A Better ’Stache

[November 18th, 2009]

Of the scant all-ages venues in Portland, there’s only one (I think) that sells mustache wax. Sitting in a comfy nook almost directly across the street from Cleveland High School and next to the vegan-friendly Chaos Cafe, The Parlour (2628 SE Powell, parlourpdx.com) bills itself as a “worker-owned venue with a sweet ’stache.” And it’s weird quirks like this that make it a potentially viable option in a town that’s starved for a new place that will let the kids play. The one problem? The space lacks a sound system that can adequately project non-acoustic music. It’s a small nit to pick considering that the rest of the operation is first-class. The Parlour is almost more cafe than club, and the intimate feel is unmistakable. Pints of a hoppy Full Sail IPA are on tap for $4, and a recent visit showed an excellent selection of bottled microbrews, including a beer from Colorado appropriately titled “Hazed & Confused,” which goes down nicely with a vegan molasses cookie. The whole space is definitely going for a relaxed atmosphere, even going so far as to offer “herbal ethnobotanicals” not unlike the ones highlighted in a recent WW cover story. In fact, one patron even ordered a glass of kombucha. Fermented tea with your rock music? Let’s hope this place can make it, mustache and all.