Molly T.
Yelp
Start to finish, all aspects of the dining experience at Perry St are executed meticulously. From the moment you walk in, a pair of hostesses are primed to greet you and promptly take your coats. Your server will likely go above and beyond for you with trained elegance. The timing of courses is most certainly pre-planned and you'll be given an adequate amount of time to digest. The food here is tasty and well-thought out, though nothing blew me away. Everything was great, nothing exceptional. The prices are a tad higher than I'm used to seeing at restaurants of similar caliber, but I do think you're paying for the panache as well. Perry St is a great option if you're looking for an upscale dinner, perhaps to take the parents or a more serious date. Your brains and your bellies will be cared for and you will leave happy.
Came here with the bf and his mom on a Thursday night around 7:30. Perry St is right on the West Side Highway, which makes for a wonderful atmosphere. The space itself is large and elegant, subtly sexy but mostly upscale. It was a chilly night and we were seated fairly close to the door, which wasn't optimal (being on the water is lovely unless you're subject to the wintry breeze). Thankfully, the hostesses made sure to alert us when a more central table opened up (this conveniently happened after we finished our drinks but before we received our food), so we moved after about 30 minutes.
The service is absolutely delightful here. Our first waiter was wonderful, particularly with my bf's mother, who is used to southern hospitality (she's from Virginia) but not the glib waitstaff you'll find in New York. When we switched tables she asked the hostess if we could take him with us. It was cute. We did end up being passed of to the waiter taking care of the other section, but the first guy made sure to check up on us.
Drink-wise, Perry St has an understated but very impressive cocktail program. At first glance, I wasn't wowed by any of the offerings, but both my drink and the bf's drink were top-notch. He got the Pisco Rhubarb Fizz (Pisco Porton, Citrus, Thai Basil, Suze, Egg White) and I got the Whiskey Buck (Bulleit Bourbon, Ginger, Vanilla and Lemon, Old Fashioned Bitters). Hard to say which I liked better but both were executed perfectly and well-balanced. The wine selection is equally well-curated. They let me try both the Sancerre and the White Burgundy--both were yummy, but I went with the former. It felt more versatile considering the food we ordered. Speaking of...
The menu is sophisticated but approachable. I'm a seafood lover, so I was thrilled to see how much fish and the like were featured. As I mentioned earlier, it's hard to go wrong here. The execution is near-flawless, as I'd expect of a JG establishment. My only *minor* complaint is that the fare overall seemed tired and/or uninspired. Not boring, but the flare and excitement I've encountered around the city wasn't quite as potent here. It would be nice to see some more risk-taking but at the same time, we really loved all of our food and the elegance and precision displayed was significant. I'm just nitpicky. Our eats, below:
Sesame-crusted asparagus starter, compliments of the kitchen: crunchy/crispy/tasty yum. We got a surprise double-dose of asparagus and thankfully its a vegetable Perry St has clearly mastered.
Provence White Asparagus w/ Buttermilk Vinaigrette, Hazelnut, Herbs: A
Light yet rich, beautiful presentation. A little asparagus forest with lots of extra goodies hidden amongst the sprigs. This was one of the "seasonal" dishes and it was a fabulous starter. They sure do like their asparagus here.
Jonah Crab Cake w/ Cucumber and Kaffir, Sweet-Chili Sauce: A
This was my bf's mom's appetizer and while she found it a bit too spicy, I thought it was the perfect amount of heat to pair with the crab cake. Great executed, nice variety in flavor profile.
Rice Cracker Crusted Tuna w/ Sriracha-Citrus Emulsion, Scallions: A-
Coming in, this dish was so hyped that I could not wait to dive in. It was good, but I was honestly expecting a bit more pizzazz here. The flavors were a bit more muted than expected and the sriracha-citrus emulsion felt too heavy-handed for the dish. The tuna itself was light and yummy, great texture with the crust.
Pan Seared Black Bass w/ Grilled Maitake Mushroom, Aromatic Basil Broth: A
Beautifully-cooked piece of fish with elegant accompaniments that, while understated, elevated the fish and made for a light but nourishing flavor profile. The broth was tasty and the mushrooms were fantastic. I adore mushrooms and these were a slam dunk.
Roasted Crescent Duck w/ Tender Carrots, Turnips, Citrus-Chili Jus: A/A+
I can't get enough duck these days and this was delicious. Cooked two ways here, both unbelievably flavorful. The richest dish of the night, warming and powerful. Sweet and citrusy, nicely paired with the winter root veggies.