Perilla

We had a terrific RW meal at Perilla two nights ago. Started with mussels with ham & chervil in a light riesling cream sauce; followed by braised goat neck atop quinoa with eggplant purée & greek-style yogurt; dessert was apple crisp with bourbon ice cream. Inventive, delicious cuisine, generous portions, and warm, friendly service. A hit! REPLY (18 Replies) (by City Kid, created February 10, 2012)

»Perilla: What happened??

Having not been to Perilla in more than a year, I figured it was about time to head back for another visit. My partner and I originally intended to partake of the RW menu, but ultimately we decided to stick with the main menu. This was my fourth visit, so while I knew not to expect mind-blowing food, I figured I was in for a pleasant evening and solid food. *sigh*

We had the:

Spicy Duck...+READ Having not been to Perilla in more than a year, I figured it was about time to head back for another visit. My partner and I originally intended to partake of the RW menu, but ultimately we decided to stick with the main menu. This was my fourth visit, so while I knew not to expect mind-blowing food, I figured I was in for a pleasant evening and solid food. *sigh*

We had the:

Spicy Duck Meatballs (mint cavatelli, water spinach & quail egg)

Pan Roasted Striped Bass (corned beef, wood ears, mustard greens & horseradish parsnip sauce)

Grilled Prime Creekstone Hanger Steak (sunchoke creamed spinach, hen of the woods, red shallot puree & natural jus)

Farro Risotto (artichoke confit, parmesan & chili-grape salad)

A special dessert -- a chocolate soufflé

I've seen a lot of reviews lately, particularly over on Yelp, that complain of over seasoning -- particularly over salting -- at Perilla. Frankly, put me in that camp, as I would prefer that to the alternative; unfortunately, the food was just bland.

The duck meatballs arrived to the table a bit on the lukewarm side, though it was nice that they split the order for the two of us. The quail egg on top, at least every time I've had this dish in the past, had been properly separated -- only the yolk had been served. This time, the entire egg had just been cracked on top. The yolk blended with the sauce as usual; the white, however, just remained slimy and I had to push it around in the bowl. There was absolutely no "spice" present. Not even a hint. No seasoning other than mint (which was sprinkled on top). If I didn't already know that the meatballs were made from duck, I honestly would not have been able to decipher what meat I was actually eating. The flavors were that flat. Meh.

I had the striped bass... and I got it because I had previously had their skate wing prepared in a similar manner. I remember quite liking it. This time, I received an overcooked piece of striped bass... that had not received any seasoning; there were two very small pieces of corned beef; the wood ears and mustard greens had been cooked to a similar mushy, under-seasoned mess; and the horseradish parsnip sauce was essentially non-existent (aside from the 90s "chocolate swipe" on the edge of the plate). Suffice it to say, without the presence of any real sauce, the dish was incredibly dry. Ugh.

My partner had the hangar steak, of which I had a bite. Again, no seasoning. No salt. No pepper. The only flavor that came from the beef was severe char (read: burned, not yummy caramelized flesh). And please don't tempt either one of us with the words "creamed spinach" -- as we both love a good creamed spinach -- when you are only going to serve straight-up sautéed spinach. Neither of us were impressed.

I've had the farro risotto before. I remember loving it. This time, no artichoke flavor. No parmesan flavor. Only this incredibly pungent flavor of creamed cheese. Unmistakably, creamed cheese. And it did not taste good... at all... and 3/4 of the dish was taken away when the table was cleared.

A preface: love a good chocolate soufflé. I make a pretty darned good one myself. So, when I have to commit to ordering it at the beginning of the meal, I assume that the kitchen should be able to put out a proper soufflé. What we received was a completely undercooked mess. It was hot chocolate soup. The soufflé had not begun to set at all. The incredibly thin crème anglaise sank straight to the bottom of the oversized teacup used to serve it. I don't think I had previously ever left a chocolate soufflé partially uneaten -- I guess there's a first for everything.

Service was ok-ish. The waitress seemed to perk up slightly when we said we weren't going with the RW menu (not a particularly good first impression), but never checked in with us to see how the food was. We had to track down a runner to get bread at the beginning of the meal, though our water classes were always full. The ok-ish cocktails we had when we sat down at the table were enough to convince us that we didn't really need another.

While I would never have claimed Perilla's food to be particularly memorable, I previously had found it to be a solid option in the mid-range. After last night's meal, I have no design to ever go back. What happened? Has the quality slid that much since the last time I was there? Did we happen to come in on an incredibly off night? I will say that, under normal circumstances, I probably would have spoken to a manager and mentioned my disappointment; however, the two of us had had a really unpleasant week and just needed to get out and enjoy some time together. Didn't want to "go there," a sentiment I'm sure some of you have felt in similar circumstances.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (7 Replies) (by jrhsfcm, created February 12, 2011)

Perilla is that oh so fragrant leaf that plays in the sandbox well with many. Chef Harold Dieterle of Top Chef S1 notoriety brings his creativity to this flagship restaurant. Since, he has recently opened Kin Shop, a Neo Thai restaurant concept that has received mixed reviews. We're not here to talk about Kin Shop though. No fault of theirs, Perilla located in the West Village in an area...+READ Perilla is that oh so fragrant leaf that plays in the sandbox well with many. Chef Harold Dieterle of Top Chef S1 notoriety brings his creativity to this flagship restaurant. Since, he has recently opened Kin Shop, a Neo Thai restaurant concept that has received mixed reviews. We're not here to talk about Kin Shop though. No fault of theirs, Perilla located in the West Village in an area difficult to navigate, as one minute you're on W4St and before you know it, you're on W11ST and realize that you've been mindf*cked. To the left of the Florence Meat Market (a yelp beast at 5/5 stars) where a sexy pig lies, Perilla lies adjacent, welcoming you with a low key entrance.

They accomodated our early arrival with no hestitation. Loaded with 2-tops, the feel is a bit cramped but warm. You are served what we think is bread from Sullivan Street Bakery w/ EVOO dip, salt and pepper mill on the side. The burnt edges on the bread are a dead giveaway, but we could be mistaken. As the apps arrived, we were greeted by a huge waft of something in the air upon inhalation of the rabbit dish. It tasted so amazing but what could it be? Then it hit us. It was a sh*tload of butter. This dish is one that will make your eyes roll back, a worthy signature dish even. The aroma of the edamame falafel was much more subdued. At first we were afraid that the 'edamame' part was only in the green sauce, but breathed easier after cutting into a fried mini cylinder of chickpea/soy heaven. Much talked about, this dish is genius and should be ordered as well. 8 big ones, count them, is the number you will get.

The mains, however, were quite average, under par even. The duck we ordered was borderline bloody and had to be sent back. The line of sinew down the middle didn't help matters. Two rectangular duck breasts were given, sans crispy skin. The leg was wrapped in a tasty mini crepe and we came to discover 'Indian Flavors' meant Turmeric Marshmallow and lentils under the duck. Not to be overlooked, the creative Turmeric Marshmallow gave the dish not only sweetness, but provided depth of flavor. The two small pieces of seared foie gras had some crushed nuts (pistachio?) over it and tasted like one would expect. The lamb neck looked like a stick of salami, was served breaded with two lines of eggplant puree and some cran walnut sprinkled over stew. The shredded lamb neck tasted like a lamb on the brink of croaking, we kid you not. No contest vs our baby lamb neck at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, but they are in a different league of their own. Plus, baby anything always tastes better. The walnuts did nothing other than provide textural balance, whereas the cran did cut into the gameyness of the lamb.

In terms of Dessert, the gingerbread cake was a winner. Again, thick and juicy rich cake that was reminiscent of Chinese ginger candy from childhood. The half sliced pear was served warm and played a nice sweet contrast to the subtle creme fraiche ice cream. This dish was well conceived and executed so kudos for that. Service was average and inobtrusive. Sometimes it's better that way.

Ordered:
2011 WINTER RESTAURANT WEEK MENU:
-Braised Rabbit Legs w/ spatzle, escarole, tarragon & riesling cream sauce
-Crispy Neck of Colorado Lamb w/ harissa splet stew, green garbanzo beans & eggplant,
-Gingerbread Cake w/ honey roasted pear & creme fraiche ice cream

Also ordered:
-Tasting of Long Island Duckling ($31) - w/ roasted breast, leg confit, seared foie gras & indian flavors
-Edamame Falafel ($8) - w/ lemon tahini sauce

Far from meager, the portion sizes at Perilla are substantial, especially on the apps and desserts. Entrees, while a decent size, are expected when you get around the $30 price range. Most importantly, love is tasted in the food and that matters most. The cutlery could use some rework, as we hard a hard time cutting into our duck. All in all, we felt it was overhyped and underdelivered. The entrees were the biggest weakness for us and we left underwhelmed with those. We feel that having other dishes outshining your mains is a culinary sin. That said, 4.5/5 start on yelp skewed us to believe one thing, when in reality Perilla is only a 3/5 in our humble opinion. We are indifferent about returning.

Total came out to ~$50/pp after everything-COLLAPSE / REPLY (11 Replies) (by i8NYC, created February 8, 2011)

I also dined at Perilla for Thanksgiving and have to say it was somewhat disappointing but not a total bust. I called in advance because my dining partner is a vegetarian and I wanted to make sure there were options. I was told there would be at least one pasta/risotto and another vegetarian dish. Upon arrival we were told there was only a vegetable plate! Having dined there a few times in the...+READ I also dined at Perilla for Thanksgiving and have to say it was somewhat disappointing but not a total bust. I called in advance because my dining partner is a vegetarian and I wanted to make sure there were options. I was told there would be at least one pasta/risotto and another vegetarian dish. Upon arrival we were told there was only a vegetable plate! Having dined there a few times in the past I figured they would put out all the stops so we went with it.

Apps: I had the sea urchin and crab - I have to agree with the comments above; it was a bit of a mess. The carrot soup on the other hand was divine.

Entrees: The turkey was quite good; moist with well seasoned gravy but the stuffing was eh? i didn't eat the vegetable plate..it looked very pretty but not what you would expect from Perilla for a Thanksgiving entree. I was told it tasted ok but nothing special.. a big disappointment.

Sides: We were each offered a side; nothing was said about sharing. We both had the brussel sprouts which were fantastic.

Dessert was gingerbread pudding; very good and something chocolate; can't recall but very rich and hard to finish.

Service was pleasant, attentive but not intrusive. So overall, if not for the vegetarian entree, I would give this meal higher remarks. The person answering the phones should not have misinformed us. I live in the neighborhood and will be back; maybe even share my experience in person if the opportunity presents itself.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (8 Replies) (by maxandcoco, created December 6, 2010)

»Perilla - A great experience

Recently got a chance to visit Perilla and we were not disappointed. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. Originally we had plans to go to Degustation (will get there as well) but I am very glad our plans changed as all in our party gave it two thumbs up.

We had the tasting menu which was made up mostly of a variety of the regular menu items. The waiter had mentioned there may be some...+READ Recently got a chance to visit Perilla and we were not disappointed. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. Originally we had plans to go to Degustation (will get there as well) but I am very glad our plans changed as all in our party gave it two thumbs up.

We had the tasting menu which was made up mostly of a variety of the regular menu items. The waiter had mentioned there may be some things that would not be on the menu but the only thing that was not the on the menu was the amuse bouche which was scallops. Really good and even had a small slice of grapefruit in it. That was followed by (and I am sure I have this order incorrect) crab with this excellent fish roe that kind of crunches and melts in your mouth. I am a sucker for roe. Then Sea bass. Third was this ravioli with egg yolk where you break the yolk and it runs over the ravioli. There were truffles on it but I am not a truffle fan and thought they were probably not necessary. Then there was a double does of duck. One of these was a duck meatball with a little bit of mint which we all really loved. Probably the favorite item overall. The dessert was a souffle with a nice presentation where you break it and pour in what I recall as being chocolate sauce given to you on the side (note: at this point the wine was kicking in so got fuzzy).

I think I left one item out and I probably didn't do them justice. I probably didn't pay enough attention to some of the details to recall them but I can tell you that all 4 of us were very happy with our choice that evening. One of the best dining experiences I've had in the city for some time. And not overly expensive. I think the tasting menu is $70/person but what sets you back is the wine by the glass. We opted for this due to the multi courses and it added up although we got out of there at at about 120/person I think. So not cheap but well worth it.

Now I just have to try to get to Degustation.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (9 Replies) (by StrongIsland, created January 17, 2010)

»Thanksgiving at Perilla

Ugh.

3 courses for $65--appetizer, first course, side, dessert---reasonable.

Except you have to share the side.

You have to share the side. ON THANKSGIVING.

When I confronted the waiter about this ridiculousness, he hemmed and hawed, averted his eyes, mumbled something about "the portions being large."

All well and good, I told him, except I wanted potatoes and my dining partner...+READ Ugh.

3 courses for $65--appetizer, first course, side, dessert---reasonable.

Except you have to share the side.

You have to share the side. ON THANKSGIVING.

When I confronted the waiter about this ridiculousness, he hemmed and hawed, averted his eyes, mumbled something about "the portions being large."

All well and good, I told him, except I wanted potatoes and my dining partner is a diabetic.

"Well, it's how the restaurant usually does it."

Except today is Thanksgiving. THANKSGIVING. At which point he acquiesced and said we could split portions.

So much for the home-y, welcoming touch. At $65 a pop.

I ordered a peekytoe crab and sea urchin appetizer. What I got were crab clumps swimming in a gloppy, briny soup. Beyond awful

Turkey. Tasteless, gristle-y. I've had better in diners. Gave over 1/2 of it to my partner. Got my mashed, though. Fine. Enjoyed his brussel sprouts side as well.

We couldn't wait to flee the place (and weren't about to spend a penny more) so we got our desserts to go. Will eat them soon but at this point, who cares? .

I've had too many crap experiences of this kind in mid-level Manhattan restauarants lately and they're a waste of time and money. It will be a long time before I do so again.-COLLAPSE / REPLY (8 Replies) (by workintheater, created November 26, 2009)