Monday, August 20, 2012

Perla, West Village - NYC

Perla
24 Minetta Lane
New York, NY 10014
212-933-1824
http://perlanyc.com/

Perla is a small, chef-driven Italian bistro with great food and stellar cocktails.  My superior bartender, Brad, told me that he and the chef worked together at Eataly before the chef opened this place.  Dinner started with a Tombstone Sunday Nights cocktail ($13), which combines cinnamon-infused buffalo trace bourbon with Amaro Montenegro Bonal Gentiane, chile soy maple syrup, and house-made pepperoni bitters.  Spicy, yet subtle, it's a very nice riff on a Manhattan.  For my first course, I had the Vitello Tonnoto ($16), thick, pink slices of veal in a nice tuna sauce, with crispy capers and Tokyo turnips.  It was slightly salty, but otherwise good.  I paired it with a nice glass of Yves Cuilleron, 'Les Vignes D'A Cote' Viognier, 2011 ($16.5).  Though it all looked good, I skipped the pasta course and went straight for the Guinea hen ($28), one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had.  It was done as crispy-skinned rillettes and came with English peas, trumpet mushrooms, and a silky foie gras sugo.  (I want to have this dish for Thanksgiving.)  With it, I tried a glass of the Lange Nebbiolo, Roagna, 2005 ($16.5).  I was too full for dessert, but the 4 choices and selection of cheeses looked like either would provide a nice end to the meal.  Maybe I'll save room next time . . .


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