For nearly three years, La Perla has been one of the great hidden treasures of Oakland’s Dimond District: a bustling, wildly delicious-smelling Puerto Rican takeout spot tucked inside the Two Star Market liquor store on MacArthur Boulevard. Now, the business is ready to take its next step: Cheo and Gabriel Ortiz, the father-and-son team behind La Perla, are moving the family business to a new location — just around the block at 3409 Fruitvale Avenue — that’s about four times as big.
It’s likely to be a destination restaurant from day one, simply because of the sheer paucity of Puerto Rican food options in the Bay Area. In the East Bay, in particular, La Perla will be the first full-fledged Puerto Rican restaurant — a standalone spot where customers will be able to feast on arroz con gandules, shrimp mofongos, and slow-roasted pernil.
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