The Pearl

I recently was invited by The Pearl Hotel to check out The Pearl Restaurant in Point Loma. This organic swanky boutique hotel has been open since 2007 and I have been wanting to check it out for sometime now. Formally known as the Sportsman's Lodge Hotel, this retro hotel had all the 60's stilo going on. It was preserved and renovated into a stylish 23 room boutique hotel, and the The Pearl Hotel was born. It is just one of the innovative projects by Greg Strangman of Live Work Play Group.

Executive Chef Jaison Burke recently joined The Pearl Restaurant in May of 2011 and is serving up some seducing dishes indeed! We were seated right away at one of the high rise tables that overlooks the bar and pool. Our sweet as candy waitress went over the drink menu with us. The kind of drinks The Pearl serves up is just what we needed to cool us off on a hot summer night! I would go back just to get my drink on.
PEARL PIMM'S CUP
pim's #1 / ginger beer / pink grapefruit / mintDARK 'N STORMY
goslings dark rum / fresh ginger / lime / mint / sodaSUMMER LOVIN'
clementine vodka / hibiscus liqueur / lemon juice / simple syrup
With ice cold cocktails in hand and heavy appetites we were ready to eat. And I mean eat. And that is just what we did.
We started with the Bacon Wrapped Dates - Hardwood smoked bacon wrapped dates served with a cheese fondue. Bacon was the name of game here. The sweet and salty combo is always a dream come true with bacon wrapped dates but I was not impressed with the cheese fondue. I would of much rather the dates be filled with some sort of melted cheese that squirts out the other end as you take the first bite. Instead they were filled with a pit, which we were not notified of. No trips to the dentist that night thank goodness. That was the one disappointment of the evening, and all goes uphill from here.
The second appetizer was the Mac and Cheese. House bacon, spring hill white Cheddar and jalapeno. YES! Just the mac and cheese I have been looking for. Finally someone gets the consistency of the crusty top and cheesy creamy center right. Add bacon and jalapeno to the mix and get a salty spicy creamy powerful bowl of hawt damn! From what I understand the mac and cheese is changed daily. I can't wait to see what Chef Jaison comes up with next. Oh and thanks for the crostini to sop up all that cheesy creamy sauce. Oh yes we did!
We shared one of the special entrees of the evening as our third appetizer. Ravioli which was stuffed with rabbit liver, corn and parmesan cheese, in a veal espagnole sauce with fresh herbs. I really enjoyed this dish. The ravioli were cooked al dente, the filling of the liver was complimented well by the corn and the delicate rich brown sauce that covered it only enhanced the delicate flavors.The God Father was playing on the big screen and so far we were off to a good start. Deciding the entrees to order was very difficult. The Pearls menu is small but everything is enticing. The menu is a strong supporter of the slow food movement and promotes fresh, local, and sustainable food.
PORK CHOP
pickled peach / mashed potatoes / market vegetablesThis dish was not my favorite. I thought the pork was really salty. Someone went a little overboard while seasoning this chop.
SHORT RIB
roasted garlic / butter carrots / potato puree Short ribs done right! The meat fell off the bone and was cooked perfectly. The flavors were nothing I never had before but it was classic short ribs. Classic!
SEARED DIVER SCALLOPS
saffron risotto / roasted fennel / coriander reductionThe scallops were huge and also were cooked to perfection. I love saffron and the risotto was the perfect consistency. I could really taste the saffron and it complimented the scallops well.
THE BEST BURGER IN TOWN
grilled onion / smoked gouda / con pane bunNow you can't call yourself "The Best Burger In Town" and expect me to pass that one up. It was really good. Was it the best burger in town? Not sure if I am sold on that but for sure the best bun in town and the quality of the meat was high. The french fries were addicting too.

Just after we paid the bill and were ready to literally roll out of there Chef Jaison decided to top off our meal not with a cherry but with a hot Cinnabun. Cinnamon is not my favorite but I did have one bite and it was really good. Not sure if it was made at The Pearl or brought in but what a way to end the evening.The Pearl Hotel & Restaurant is a pretty valuable gem in beautiful San Diego. I do plan to visit again soon. Maybe for one of those Wednesday Dive-In Theatre nights or maybe for Groove 24/7 Poolside Brunch.

The Pearl Hotel & Restaurant
1410 rosecrans steet san diego, ca. 92106
1.877.pearl.sd