Perry St

Set in Richard Meier’s glass-swaddled, celebrity-infested 176 Perry Street apartment complex overlooking the Hudson, Perry Street is yet another excellent restaurant from the immensely talented Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Aside from a trendy lounge and front dining area, we don’t much care for the interior of the restaurant – it is too modern, too white, too bland for our tastes. But the New American food is anything but subdued, with bold and innovative flavors and combinations that, as with many of Jean Georges' restaurants, bear the imprint of Asia. For instance, two signature appetizers are black pepper crab dumplings with sugar snap peas and rice cracker crusted tuna with sriracha-citrus emulsion. There is also a fantastic beef tenderloin.  Jean-Georges' talented brother Cedric is the chef de cuisine, and it is clear that he shares the same gastronomic genes and talent as his brother.  

Lunchtime is a particularly pleasant time to dine at Perry Street, with natural light streaming in through the panoramic glass windows and a view of the Hudson. At nighttime, however, you are stuck with solely the interior, more antiseptic than sleek, with only your exquisite food for recompense. This is generally a bargain well worth making, as the food is quite reasonably priced given its quality and, like all of Vongerichten’s restaurants, the quality is there in spades. Of course, Vongerichten has a vested interest in ensuring the food is top-notch: he lives on the 7th floor.