Restaurant Week: Yerba Buena Perry

NYC Restaurant Week is here again! To celebrate, Sd and I went out to Yerba Buena Perry in the West Village for dinner. To be honest, I had no idea what this place was going to be about... but those situations often make some of the best dining experiences. Sure enough, I returned home happy, satiated, and glowing (mostly due to the two generous pours of chilled Malbec Rose). More amazing pics on the next page!



We ordered totally different appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Most of the time, someone will grab the short stick and is left wanting. However, this didn't occur at Yerba Buena. My Ceviche Chifa was packed with bright and lively flavors (ginger, habanero-yuzu), while the peanut and meaty flounder helped balance out the dish.



Sd's Arepa Peluda was also insanely good. The slow-cooked ("carne mechada") braised beef short ribs oozed with a wonderful heat that lingered smoothly in the back of the throat. Besides being slightly messy to eat (which could be good in some situations), this appetizer was something that I'd return for.



My main course was the Entraña, or skirt steak. Skirt steaks are prized for their flavor rather than tenderness, and this one was a fine specimen. The meat was slightly tough to cut, but each well-earned bite was buttery and slightly gamey. I prefer chewy meat as well, so this steak felt like it was made just for me. Also, the smashed avocado with the beef was incredible! Why didn't I think of this combo before? Move over potatoes, there's a new side dish in town. Lastly, the crispy fried yucca balls should not be ignored. The slightly crunchy, starchy cheeto-esque bites were very fun to eat. They also added a festive punch to the presentation.



Sd ordered the Sea Bass Chorrillana as her main dish. The wild sea bass fillet had a good texture to it—it wasn't overly flaky or fragile. The yucca puree and tamarind-aji panca glazed, pickled slaw melded with the flavors of the fish to produce something worthy of a summertime serenade. I'm used to eating sea bass either Chinese or Japanese style, so this Latin variation offered a refreshing change.



For dessert, I ordered the Lucuma Custard Flan. It was a bit grainy for my liking and tasted oddly like graham crackers. I preferred the cheesecake.



Fortunately, Sd felt quite the opposite so we ended up splitting the two.



In conclusion, I would definitely recommend a visit to Yerba Buena Perry if you are craving for rich and sensual food. The ambiance can get a tad boisterous (but what decent Latin place isn't?), but you'll be in for a good time. I especially recommend going for Restaurant Week; you will definitely get your money's worth. Spend the savings on one of the signature cocktails. I recommend the Summer Fling. ;-)