye is my favorite as it is to most ribeye lovers.”

And to round out your meal, you should definitely take a swing at one of Parlay's delicious dessert offerings. There's a truly fantastic apple crisp that comes presented in a cast iron skillet topped with a sweet, crunchy crumble and a scoop of vanilla gelato on top, so you have that contrast of hot and cold, creamy and crispy.

And for something totally over the top, the seven layered chocolate cake might be the only slice you actually want to experience at a golf course.

“Chocolate frosting. Chocolate cake. It's all of the chocolaty flavors that people are looking for. It is a great way to end the meal.”

So whether you're looking for a post round drink or a full meal worthy of a green jacket, it's time you take a shot at Parlay.