A new, modern American parlor in San Clemente offers more than just pizza

Restaurant owner Russ Bendel’s latest venture, Parlor Woodfire Kitchen & Cocktails in San Clemente, opened on Monday right across from his first restaurant, Vine.

“We had been toying with a pizza and pasta concept for a while and then the location became available,” Bendel said. “It felt right to create synergy in this part of town near Vine.”

RJB Restaurant Group restaurants, like Bloom in San Juan Capistrano and Ironwood in Laguna Hills, all have similar tones, but each is its own experience, said Parlor managing partner Joe Guillena.

“These guys have opened six restaurants in 10 years ... they really know what they are doing,” Guillena said.

The staff of Vine Restaurant & Bar stood outside and applauded as Parlor opened its doors for a friends-and-family preview over the weekend, welcoming the new eatery to the RJB Restaurant Group and the neighborhood.

The 5,000-square-foot restaurant takes over the space formerly occupied by David Pratt’s Brick, with a 6-foot stone hearth oven at its heart. The U.S.-made oven uses both gas flame and wood-fired cooking, fueled by almond and white oak logs.

While the oven will be used to fire pizzas, chef Jared Cook maintains that Parlor isn’t so much an Italian restaurant as it is a modern American pizza parlor.

“Jared really wanted to make a distinction that we are not an Italian restaurant at all, without a doubt,” said Guillena. “You can see the American flag out front.”

Instead, Parlor focuses on what it has deemed “pizza Americana.”

“My vision of the perfect pizza is sourdough crust, big puff bubbles from cold fermentation, crispy, chewy outside with soft tender interior,” said Cook. “No flop when you pick it up.”

The menu offers eight pizzas, like a classic Margherita and an elevated pie with truffle-roasted maitake mushrooms. While the pizzas are notable in their own right, the menu also features dishes from chef-partner Nate Overstreet, who O.C. foodies might remember from Wheat & Sons Butcher, one of the original tenants at the Anaheim Packing House.

At the now-shuttered Wheat & Sons, Overstreet was known for porchetta sandwiches made with impossibly tender pork, chicken and duck with crackling skin from his rotisserie. Diners can look forward to versions of those long-missed dishes on the Parlor menu, like “Nate’s porchetta” and a “rotisserie half chicken” served with roasted cauliflower, drippings potatoes and Calabrian chile dressing.

Like with Bendel’s other concepts, the beverage program is locally focused, headed up by Gabe Whorley. The drink selection features beer from San Clemente-based breweries like Left Coast and Docent as well as cocktails named for San Clemente landmarks like “El Camino Real” (a tequila-based cocktail) or the “Spicy Tina” (a vodka and limoncello drink) which references Tina & Vince’s Italian Deli.

Parlor is the seventh restaurant for Bendel and his partners, and Guillena said they are happy to bring another RJB Restaurant Group eatery to the San Clemente area.

“A high tide makes all boats rise,” said Guillena.

If you go: Parlor Woodfire Kitchen & Cocktails officially opened on July 22 and is located at 216 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente. Dinner is served from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 4 to 9 p.m. on Sundays.