PERLA: A LIVELY RESTAURANT IN BUDVA, MONTENEGRO
The Cost - $18 per person
The Atmosphere – The restaurant is large and covers two floors with an outdoor area as well. There is often live music in the evenings during dinner and the place turns into a club on some nights. It’s definitely a happening spot in Budva, Montenegro and fun for a night out.
Montenegro is a hidden gem of a country with a gorgeous coastline on the Adriatic Sea just south of Croatia. Budva, one of the popular towns to visit because of its coastal location and its rich history, is where you’ll find Perla Restaurant and Club. Upon entering the restaurant you can’t help but notice how the live music (and likely a bit of alcohol) has diners feeling alive and in a great mood.
The Order - Perla Salad, Chicken Breast Served over Gnocchi in Truffle Sauce and a Sorrentina Pizza.
The Good - The Sorrentina Pizza was definitely the best dish of the night. A white pizza topped with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, arugula, and parmesan, the pizza was tasty and a great value for the price (~$10).
The Okay - The Perla Salad sounded very exciting - a mix of greens with burrata, sundries tomatoes, olives, capers, cherries, pesto, orange and pine nuts. However, the burrata wasn’t great and the salad did not taste as good as it sounded; it left me wishing I had tried something else. The Chicken Breast Served over Gnocchi with Truffle Sauce also sounded incredible. The chicken breast was topped with hazelnuts which was a nice touch but overall the dish lacked flavor and seemed very simple. The gnocchi was especially bland and not what I had hoped for.
The Verdict - The vibe at Perla is fantastic and the live music was great. It was an overall enjoyable experience because of that but the food leaves much to be desired. If you’re looking for a fun and lively time, go to Perla but order a pizza instead of going for the more complex dishes.