Shawn and Lindsay Johnson were in high spirits Friday evening. Not from the Birds Fly South beers their known for, my friends. It was from the awesome turnout at Perch, their new gastropub in Overbrook.
And with Chef Ron Rawhoof at the helm, you know the Southern take on European cuisine the menu boasted was going to be delivered with consistency and passion.
That's right, folks! Perch has broken culinary ground here in Greenville, South Carolina. It's a European gastropub located at 1501-101 E. North Street (next to Mr. Crisp) with a Southern twist that aims to impress folks with their cuisine, beers and specialty cocktails.
And to be honest, the decor and lighting as you walk in the door should be enough to say you've walked into the right place to unwind, have a stein full of beer and devour some great food.
Chef Ron and I chatted a bit as we were the first couple to arrive. He told me about the effort it took to find the decor for the restaurant, to which I related to being like culinary pickers (American Pickers pun). Years of finding the right pieces has led to a very comforting look with unique pieces.
Soon after that, he darted into the kitchen. Both Shawn and Lindsay began to move more franticly as people began to arrive. The staff were prepped, ready to serve.
Our first dishes of the evening were the Pierogi (Polish) and the Perch Poutine (French). The Pierogi consisted of potato and cheese stuffed dumplings, deep fried and served with sour cream. The Perch Poutine was frites, covered in brown gravy, sausage, and cheese curds.
Both dishes were excellent, but the poutine was one we'd come back for again and again. It was just next-level fork-drop worthy of praise. And we do live by making a chef happy. We cleaned our plate.
As we gobbled up these excellent culinary creations, we placed our order for the Doner Kebap, seasoned ground beef and lamb, house-made tzatziki sauce, tomato salad, and parsley on a pita. One with frites and one with spaetzle.
Let's just say this was a legit hit with our taste buds. The meat was juicy and tender and the sauce made it pop. I asked for some of their house-made curry ketchup and that just sent it into outer space. My mouth was singing, folks. It was stupid good!
The spaetzle was superb. Their take on this European dumpling/pasta was as authentic as it could be.
The drink we shared was the Nicholas Sage. Ty Cummings was as at the bar and outdid himself with this rye-based cocktail. We loved it!
I walked out with a big stein glass, a full stomach and satisfied taste buds. You will, too, my friends! Make plans to #gotoyournomnomplace and be a #culinaryencourager as you welcome Perch to the Greenville culinary family.
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