PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIASimple and elegant, La Perla is swathed in gentle, oceanic colours; a pearl encased in a glass shell, with an interior of oyster-fleck tiles and aquamarine walls. While its location on busy Victoria Road seems a light year away from the sea, owner George Colosi meets the trawlers at Pyrmont early in the morning, several times a week, so you can be assured the seafood (La Perla’s speciality) is perfectly fresh. Family-run, with enthusiastic service, it’s clearly well-tuned to the wants of its customers, having been a Gladesville stalwart for over 20 years.
It’s stayed loyal to its formula – very traditional and very Italian, with simple flavours that emphasise the fresh, pure taste of seafood. There are starters of fried whitebait, tuna carpaccio, and cured salmon served with lime-infused mascarpone. Mains are equally as straightforward and inviting – platters of octopus, calamari and prawns perfectly grilled, scampi gently drizzled with lemon, basil and olive oil and black mussels cooked with tomato, basil and chilli. The fish on offer changes to reflect the best of the market – but if you’re not into seafood, you’re given a basic choice of beef or chicken. The Colosi family import wines from Italy, complementing a fine selection of local drops. If you’re serious about seafood, La Perla is certainly a rare aquatic treasure in a vast suburban sea.
Fiona Davies, October 2007