BBE Editor's Pick

Perilla

9 Jones St., New York (Greenwich Village)

Everybody behind Perilla, the former Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle’s cozy West Village bistro, deserves a big, warm hug. Even if the locally sourced food weren’t as good as it is (which is very good), you’d come back time and again just to kick back in one of the plush half-moon banquettes, sip some wine from the thoughtful and thoughtfully priced wine list and bask in the warm glow of the flattering lighting. The sound level is mellow, the bread is from Sullivan Street and the olive oil green and fragrant as grass. And then there’s the cuisine: Dieterle spent time cooking in Thailand, and eclectic hints of Asia—a chile-lime vinaigrette; daikon radish; bamboo shoots; a whipped tofu—spice up a menu of otherwise familiar comfort food. Another hug.

menu musts

Grilled asparagus with deep-fried egg
Spicy duck meatballs with mint cavatelli and quail egg
Fiddlehead fern agnolotti
Roasted mushrooms with chorizo and shallots
Banana upside-down cake with salted caramel ice cream

sweet seats

The cozy banquettes are for parties of three or more, although on quiet weeknights, the lucky twosome might swing one. On those same nights, the tables in the bar are a lovely choice, but avoid them on busy weekends.

chew on this

You might know the Asian herb perilla, after which this restaurant is named, by its more familiar name—shiso.

hours

Mon.–Thurs. 5:30 PM–11 PM; Fri.–Sat. 5:30 PM–11:30 PM; Sun. 5 PM–10 PM
brunch: Sat.–Sun 11 PM–2:30 PM

price range

$21 (roasted organic chicken) to $29 (tasting of wild boar)

9 Jones St. (subway: 1 to Christopher St., A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th St.), New York, NY 10014; 212-929-6868 www.perillanyc.com