Perry St--Fun on the Westside

Imagine if Patrick Bateman, the serial killer of American Psycho, opened a restaurant in New York. What would it look like? It would probably be very modern and very minimalist to accommodate his OCD-like obsessions of daily rituals and behaviors. It would have to be decked out with a central bar with elaborate flasks of expensive brandy and gin to showcase his impeccable tastes and penchant for entertaining. And it would have to be very zen-like in atmosphere so that he can meditate before going to for the next kill.

So what I'm trying to say is that Perry St. feels like a restaurant that Patrick Bateman would run and operate. It's very beautiful to look at but not exactly warm and inviting. You appreciate how everything is perfectly coordinated, but you're a little afraid to mess things up and self-consciously feel the eyes of the rigid staff burning a hole in your back. It's a little bit of an uneasy experience.

I went to Perry St. for Restaurant Week and also for my sister's bday dinner. Each time, the staff was very polite and a little aloof. Unless you sit at one of the booths, the tables are a little cramped for parties bigger than two, so you start making a concerted effort to avoid knocking things down and making all the plates fit. The two senior citizen couples sitting next to us complained about the table size to the hostess, so it wasn't just my imagination.

The appetizers are a little hit or miss. The crispy calamari was crunchy and delicious, and the creamy yuzu dipping sauce (yuzu is apparently a japanese citrus fruit, I had no idea such a fruit existed) was perfect. The sauteed shrimp was also excellent, the texture of the herbs and the sauce was a great combination. The sashimi was just ok and a bit meager in portion size.

During Restaurant Week they served a chicken, which was probably one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had. It was similar to the Red Cat's style, where the skin was perfectly crisp, almost as if the outer layer had been fried, while the interior was very moist and tender. Too bad they didn't have it during the birthday dinner, I had to settle for the steamed red snapper with a balsamic sauce and mashed potatoes. Don't get me wrong, the red snapper was very good, but the chicken was more soulful and more memorable. My sister and my dad had ordered the beef tenderloin served in a liquid gruyere sauce and a side of spinach. I had read great things about this beef but according to them, it was just whatever, they'd choose BLT Prime over this dish any time. BLT's prices were comparable, the portions were bigger at BLT, and the steaks were tastier, so I can definitely see their point.

Again, the desserts are a hit or miss. Anything chocolate related is amazing, but the cherries jubilee dessert I had was disgusting, it was this mess of maraschino cherries and white chocolate. You're better off grabbing a cupcake or soft serve somewhere else.

(Photos courtesy of nymag.com)

Perry St.
176 Perry St. (West Side Highway)
Rating (out of 5 stars):***
Style: High End Asian Fusion
Prices: $19-$36 for entrees, $11-$18 for appetizers, $9-$10 for desserts
Summary: Fusion Asian in a very sophisticated but aloof atmosphere; too bad the food isn't a little tastier to lend the place some soul.