Review: Perrotta's At The Gallery

While it's famous as a breakfast haunt, culinary critic Food Vixen finds Perrotta's At The Gallery is just as great for dinner.

I’ve been to Perrotta’s At The Gallery a million and one times for breakfast and lunch but I’ve only been there once for dinner way back in about 2004.

After a long day in transit on my way home from Darwin, MS picked me up at the airport and after deciding that neither of us wanted to cook – who am I kidding MS doesn’t cook! – we headed to Perrotta’s for dinner.

With my Entertainment Book Gold Card offering me ‘buy one get one free’ main meals I figured now was a good a time as any to try out the dinner menu.

Chilli Salt Squid Salad with Roast Pumpkin, Spiced Popcorn, Pomegranate and Rocket
The Burrata Caprese with Heirloom Tomato, Watermelon, Rocket Pesto and Raspberry Vinegar and the Garlic Bruschetta with Fresh Ricotta, Mint and Calabrian Chilli

The place was about half full when we arrived so we chose a seat near the entrance closest to the lagoon.

We ordered wine to celebrate the first time seeing each other in four weeks and had a squiz at the menus. The menu at Perrotta’s has something to suit most people with plenty of variety and not just your standard run of the mill boring dishes. My go to dish when I go there for lunch is the Chilli Salt Squid Salad and although that is featured on the dinner menu I figured it might be time to branch out.

STARTERS

To start with we ordered the Garlic Bruschetta with Fresh Ricotta, Mint and Calabrian Chilli and the Burrata Caprese with Heirloom Tomato, Watermelon, Rocket Pesto and Raspberry Vinegar. MS asked me what Burrata was and thinking I was all sophisticated and smart I told him that it was a type of Cured Italian Meat.

Boy did we get a surprise when the Burrata arrived at our table a short while later – a good surprise though! Turns out Bresaola is the Italian Cured Meat that I’d gotten confused with and Burrata is actually an Italian Cheese. Pfft I totally knew that.

In all honesty the Garlic Bruschetta wasn’t really anything to write home about but it was actually perfect for mopping up the last bits of Burrata and Rocket Pesto. I’m normally hesitant to eat watermelon since I was a little kid after my dad told me a watermelon vine was going to grow in my stomach when I swallowed a seed. Thanks dad, way to scar me for life and now I absolutely refuse to eat any type of grape (unless in wine) or watermelon (even the ‘seedless’ variety).

The Burrata with juicy Heirloom Tomatoes was a beautiful and tasty dish that we both enjoyed.  It was a great start to the night – I highly recommend this one.

Pork Spare Ribs with Fennel, Apple Cider Vinegar and Pickled Pineapple
8 Hour Lamb Shoulder, 3 Wheat Salad, Almond, Mint, Pomegranate and Spicy Cumin Yogurt

MAINS


Next up for our mains MS had ordered the Pork Spare Ribs with Fennel, Apple Cider Vinegar and Pickled Pineapple which came with a big bowl of chips and I had the 8 Hour Lamb Shoulder, 3 Wheat Salad, Almond, Mint, Pomegranate and Spicy Cumin Yogurt.


The Pork Spare Ribs were literally falling off the bone – the way ribs should be IMO – and were covered in a delicious tangy glaze. The Pickled Pineapple was nice but needed to be pickled just that little bit longer. We both thought the serving size was a little bit small for the price ($37 at the time of dining) but MS was pretty full by the time he polished them off.

My 8 Hour Lamb Shoulder was super tasty albeit a little on the small side for the price ($36 at time of dining). The added crunchy strips of bacon/pancetta/prosciutto whatever the hell it was really added to the dish.

Despite the size of the dish I actually struggled to finish it. I find rich cuts of meat like Lamb Shoulder, Lamb Shanks and Beef Cheeks fill me up really quick and I can’t eat a whole lot although I want to. Give me Garlic Bread however and I can eat that carby goodness till the cows come home!

DESSERT

We wanted to stick around for dessert especially after I spotted the Eton Mess on the Dessert Menu (the only one I know of in town) but we just couldn’t fit it in.

VERDICT

Perrotta's has got to be the number one place in Cairns for people watching – with wine of course!

The wait staff are very friendly and professional, in fact it’s consistently one of the better places in Cairns in terms of service (something Cairns is usually lacking in).

I do find that the food, particularly the mains, are a little expensive for what you get and this is something that seems to be reiterated in other online reviews I’ve read.

Nearly 20 years of good food and service is certainly a mean feat in this small town. According to their website Perrotta’s (as the locals like to call it) has been around since 1997 would you believe?

Yes I was a little surprised by that too so I guess you could also call this place a bit of a Cairns institution.

Perrotta’s At The Gallery

38 Abbott St, Cairns

Opening Hours: 7 days a week 6.30am – 10pm

Ph: (07) 40315899