176 Perry St

"Is it just me, or is it slim-pickins around the Meatpacking District these days? Finding a good scene with reasonably priced, excellent food isn't easy. I was recently having drinks with a big group at The Standard Grill, in need of a dinner destination (we sure as hell weren't eating there). Unfortunately, I didn't really have a game plan in place. It's a stressful spot to be in. An entire crew is relying on you to make the right decision and lead them to the promised land for dinner. After a couple of desperate tweets for help, I made the call, and we landed at Perry St. Was it the right call? For a Saturday night, maybe not (this is definitely more of a weekday spot), but it was the best move we could have made under the circumstances. Perry St is in the ground floor of some super-modern, all glass building on the West Side Highway. It's a nice place, but it's completely sterile and a little stuffy. It's definitely an older, more proper crowd. Got straight-laced family in town from Greenwich? This is the perfect [perfect_for slug=“dinner-with-the-parents”]Dinner with the Parents[/perfect_for] destination. Neither the maître d' or the tables around us were too thrilled with our quasi-rowdy party, which by Perry St standards might as well have been a table rave. The food was a let down too. After eating a spectacular dinner at ABC Kitchen the week before, I was expecting a more dynamic meal from a Jean Georges restaurant. That being said, we would come back here and order the butter poached lobster anytime. That's one of the single best dishes we've eaten this year, and it saved this review from the toilet. We also hear rumblings that they serve a decent brunch. Maybe we'll come back and check it out, and this time we'll bring grandma. On second thought, no we won't. She's too cool for this place. Rice Cracker Crusted Tuna This tuna appetizer is one of Perry St's signature dishes - it was the number one recommendation of our waiter. Sadly, it wasn't that memorable, partially because we only got half the dish. The other half wound up being accidentally dropped into a water glass by our server and not being replaced. Thanks dude. The rice cracker crust is certainly tasty, but it's nothing life changing, and we expected a little more from something that comes served in a sriracha-citrus emulsion.Sweet Chili Crab Dumplings Another dish that arrived at our table after being highly touted, but just didn't do it for us. There was something missing, and we couldn't understand how this slimy green dumpling could be one of their most popular dishes.Cod With Miso-Yuzu Glaze Not the best miso cod we've ever had, but the sriracha gives the fish a serious kick of flavor. If you don't like it spicy, take a pass on this one. Food Rundown Arugula and Boston Lettuce Salad A nice starter salad. I'm a sucker for anything with Boston lettuce and mustard vinaigrette, so this plays right into my weakness. Butter Poached Lobster $35 and not a penny overpriced. God damn was this lobster dish ridiculous. It was easily the best thing we ate all night. Rich, buttery poached lobster served over an awesome potato ravioli in a lemongrass and kaffir lime broth. You should probably come here once, just to eat this. Char-Grilled Cheeseburger Not too big, not too small, and sporting plenty of flavor - this is definitely a solid burger, just not a reason to come like the butter poached lobster." - Andrew Steinthal