Maybe I should read the manual to do this restaurant justice

If you do know how to take better food pictures please feel free and let me know.

Anyway it's not often that I write up about a restaurant more than once.

Okay except for maybe him. There have been only a handful of restaurants that Mr. Broad and I have gone to a second time because there really are so many options here.

BUT we had Mr. Broad's father and sister in town and we wanted to take them to a restaurant that we had already tried and make the grade.

Perilla

9 Jones Street

Last time we went to Perilla, we had imbibed quite a bit beforehand. We knew it was good but it was time Mr. Broad and I really appreciated the food and not let the alcohol talk.

Mr. Broad's sister had a keen observation that the descriptions were long when really she was getting steak. I guess that's part of the charm, knowing the specific fresh ingredients all part of the dishes.

The place itself is a small typical Greenwich Village restaurant where your tables are close to your neighbors. And it's dark. So that's my excuse why my pictures look like crap. And I thought Apple products would solve everything but alas. There is only so much "enhancing" you can do on an already crappy picture.

Raw Hamachi: Fresh water chestnuts, laksa leaf, crispy taro & spicy passion fruit dressing

The fresh hamachi was on the bottom with the taro chips on top. This dish was extremely refreshing... the only complaint I think was that it was too small...

Duck Meatballs

mint cavatelli, water spinach & quail egg

This was slightly spicy but extremely tasty. A meatball for each of us with the sauce just extremely decadent, we all were dunking our table bread in it.

Striped Bass special.

It wasn't on their menu and I forgot all the other ingredients but it looks damn good and tasted even better. Don't you just love plating and what they do with the sauce bottles?

Roasted Duck Breast

Duck Fat Popcorn, Purple Yams, Pluots, Massaman Curry

Aah I like to think I got the best dish at the table but I know that everyone else would disagree. My friend in DC reported recently that popcorn was the new trend in the restaurant scene. I had not seen it up in NYC until here. I don't know if this was the popcorn she was refering to but wow. How amazing. All of the flavors came together really well (such a Gail Simmons term). And Pluots! How can you NOT like Pluots!! A plum/apricot cross for hybrid novice.

Grilled Prime Creekstone hanger steak

Sunchoke creamed spinach, Red Shallot Puree and Au Jus

I helped Mr. Broad's sister pick out this dish, explaining what Au Jus and Sunchokes are. I really am a good entree chooser if I do say so myself. Although it came with roasted mushrooms. Which are good if you like that sorta fungus.

Tasting of 3 Little Pigs

Berkshire Tenderloin, Crispy Wild boar belly (sausage), Spicy Hampshire Pork Booty Pate

Guesses who got this one? Right. Mr. Broad got his fair share of the swine. Mr. Broad enjoyed all of them making one of those "I'm in heaven" faces. The tenderloin (the one in the middle) was one of his favorites, and from my fork stealing I must agree.

Review

Perilla, take two. The pictures are still the same crappy quality but the food was better than I imagined. Innovative with seasonal ingredients. Mr. Broad's sister exclaimed it was one of her better meals she's ever had. And still no Harold Dietrich siting. Which makes you wonder... How often are the chefs actually at their own restaurant?...

Rating: 10. Again.