Perla's

With its charming blue and white striped outdoor seating, I've been wanting to try Perla's for some time now. I had the pleasure of finally eating there for a late lunch on a beautiful Friday last week and I was not disappointed.

Deep in the heart of South Congress, this little gem is the sister restaurant to one of my old favorites, Lambert's, and also owned by Tommy Moorman, a fellow Alamo Heights-er and the brother of one of my close friends. Moorman opened Lamberts, a gourmet BB-Q restaurant on 2nd Street, in 2006 which turned out to be a huge success. They opened Perla's, which is mainly seafood, three years later in 2009.

While I probably wouldn't recommend Perla's to one who dislikes seafood, there are a few other options, but their main focus is around seafood and oysters. We sat outside on the wooden patio over looking the bustling SoCo and had mimosas and bloody marys while we had an appetizer of calamari with marinara sauce which was incredible. For my entreé, I ordered the Crispy Gulf Snapper a la Plancha which might have been the most delectable fish I've ever had. It was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of sauce and juices.

After an amazing lunch, we walked around SoCo to stores that you need to make sure to stop by: Kendra Scott and By George on Congress - they're both so cute!