Perle Restaurant

"Perle checks all the boxes for a nice, romantic French restaurant: fancy chandeliers, cutesy floral table settings, and servers who will bring you extra throw pillows for maximum back support. A meal here is polished but personal, like you’ve been invited to a friend’s impeccably furnished house for dinner, though the washed-out lighting did leave us wishing there was a brightness slider in the room. The food consists of classic upscale French dishes like steak frites, coq au vin, and escargot—nothing groundbreaking, but well-executed and great for date nights, or those long, drawn-out dinners that go past your bedtime. Food Rundown photo credit: Cathy Park Salade Lyonnaise Our favorite dish. There’s a lot happening in this salad but in the best way, like thick-cut chunks of bacon and a poached egg that oozes over the greens. There’s also a small, crunchy piece of toast with chicken liver spread that might seem random, but delivers a great contrast to the bright, vinegary dressing and cherry tomatoes. photo credit: Cathy Park Steak Frites We were pleasantly surprised this steak didn’t need béarnaise or a drizzle of some sauce to shine. It stands on its own with a buttery richness and deep sear. The fries are extra thin and are almost Potato Stix-esque in texture. And while the dainty side salad is only three mini romaine leaves, we appreciate adding something green to the plate. photo credit: Cathy Park Apple Tarte Tatin We definitely burned our mouth on the first spoonful of this dessert, but that didn’t stop us from continuing to shovel in these molten caramelized apples anyway." - Cathy Park

"A French bistro in Pasadena offering Parisian classics in a cozy and welcoming setting." - Kevin Chau

"With a small, old-fashioned dining room and a quiet front patio, there’s nothing particularly flashy about this family-run spot in Pasadena—and that’s exactly why we like it. Perle keeps things simple, providing an unfussy, romantic atmosphere and a menu of well-executed bistro food. Our favorite dish is the frisée Lyonnaise salad, which comes topped with bacon lardons, poached egg, chicken liver mousse crouton, and dijon vinaigrette. It’s a savory, rich salad that’s still light enough to categorically remain, well, a salad. And that’s important, because you should also order the moules-frites with soft, garlicky mussels and crunchy fries, and the tangy French onion soup." - brant cox, sylvio martins, arden shore

"Located in the thick of  Union St., this quiet French spot isn’t as flashy as some of its big-name neighbors, but what Perle does well is provide a romantic atmosphere and a menu filled with well-executed French food. Our favorite dish is the frisée Lyonnaise salad, which comes topped with bacon lardons, poached egg, chicken liver mousse crouton, and dijon vinaigrette. It’s a savory salad, but still light enough to not fill you completely up. And that’s important, because you don’t want to miss the moules-frites with soft, garlicky mussels and properly crunchy fries and the tangy French onion soup." - brant cox, sylvio martins, nikko duren

"Chef Dean Yasharian takes French technique to the Los Angeles suburbs with Perle in Pasadena. The easygoing bistro serves classic French dishes either al la carte or as part of a four-course tasting menu. Guests can look forward to dishes including beef tartare, escargot, French onion soup, and steak frites." - Rebecca Roland, Eater Staff