Recommendations

Full disclosure: I didn't know Harold Dieterle won Top Chef until stepping into his restaurant, Perilla. But I will say this: I'll step back in soon.

Guide: Banker (Noah)
Location: West Village

Strengths

• I sat at the bar with my picky foodie friend. Our food was excellent. The Roasted "Murray's Farms" Chicken with hen of the wood mushrooms and chinese sausage was juicy with a crispy skin. The almond-crusted soft shell crab appetizer special was excellent, as were the bay scallops. I also loved my grilled wagyu skirt steak, which I'd recommend leaving on the fire a bit longer than you might normally because it's so rich.
• The service was outstanding, with a caveat... The staff were well-informed and attentive. However, I got the feeling they hadn't yet found their systems-and-procedures groove since the restaurant was still fairly new.
• I'm a bit conflicted about the decor. On one hand, I liked the rather dim lighting, the dark wood floors, and the semi-circular booths. On the other hand, it was a bit slick for the 'hood, and the lighting fixtures were over the top.

Shortcomings

• The crowd felt a bit cheesy. Maybe it was my (overactive) imagination, but I got the feeling a lot of tourists came to see the top chef. Don't come for people-watching, unless you are feeling snarky.

Insider tips

• With a big group, sit at one of the semi-circular booths in the back. On a date, sit at one of the intimate tables for two in the back. With your shnookums or your pal, sit at the bar.

Anecdotes

• My waiter saw me ogling a special and secured one of the last ones for me before getting down to business. Nice work.