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| - Perla is a modest-looking spot that doesn't try to match the forced attempts at hipness of many of its Little Italy neighbours. Until a visit the other day, I had barely noticed Perla at all.
But there we were, looking for a quick pre-concert bite, and the simple menu called to us.
Perla, it turns out, is Portuguese, as evidenced by the caldo verde soup on the menu, and the heavy emphasis on seafood. The look and feel of the interior, as well as the friendly, informal service, recall the old Dundas St. vibe rather than College St. So far, so good.
And what of the food? Sadly, that's where Perla falls down. Caldo verde, the ubiquitous Portuguese potato and kale soup, is thin, its sausage chunks chewy and full of cartilege. Grilled calamari is bland and swimming in oil. A grilled chicken breast is hard to mess up; this one is blessedly not overcooked, but the accompanying rice and iceberg-lettuce salad are, well, a big yawn.
I hate TV's Restaurant Makeover with a passion. But if any place could use remedial help from a real chef, it's this one.
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