Pera Mediterranean Brasserie

My wife and I had dinner at Pera on a Saturday night and it was an unpleasant experience at best. The baby lamb chop was overcooked and the humus was served with bread that had a texture similar of a rock.
My wife had the monk fish which was not bad. The worse part of the meal was the service. The waiter never seemed concerned or even interested if our experience was good or not.
I did speak with someone who claimed to be the manager on the way out and his only comment was please try us again it will be better. I have never thought about writing a review before and I dine out in NYC often but this whole experience was downright dreadful.

Posted 02/12/09

My wife and I took my mother-in-law to Pera for some good Mediterranean and were more than impressed. The service is both attentive and informative, offering you the perfect wine selection for whichever dish you choose.

Of the many splendid offerings, I highly recommend the lamb. My personal favorite is the lamb riblets but the newly added sausge lollipops are also one of a kind. To me, lamb is difficult to cook and many restaurants typically overcook it or don't season it enough, leaving the scent of the lamb that is often unsavory. Pera has mastered the preparation and cooking of the meat and has made the meal an experience you won't soon forget.

Pros: Service and quality of food

Cons: If I had to list a drawback, it would be the space. That being said, I like the space and ambience, but the tables feel a little close.

Posted 01/27/09

I sampled a number of the smaller plates at Pera - the eggplant and tomato timbale is excellent; delicately seasoned and refreshing. The grape leaves were some of the best I have ever had as well - with a subtle sweetness that I really enjoyed. I also enjoyed one of the best cocktails - the Bld. Orange Gimlet- and probably the best dessert - the flaky pastry in a honey sauce with a melted cheese center I've ever had. A must try!!!

Posted 01/27/09

We hosted our board dinner at Pera. It's a great place for a group dinner; the balance is just right between a fun atmosphere and a restaurant volume level that allows for easy conversation. The food was inventive and outstanding, and there were great vegetarian options available (why don't more top restaurants have good vegetarian options?) The servers were friendly and accommodating. The entire board raved about the experience!

Posted 11/24/08

Went Pera Mediterranean Brasserie in a group of 6 for my friend's birthday. Everything that night was so good and so perfect!

Food: I had a taste of most of the dishes they have since my friends and I got different dishes. They were all really good. Everything I got was delicious. I recommend the Filet mignon medallions.

Service: It was as if I am a princess or something. Not only do they help me take off and put on my jacket, hang my purse, pour my water when it's empty, refill bread after bread, etc etc. The waiters and waitresses are super friendly. The crowd was mainly middle age. Even though my friends and I were younger in comparison, the service was still the same--really good. Our waiter was hilarious and was really helpful.

Ambiance: The place is dim, and elegant. It wasn't quiet. Even though it's a "high class" place, it wasn't too dressy.

I ordered a 4 courses meal. I underestimated the portions. I was still pretty hungry after my 2nd course, but by the time I finished the third, I was getting a little full...and after dessert, I felt bloated.

Posted 10/17/08

I've been here about 5 times over the past 6 months and have always had a great meal. Granted I loved the adana the first time i got it but this last time i ventured out and got the lamb tenderloin and it was delicious. I love the fried artichoke hearts along with the eggplant and phylo rolls. As far as the atmosphere goes I find it a very comfortable environment with a great aesthetic to look at. The table up by the bar is beautiful.

Posted 09/17/08

Aren't we fortunate to be sybarites in New York City? Some friends and I ate dinner last night at Pera and ended the night with this thought. We were a large group and essentially sampled most of the menu. Some of us are New Yokers and others European (known for chauvinistic inclinations towards their national cuisine). Based on a friend's recommendation, I was hoping this would help enlarge their view of NYC dining as well as my own.
For me, gastronomic memories are made from raw ingredients working together in alchemy. If you agree with this, then order the hummus and eggplant appetizer. The texture and contrasts are incredible. Our server was very helpful in describing each option, leaving enough room for us to be impressed. Most of us ordered meat dishes as our main course, unanimously enjoyng the ground lamb meat and lamb chops. These flavors really stood out to me; I'd even go back again this weekend.....But, the best part came at the end: dessert. I couldn't have imagined how to put together the "Kunefe" - a succulent crispi vermiccelli-esque dough clenched around a dense yet light cheese, covered in honey. In-cre-di-ble.

Pros: High quality ingredients, consistency in the menu, atmosphere

Cons: need more direction with wine choices

Posted 08/29/08

My husband and I went to Pera for a much needed date-night. Great atmosphere as you walk in, a great get-away from the traffic of mid-town. But, while we enjoyed the bar area and the decor, the food was spotty. I'm Turkish, so I know something about Meditteranean food. They served the bread plain, no oil, butter, nothing. When we asked for olive oil, it was like Canola Oil. C'mon guys, you have a Meditteranean restaurant, you should be able to get the oil right! But the fish (branzini) was the best I've ever tasted. Really outstanding. The service was good, well-meaning, but a little clueless. No wine suggestions, no recommendations, etc. I know of restaurants that have much better turkish food..

Pros: Atmosphere, Service

Cons: Not all the food is great

Posted 05/26/08

oooooh boy!. It was quite a while I was not back at this place. I hate when they change menus or cooks, The food is not what it was. I'm not happy with the change. Will not recommend.

Posted 05/10/08

From start to finish, the experience at this restaurant was absolutely dreadful. It started when it took them 15 minutes to bring the bottle of wine we ordered. Next up, they delivered our warm hummus appetizer but completely forgot the accompanying bread. When we asked for it, they told us they were still baking it and brought it 15 minutes later with our other appetizer. No apologetic attitude, just complete apathy. For main dishes, we all ordered lamb chops--medium rare. Although the portions were a nice size (5 chops each), they only managed to get 1 or 2 of them in each order cooked correctly. Most of them were completely overdone and not edible---for us. And then came the most pathetic sickly looking grilled asparagus dish that were basically shavings of 7 spears, half of them shrivelled up and burnt.

Throughout this entire unpleasant experience, our waiter never once checked up on us or asked us if everything was o.k. Instead we had to constantly try to get the attention of other waiters/waitresses passing by, and even the manager. In a nutshell, there are way too many other fantastic, inviting, and service oriented restaurants to ever have a reason to frequent this place!!!!

Pros: None

Cons: Service, Staff, and Food

Posted 04/12/08

We visited Pera on a Saturday night and had a great meal with even better service. We started out with an array of appetizers. Our waitress was very patient and explained each one for us. I had the hangar steak for dinner, which was out of this world. We ordered red wine for the table and I enjoyed a Turkish beer! We ended our meal with a chocolate souffle, which was heavenly, especially for a chocolate lover. Pera is fun, young place with a great atmosphere. Can't wait for our second trip back!

Pros: Loved the ambience

Posted 04/06/08

We had a party of six on a Saturday Night and had a blast! The service was excellent from the moment we stepped inside. The restaurant is gorgeous and we loved the open kitchen. The mediterranean salad was my favorite appetizer, excellent dish. I had the mixed grill which was to die for. Great wine selection. I would recommend Pera in a heartbeat. OFF THE HOOK, FANTASTIC!!!! GREAT NITE OUT!!!

Pros: Ambience, Parking, Excellent Service

Posted 04/05/08

I went to Pera last week for the first time in several months and I have to say it is better than ever. The ambiance is still beautiful and unique -- open views into the kitchen, fantastic mosaic and glass details, a large rough hewn table near the bar made from a single beam -- but the food and service is the best I have experienced there yet. The wait staff is extremely attentive and no matter what they tell me about the menu, I find myself drifting off to their gorgeous Mediterranean accents and good looks. While I am no sommelier, their wine suggestions are excellent and well paired with entrees.

Speaking of the entrees, I will always suggest my favorite, and Pera's specialty, the Lamb Adana (lamb skewer that is served with flat bread and tasty parsley, tomato and onion fixings) which is terrific even if you are not a traditional lamb fan like me; I must also suggest some of the new additions to the menu.
The hangar steak medallions were the best steak I have ever had with a sinfully sumptuous buttery sauce and traditional Turkish dipping sauce on the side. The vegetarian option was a very generously portioned and delicious blend of veggies and grains. All dishes are large enough to share and you should order a variety of appetizers, entrees and desserts to get to try all of the delectably different dishes.

Remember to save room for dessert-- the chocolate souffle is simply sinful.

As Pera is one of only a handful of great restaurants in the area, I will continue to go back again and again, always with new people to introduce them to this Turkish delight!

Posted 02/11/08

This restaurant is truly a gem! The location is a little out of the way, but it's well worth it once you get there! The food is spectacular - our meat was perfectly cooked, and delicious. The staff were so friendly, and explained everything to us in detail. The wine was also authentic and went very well with the food. I loved the ambiance and view of the kitchen, too!! Overall very, very well done!!

Pros: delicious food, friendly staff, classy ambiance

Cons: location is a bit out of the way

Posted 10/10/07

A group of us went here on a Friday night and had the best time, it was like a little enclave of the West Village in Midtown. First off the service was great, with our waiter being very attentive and helpful in providing suggestions on the extensive menu. Even better was the food. There were so many great appetizers that we decided to get a bunch for the table as none of us could decide which ones we wanted. I would recommend either the fried artichoke hearts or the grape leaves, both were amazing. The biggest surprize on the menu was the chicken entry which probably the best chicken dish any of ever had. Even though it was grilled it was unbelievably moist. Thats not to say the other dishes were not just as good, especially the ribs and baby lamb chops, but the chicken is so much better than most chicken dishes which are fairly similar even at the best NYC restaurant. Amazingly, all of this was very well priced, so you really need to try it. Its a lot of fun in a large group as the menu goes well with group eating, but I'm definitely going to go back for a date as well.

Pros: Great menu, fun for groups with interesting drinks and all for a good value

Posted 10/06/07

I love the ambiance and the open kitchen. Our waiter was extremely attentive and gave us a fabulous recommendation for dessert. The lamb was cooked to perfection, very tender and well seasoned.

Pros: Great value, great lamb dishes, good service

Posted 10/01/07

I am absolutely thrilled with my dining experience at Pera. For starters, the restaurant is absolutely gorgeous, I love the open kitchen. The food was excellent, the wait staff caring and helpful, and it was a wonderful place to take my 2 young children out for dinner. This was my first Turkish dining experience and I am just hooked. I've never really eaten lamb before, but the Lamb Brochette was delicious. The meat was very tender, perfectly seasoned, and expertly grilled. The appetizers were delicious, I absolutely recommend the fried artichokes and the hummus, even my 6 year old gave it her stamp of approval! My husband had the signature dish, the Lamb Adana, and it was fantastic. We traded off half our plates! The side dishes are great, I completely recommend the potato casserole and their yogurt sauce, it is divine. Our waiter was wonderful, his knowledge of the menu was extremely helpful and he suggested an excellent wine to compliment the meal. I was very pleasantly surprised to learn they have a fantastic children's menu with many, many choices. The Chicken Brochette was a success with the kids, and their pasta simple yet packed with flavor. The staff was very sweet to my 2 children, who are 6 and 4, and provided a nice children's menu they could keep, as well as markers for coloring inside the little booklet to keep idle hands busy. The desserts were lovely, the Turkish ice cream was a big favorite with the children. We definitely will be going back, it's a joy to find a nice restaurant that has such a lovely setting and I can take my children, who love to eat out.

Pros: Ambience, Service, Kid friendly

Cons: NONE!!!

Posted 08/27/07

I went here for lunch with a friend and as I was leaving the office, I had a co-worker warn me that the food is not good. So since I like to judge for myself, my friend and I went anyway......I would have rather eaten in McD's!! The appetizers were tiny portions and were wierd...along with that I had the crab cakes and as I ate them I felt like they had rocks in them! My friend hated her dish also. I would never go there again. The bar area is cute and trendy, but do not go any further and eat. Its a complete waste of money and its way over priced!

Pros: The Bar scene

Cons: EVERYTHING ELSE!!! FOOD IS HORRIBLE!

Posted 08/21/07

Not a fan of the lax in service even just for appetizers. Dont bother to order the choco souffle for dessert as it will take 25 minutes and the waiter will let you know this.

Pros: Nice Ambience

Cons: Smaller portions, slow service

Posted 05/10/07

this restaurant is fabulous!! we had the best night. the food is soo delicious, and the waitstaff is very knowledgable, friendly, and patient. they even let us try some things before ordering! the ambiance is great, and the wine list complements the food perfectly. really the best restaurant experience we've had in a while. prices are not cheap, but definitely worth the delicious food and wonderful experience. a must go!! we will be back!

Posted 03/07/07

Our experience was so great. When we walked in, we loved the decor- very earthy and warm, and very comfortable. Our waitstaff was helpful and friendly, helping us pick a wine and patiently explaining the food. (We were new to Turkish food). We ordered the artichockes which were soo delicious- think of a classier, better, Blooming Onion. We also had the hummus and the beef tartar, and while Im not a huge fan of raw meat, it was very spicy and tasty- it almost didnt really taste like you were eating meat. The grilled calamari salad was served cold, something I had never seen before but was excellent. The lamb adana is thier specialty and it is well deserved. The filet's were perfectly cooked and a great portion size. Pera is grat becuase even if you aren't into Turkish food, they have options that are great for everyone, even vegetarians. I am usually a picky eater and I loved the food there. Definitely order dessert- the oven baked shredded wheat is the most interesting and delicious dessert I have ever tasted.

Posted 03/05/07

This is a fabulous new restaurant in an area that sorely needed one.
The food is amazing. To me a cross between Greek and Turkish it has fabulous finds at very reasonable prices. App's are around $10 and include fried artichokes, stuffed grape leaves and hummus, you could go with a couple of friends grab some app's, share an entree and some wine and be stuffed for $40. All the food is fresh and has amazing flavors.
I would check it out now before it starts taking 2 months to get a reservation!

Pros: Ambience, food, service, decor

Cons: area

Posted 01/29/07

Went to Pera last night. This place is amazing. This was my first time experiencing Turkish cuisine. The octopus salad was phenomenal as well as the fried artichoke hearts (delicious). We had a party of six and ordered different entrees. I was able to get a taste of them all. I have never tasted meat so tender and flavorful. Everything was amazing. A great selection of wine is avail. to compliment your experience. I love the space. The service was impeccable ( eager to please but not annonying) DEFIINITLY going back to Pera. I do suggest you make a reservation they are very busy.

Pros: everything

Posted 01/18/07

Pera is a welcome and delicious change from the usual midtown choices of steak or sushi. The atmosphere is warm and inviting for all...families to business. The staff is young, vibrant, and eager to please. The cuisine is what your mom would have made you with a culinary difference...the flavors are distinct and clean and not overly sauced or decorated. Simplicity and freshness are the key to this restaurant. I would highly recommend it to anyone on a restricted diet as the food quality and variety will allow you to eat as well as the others on your table. Small dishes like the breads and Meze platter allow you to sample and share in family style. You can have a wonderful meal just by ordering the appetizers! The wine list of Mediterranean wines was especially appealing because there were wines that no other restaurant carried. In all, Pera is worth your time and taste buds to explore once, twice, most likely on a weekly basis.

Pros: a staff that is young, vibrant, and very eager to please

Cons: this may not be a well-kept secret place to dine for long

Posted 01/18/07

I have been frequenting this restaurant ever since they opened last fall; I believe it has filled a much needed gap for an upscale restaurant with a friendly atmosphere in this part of town.

The food is absolutely delicious. I especially like the grilled meats that are, one of the previous reviewers said, juicy and flavorful. From what I can tell the grilled ground lamb, Adana, is their signature dish and I would recommend that you give it a try even if you are not usually a lamb person (which I wasn't until I discovered the Adana), as far as the desserts are concerned I really like their shredded wheat dessert and the warm semolina dome with ice cream.

Also the lounge and bar area is great for after work drinks, and appetizers such as pidettes (little boat shaped pizzas; spinach and pine-nut one being my favorite) or filo rolls. If you decided to stop for lunch at the bar you should try the lamb burger or better yet the Pera twist (Adana I mentioned above wrapped in flat bread and served with fries).

Even if you are not in Midtown a must-go for work lunch/dinner, get together with friends, or even for happy hour.

Pros: Food, Atmosphere

Cons: none that I can think of

Posted 01/17/07

I've been to Pera twice -- once for a work event and once for a birthday celebration. Both times, I thoroughly enjoyed the food and atmosphere. I ordered the Pera tradition -- which is a smorgasboard of different meats such as chicken, lamb and beef flavored with a various Turkish spices. Being a meat lover myself, I thought the meats were quite tasty and juicy. The spices coated the meats with a flavor completely unfound at most other restaurants I usually frequent, and definitely a step up from your usual mediterranean corner joint. I'm not sure about these other reviewers who have given negative comments on the food. Perhaps they dined on a very off night, or maybe they don't like meats with a lot of flavor, like my mom (she's from the midwest). The atmosphere is also light and airy, which is a nice change from the dark steakhouse atmosphere of most restaurants in the east 40's. The bar up front is also a great place to meet for drinks even if you aren't dining at the restaurant. In short, I highly recommend giving the restaurant a try, unless you're a vegetarian. It's perfect for expense accounts (great middle eastern wine list) and definitely a lot more enjoyable than most other restaurants in this area.

Pros: Food quite tasty, great architecture and interior design, european atmosphere

Cons: Can be loud

Posted 01/17/07

As a gourmet New Yorker, it is not often that I can commend a newcomer without a "but", but..... for Pera, I can certainly make an exception. Even though it has only been a few months since it first opened, Pera has already reached perfection, and it is hard to imagine it can get any better than this. The food is phenomenal; the atmosphere is stylish yet unpretentious and the staff is surely the friendliest bunch of people I have encountered on Madison Avenue so far. I have already been there five times in the past couple months, and will certainly continue going back. Good job guys!!! Note:
Must try's include the mini shish trio, ground seasoned lamb pidettes and the Pera Tradition combo, but do not fret if red meat "just isn't your thing?: There is something for everyone here, and you cannot go wrong.

Pros: Food, ambiance, professionalism of staff

Posted 01/16/07

If you work midtown or go to Madison Ave for shopping on weekends, you know there are not too many places to eat - let alone good food! Pera fills this huge gap in midtown area by offering:
Good food, nice ambiance, friendly wait staff..what else can you expect from a good NY dining experience? The Open Kitchen is a plus. Once you try the beef / lamb dishes, you will see the difference between the quality of meet here vs other restaurants. Definetely try the special Turkish ice cream as desert!

Pros: ambiance, food, service, friendly staff

Cons: none

Posted 01/16/07

This is the absolute WORST restaurant. All the food was inedible! Chicken was rubbery and spolied - I had to get a slice of pizza after since there was nothing at the restaurant I could eat. The service is even worse, no one comes and takes your order, asks if you need anything - save your time and find another place to eat.

Cons: food, service, everything

Posted 01/13/07

After eating here, I couldn't continue my Saturday night. It was the worst dining experience in my life. Can you beleive they were able to destroy hommus. Who destroys hommus? They added enough oil to make it some sort of oil/hommus. Who wants that? BTW, the only reason I ordered hommus was because everything else that came was inedible. I thought, OK, let me order hommus so at lease I can eat something. Nope. Also, let me say we ordered family style. So you would think at least one entree would be good. Nope.

What a disaster. Please don't go so it can close and we can all be better off.

Pros: It will close soon

Cons: It exists

Posted 01/13/07

The food is excellent.. And what is more, they have the space to accommodate a large group.. We went to Pera when it first opened as a small group and loved the food and ambiance.. Since then, we celebrated 2 birthdays with big groups there and found it to be an excellent restaurant each time.. What is more is the entire is staff is very friendly, including the chefs you get to watch as they prepare the dishes in the open kitchen.. Try the pizzettes and the warm seminola icecream dessert..

Pros: Ambience, good for groups

Posted 01/11/07

The food was mediocre but overpriced for what it is. It was on the heavy side, and was served almost cold. At this price category you have so many better restaurant choices in the city. To top it all, the service was not good at all. It was OK to try it once but we will not be going back.

Pros: Convenient location

Cons: Mediocre food, poor service, overpriced

Posted 12/22/06

I saw this new place in the neighborhood. I work on Madison and 40th. It's really good. I've been waiting for sometime for a worthwhile spot to go for dinner and drinks after work. I love mediterranean food so I was a bit anxious to try it out. I have to say that i really loved the food. I had the lamb adana. My friends tried the chicken and the fish. I recommend the phylo rolls and the hummus for apps and the Mini shish trio was a nice surpise.

The atmosphere was great. It's relaxing and sleek. Its looks like everything inside is brand new. there was a nice girl who served us and was very attentive. And the wine list had some nice choices on it.

I am definetly going back and will definetly try and go for lunch as well. I am recommending pera to all my friends.

Pros: Atmosphere, Food, Service

Cons: None

Posted 12/18/06

I went with some friends for drinks to Pera a week ago and loved the decor so much that we went back to try the food. The food was great as well as the service. We were a party of six and we stayed late and had a great time. Did i mentioned the decor with the the beautiful open kitchen? Check it out. Will definetly go back.

Pros: Atmosphere, food

Posted 12/18/06

Came here on tuesday night with a party of 3 people excited to try a new turkish restaurant. While the restaurant was very pretty, we were very dissapointed with both the quality of food and the service. The service was very slow and while the restaurant was only mildly crowded, we found it quite impossible to get the waiters attention. We began with the meze platter which had a small portion of each of the appitizers. The hummus was decent and the feta was good...but the rest of our meal was not enjoyable. The waiter recommended the crab cake for a main entree and it was mediocre at best..way too expensive for not so tasty food.

Pros: Decor

Cons: Service, Food, Value, Loud

Posted 12/12/06

This restaurant I think opened recently, but has a staff that makes you feel comfortable from the moment you walk in. The menu selections have been thought through quite well and the tasting menu is a must try. The portions are very generous and quality excellent. On my list of frequent places for sure. The wine list surprised with some good selections.

Posted 12/10/06

Pera's decor is beautiful, but its food is terrible and its service is even worse. I will never return.

Posted 12/02/06

We were excited to hear about a new Turkish restaurant and went to Pera as soon as we could. What a disappointment. They obviously spent a lot of money for decorating the place; it certainly looks upscale (though lacks warmth). The wine selection is the only quality that matches the sorroundings. The quality of the food was mediocre; nothing that one who knows Turkish cuisine well enough would think to highlight the place as a good turkish restaurant. My guess is they don't wish to market themselves as Turkish anyway but they should serve the best food whatever it might be; the Turkish food they serve is far from being the best; like the monkfish not being the best we had either. To top it all off, the service was terrible. We ordered Kunefe to share; the desert that needs to be eaten warm. After the kunefe arrived we waited for a long time for plates and servings to eat it. After a while we reminded the waiter; as they did not make their way to the table a few minutes later we reminded again that kunefe was cold by that time; to which he responded "I will get them; you are not the only table I am serving". I don't think this response is acceptable in any restaurant, let alone in one where we ended up paying $65 per person. Kunefe went back, came again, went back again. Sometime later plates came and then kunefe came back for the third time. I don't think we will make our appearances in that restaurant even as many times as kunefe did at our table.

Pros: ambience

Cons: average food, terrible service

Posted 11/30/06

WOW!! is all I had to say after my first dining exierence at Pera. Having never had Turkish cuisine before I didn't know what to expect and after dining on the Fried Artichoke Hearts, the homeade bread and cheeses, pidettes(like mini calzones) , Filet Mignon, traditional chicken and beef dishes and the Chicken Brochette I have gone back twice!! I haven't even mentioned the desserts- turkish ice cream and turkish espresso.

The decor is beautifully done. An OPEN KITCHEN in NY only adds to the ambiance and allows you to see how really clean and fresh all of the food is. Chefs and waitstaff are from Turkey and the service was impeccable.

I HIGHLY recommend Pera. So, do yourself a favor and make a reservation today. You'll be glad you did.

Pros: Ambiance, menu choices, service

Cons: I wish I could eat there everyday

Posted 11/28/06

As someone who is native to Mediterranean cuisine (it's what I grew up eating), I can honestly say this is one of the best Mediterranean restaurants in the city. The whipped eggplant appetizer was sooo good, be sure to try it with the yummy pita rolls. I also had the chicken skewers, which were amazing as well. I was so excited that they had kinafa (Arabic dessert that most Mediterranean restaurants don't have), but I was so stuffed from the appetizer and main course that I didn't have room for it....I will definitely try it all next time. The big table in the center of the restaurant (similar to Asia de Cuba) is great for groups. The wine list is never-ending, and the visible bottles add to the elegant decor of the restaurant. I highly recommend this one.

Pros: Great food and drinks

Posted 11/26/06

Pera has only been open for a couple weeks and I already like it better than most of my Mediterranean mainstays. Each dish was quite frankly excellent and original. We started with fried artichoke hearts, done in a chickpea batter, which was very delicious, if a little bit oversalted. Smoked eggplant, unbelievably delicious smoky flavor, much better than babba ganoush somewhere else, though again a bit oversalted. Octopus salad phenomenal - better than ceviche, better than the poached seafood salad you get as antipasti at an Italian restaurant. Beet salad was excellent as were the pidettes. The lamb brochette main course was excellent quality lamb tenderloin, not gamey tasting, no fat, wonderful acoutrements. The service was also excellent. And the space is beautiful. this place rules. ck

Posted 11/25/06

Despite wanting to like the place, we had an unusually poor dining experience. We sat at the bar and had to ask several times to get a menu and place our order. We ordered wine by the glass, and were disappointed to see that the bottle had been opened three days before (Note to Pera mgmt: write the dates on the bottles in smaller font). The bartender noticed it too, tried to casually spin the bottle so we didn?t see the date and didn?t offer us a new glass. Despite positive comments from others, we found the food unremarkable ? the peasant salad needed more seasoning and the seafood sampler appetizer was uninspired. The poor service rolled on as our entrees seemed to have gotten lost and never arrived. We cut our losses, paid the bill and moved on. Perhaps it is just growing pains, but the service was truly sub-standard. I don?t think we?ll be going back.

Pros: The space is attractive

Cons: Poor service, uninspired food

Posted 11/17/06