I was contacted by Charbel Sawma, owner of La Perla, a proud Lebanese who has opened his first restaurant in Paris in 1997. A Lebanese catering concept, a street food eatery, and the Italian Cafe; Welcome to La Perla! Spread on two floors, the Italian trattoria has a pizza oven adding fresh aromas to the restaurant. I was honored to dine on the first floor, where a cozy ambiance, low ceiling, wooden floor, leather sofas, and round tables make it feel like home.
Food is served; on round slate plates and wooden boards, the table got filled up!
- Arancini: crunchy balls of deep-fried rice filled with shredded vegetables and cheese. I like the outside crunch and the tender filling with the cheese that comes to caress your tongue.
- Burrata: a molten milky burrata served cold and decorated with half-cut cherry tomatoes.
- Order the cold cuts platter, Parma ham, Italian ham, and salami.
- Gambas, marinated and grilled on a bed of salad.
- Bruschetta: a giant thick pain de Campagne topped with diced tomatoes and Parmesan.
- Mini pizzas: tender crust with a crunchy bottom topped with a zesty tomato sauce and cheese. I liked the black truffles pizza.
The best plate of the day! “Ravioli Ai Fichi” with cheese, spinach, and figs. That’s a yummy plate worth talking about. Slices of Parma ham on top of a handful of ravioli cooked al dente and filled with creamy ricotta and spinach. Have a bite, enjoy the acidity before feeling the sweetness and pleasant texture of the figs.
Black truffle ravioli, cooked al dente with cream of black truffle. Large-sized ravioli filled with ricotta, a firm envelop, not chewy while bathing in a tasty sauce.
Imagine a calzone, a giant sambousik, opened in the middle and loaded with cheese, ham, and artichokes. A premiere for me, yummy, textured and balanced. A thin crust, crunchy and tender at the same time, a load of cheese and watery artichokes. This plate is not on the menu, this dish is called “saltimbocca”.
Wait! The carbonara is to die for! I’m a fan, a huge fan of carbonara, the real carbonara with bacon and (egg yolk sauce)... bravo chef! The Italian chef knows what he’s doing. Perfectly peppered, excellently cooked bacon, superb creamy -without cream- sauce... yummy! Recommended tagliatelle in Paris.
Cassata Sicilian, tiramisu, and Panna Cotta: a great way to finish my lunch.
I enjoyed my lunch and happy to have discovered a restaurant in Paris owned by a Lebanese.
