Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Perry Street West Village restaurant offers relaxed elegance in a tranquil setting, something I’ve been researching for various meetings.

We sat on the umbrellaed terrace, staring with a cocktail. I suggest their white heat ($19) made with jalapeño infused Hiatus blanco, Vida mezcal, grapefruit marmalade and Cocchi Americano over the not-so-gingery ginger Margarita made with Destilador tequila, Cointreau, ginger lime syrup ($17).

If available, I do recommend their crispy soft shell crab ($28), coated — according to Suman, our server — with a mixture of Wonder flour and breadcrumbs and served with pickled caulilini (baby cauliflower) all in a sweet chili sauce ($28).

I’d also recommend their chicken, fried with a similar coating and served with creamed leeks, fiddlehead ferns and a delicate scotch bonnet sauce ($38) and the slow-cooked salmon with green asparagus, spring onions and an offbeat garnish of herbal moss ($38).

When at a Jean-George restaurant, I like to order his molten chocolate cake for dessert. It came with vanilla ice cream ($15) and was topped with a crisp tuile. As you may know, the chef claims to have invented molten chocolate cake in New York City in 1987, yet the French chef Michel Bras also claims to have done so in 1981. Whatever, this cake’s liquid chocolate center always pleases. Instead of finishing our delicious brunch with an espresso, we did so with an espresso martini ($20).

I highly recommend brunch at Perry Street.

Perry Street
176 Perry Street
NY, NY 10014
212-352-1900
perrystrestaurant.com/