Daniel B.
Yelp
I have an ongoing, informal fine-dining meet-up with three guy friends, and this week we elected to hit Perso. Italian tends to be a genre that I enjoy... but also one that I don't enjoy paying a lot for. I find that generally, the types of Italian dishes served simply don't feel as if they merit a high price point. I don't feel that way about Perso.
At Perso, the seating is very comfortable. We didn't overhear surrounding conversations. We had plenty of space for our foursome and plenty of table real estate for the dishes we ordered. We snagged three appetizers and four entrees and we split them all, so I got to taste a wide array of offerings.
I'll start with the drinks. One buddy ordered an Old Fashioned, which he described as "decent." I was eyeing the Lavender Manhattan (2/5), but one of my friends ordered it and so I decided to opt for the Columbo (5/5). It was a stroke of luck. The Lavender Manhattan was tiny and - though the smokiness of the presentation was novel - the drink itself wasn't as interesting as we hoped. We all agreed that the Columbo was the best of the three cocktails. Though it doesn't contain Campari, that was the primary note I got from it.
The Brussels Sprouts sounded amazing in the menu description. Though I loved them, I've seldom met a Brussels Sprout that I didn't like. Objectively, these were not among the best I've tasted. The table agreed that we were hoping for a little more diversity of texture and flavor. 3.5/5
The Braised Endive was expensive for the amount of food served. The flavors were complimentary, a nice blend of sweet, tangy, and salty. I'm glad I got to try it, but I wouldn't order it again. 3/5
The Fermented Lentil Dip was a pleasant surprise. I almost vetoed it, but the waitress vouched for it and convinced us to give it a try. I had low expectations, but it was the best appetizer we had. Black garlic is flipping delicious. Eating this really made me want to try my hand at replicating it at home. The bread was a great traveling companion for the dip. If you like hummus, you'll love this. 5/5
Entrees
Sturgeon - The table unanimously agreed that this was the weakest item we tried. When you have a light fish dish, you really need to set it off with an incredible sauce or complimentary components (nuts, fruits, spices, etc). This dish fell flat. As one of my friends put it, "If we came here and ordered our own entrees and I paid $42 for the sturgeon, I would have been pissed." I love fish, but even I felt like it was too plain Jane to be taken seriously. 1.5/5
Clams Pizza - I talked the boys into this one, and everyone loved it. I adored the creativity of clams and butternut squash on a pizza. Who knew? I had a hunch that the combination would work, and it truly did. One caveat: eat it while it's hot! It's a shadow of itself once it cools off. A good portion of food, fantastic crust, flavorful cheese, and unique elements. 4.5/5
Florida Royal Red Shrimp - there are few things better than legitimate Royal Red Shrimp. I discovered them in Key West, and I've been in love with them ever since. They're large and sweet, tasting like a synthesis of shrimp and lobster. These shrimp did not live up to my idea of Royal Red Shrimp. The dish wasn't bad, but the shrimp in this dish were anemic and standard - perhaps slimy even - and the polenta wasn't rich and complex. Very straightforward to the point of being homogenous. I've had far superior shrimp and grits dishes at less than half the cost. 2.5/5
Cast Iron Baked Pasta - I was against ordering something so "boring," and boy was I wrong! Perso nailed this dish. The bolognese sauce was exquisite: sweet with a hint of kick. The pasta itself had a perfect texture, with even a slight patina of crispiness where it baked against the bowl. A hearty, mouth-watering adventure. 5/5
A friend ordered the Upside Down Tiramisu, which had a significant brownie vibe, and didn't seem impressed nor disappointed. I can't score it since I didn't try it.
Our service was very good and all of us came away feeling very positive about Perso. I'll be coming back again to try some of the other enticing items on their creative menu.