La Perla, Gladesville - NOW CLOSED

I've driven past La Perla several times over the last 5 years but I hadn't come in as there's always one person that doesn't like seafood or the odd vegetarian in my family. When I saw this big sign saying, they now serve wood fired pizzas - I thought it was a good time to check it out. Only they didn't serve wood fired pizzas when I got there. Whaaat? (I thought to myself)

 I had read a series of bad reviews on Zomato but most of them were old. I should have listen to my gut. I regret taking my family here.

When I am seated, I ask for the pizza menu and I'm informed that the pizza chef is on holidays and there is no pizza available until he returns. I am a bit annoyed to be honest, there's a temporary sign at the front advertising wood fired pizzas. False advertising!

I am tempted to leave but given it was a family birthday dinner, I stay to avoid creating any conflict. 

I order some garlic bread (above right, $8) and herb bread ($8, above left, $8). I also order a garden salad to share ($9). The starters come out reasonably quick in about 15 minutes and the food is adequate.

For mains, we waited an hour before they came out. The two tables next to us were seated after us and had been served first.  It was a bit painful to wait.

There's a tv in the corner and one of my party ask the staff to turn it on to watch the football game. We ask again where the staff say, sure thing but nothing happens. 

The last person we ask tells us that they do not turn on the tv. One of my family ask why is there a tv if you don't turn it on. The staff politely smile but do not respond.

The mains come out. There are a few fish mains that were ordered by the non-vegetarians including the boneless flat head fish ($34) and the John Dory Fillets ($38). The food is fine but not amazing. It's on par with the local fish and chip shop but just double the prices.

I order the spaghetti marinara (below, $24). It's a generous serving of pasta. The sauce is a bit plain but this is probably the only decent dish that we've encountered tonight.  I won't post photos of the vegetarian pasta as it was pretty poor form.

The prices are too much for the food. The food is average. 

The staff are lovely and friendly but I wasn't happy about the false advertising.

With it's sleeker looking shop front - I would have expected more. I won't return and I concur with all the other bad reviews on zomato.