Santa Ana Spotlight: Homestyle Mexican Cuisine at “Perla”

With an extensive culinary diversity, Mexican food can vary in its scope of flavors and approaches. In Santa Ana, California, we are fortunate to be surrounded by so many exquisite options. But there’s one local gem we feel takes the cake.

Perla is a family-owned restaurant in historic downtown Santa Ana, California,  which highlights those flavors and traditions in its homestyle preparation and service. Here’s what we at Villa Del Sur Apartment Homes love about Perla.

Perla is unique in that it is family-owned, women-owned, and minority-owned. The mother-daughter duo of Laura Fabiola Diaz and Ana Laura Padilla founded and co-own the business in Santa Ana, California, offering family recipes with the goal of transporting their customers using authentic Mexican flavors while providing homemade flair to every dish they prepare.

Pearla provides brunch , lunch, and dinner options. The brunch menu is available on weekends between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM and includes live music from an in-house mariachi. The menu includes full entrees such as shrimp enchiladas or pork carnitas with a house-made chipotle sauce. Smaller plates include a ceviche de ahi tuna served with a spicy soy sauce, or you can try the steak primavera salad with vegan agave mustard vinaigrette.

Lunch and dinner options are available Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and picks up at 4:00 on Saturdays when the brunch menu closes. Appetizers include rajas con queso, sopes, and seared scallops served over seared quinoa with a lime citrus vinaigrette. Tacos can be made using filet mignon, short ribs, shrimp, lobster, or fish, including a jicama salmon. Specialty entrees include Tuetanos A La Pearla—made using wagyu bone marrow and melted cheese over bites of New York steak—or the Pearla flautas.

Looking for a way to unwind in Santa Ana? Perla offers a full bar menu . Available any time of day, food options include nachos, fries, papitas, and jalapeno poppers. Specialty cocktails include the Mi Viejo Old Fashioned, the Carajillo, and the Perla Paloma, made with Mi Campo Tequila, lime, and grapefruit juice.

Perla can also host special events . Their 700-square-foot private room can accommodate 50 to 60 people based on seating configuration. It also features an open layout with a garden area and removable furniture to fit the needs of any event.

With a focus on family business and authentic Mexican cuisine, Perla will satisfy any connoisseur in search of an unforgettable meal. If, however, you’re in the search for an unforgettable home, Villa Del Sur Apartment Homes in Santa Ana, California, can satisfy just as effectively. Contact us today for more information and availability.

Photo Courtesy: Perla