Pasadena French Cuisine – Perle 🇫🇷

The photos are pretty casual… It was my first time here with two friends, and we all wanted to try a bit of everything, so we went family-style. The vibe is more on the casual side, so it’s not super quiet, but the decor has a nice charm to it. The waitstaff are all tall and handsome, by the way! 😄 Flavor-wise, overall it was decent with a few highlights. The main downside: most dishes tasted a bit "flat," lacking that extra layer of depth that really elevates a dish. 🥖 Baguette: A bit bothered that one side was slightly burnt, but the butter was fragrant. 🥗 Baby Gem Caesar Salad + Confit Rabbit: The lettuce was tasty, and the bit of cured fish was good too, but the added rabbit was a bit dry/tough. The flavors didn’t really come together—everything felt separate, not quite worth the price. 🍖 Duck Liver Parfait: Just okay—no surprises, but no fails either. 🥩 Steak Tartare: One of the best dishes! Fresh, great texture, well-seasoned and not overwhelming. 🐌 Escargot: The garlic sauce was aromatic, but didn’t really enhance the snails. Good for dipping bread, though. 🍲 French Onion Soup: I’m usually not an onion soup person, but this one was pretty good (took a sip from my friend’s bowl!). 🍤 Roasted Shrimp: Another standout! The shrimp itself was cooked well but simple—it’s the sauce that’s incredible! Rich but not heavy, complex and flavorful. Dipping bread in it was better than any main course! 🍝 Truffle Pasta: Pretty tasty—sauce and truffle paired nicely, but the pasta was a bit overcooked. 🍗 Fried Rabbit: A letdown… The coating was thick and hard, and the flavor was oddly similar to Orange Chicken. The rabbit meat was tender and juicy, but the preparation made it taste no different from chicken—nothing special about the rabbit came through. The celery root salad on the side was refreshing and tasty. The mashed potatoes were creamy but too salty. 🥩 Steak Frites: Cooked perfectly. Again, the sauce was too "flat." Personally, I’m not big on marinated steak—felt like I could make this better at home. The fries were fine, but oversalted. Also, the steak knives could use a sharpen—wasn’t easy to cut. 🐟 Dover Sole Meunière: For $80, this was a miss. The sauce was too salty, the fish was tough and fishy, and the herbs didn’t stand out. The capers were overly salty—more fermentation would’ve helped. 🍫 Chocolate Soufflé: Another letdown. My partner said, “How is it both too sweet and too bitter at the same time?” Also, maybe it was just ours, but the inside was too wet, almost mousse-like, and it collapsed as we ate. 🍓 Raspberry Pavlova: The best of the night! The meringue was light and airy, and the cream, sorbet, and tart berry jam complemented each other perfectly. We finished it all even though we were stuffed! Overall rating: 7/10 Have you been to Perle? What’s your favorite French spot in Pasadena or LA? Share your experiences below! 👇🍷 #LosAngeles #PasadenaEats #FrenchCuisine #FoodReview #DiningExperience #CasualFrench #FoodieImpressions #LAFoodScene #TrySomethingNew #RestaurantReview #FrenchBistro #DinnerWithFriends #FoodHighlights #DishByDish #SweetToothSatisfied