Frequently, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.
By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services
Few local restaurants have opened with as much fanfare as The Pearl Shreveport (6871 Fern Avenue). Last year, there was an incredible social media blitz for the eatery, which occupies the building where la Madeleine used to be. The Pearl was the place to see and be seen.
I had only been there once, and that was by invitation before the restaurant opened to the public. But on a recent Friday, I invited a friend to join me for lunch.
We arrived at one o’clock and walked into an almost empty restaurant. There were three other diners. I realize 1pm is on the back end of lunchtime, but was surprised to see so few people. A small crowd – is three a crowd? – meant we were immediately greeted by the hostess and asked if we wanted to sit at the bar, or a table.
The Pearl has a long bar which seats approximately 20 people. There are four televisions for easy viewing. The restaurant also has a small oyster bar at the back of the restaurant. There are two dining rooms, an enclosed patio, and a small, private dining room.
We chose to sit at a table, and within seconds of being seated, Caleb was there to take our drink order. Caleb was kind, efficient, and apologetic throughout our dinner. Apologetic? More on that in a minute.
The Pearl is only open for lunch on Friday. It serves dinner the rest of the week, and brunch on the weekend. But for some reason, I thought the restaurant offered a lunch menu. When my friend and I were given the “regular” menu, I asked Caleb if there was a lunch menu. He said the restaurant had one “for a little while”, but no longer.
That’s my bad for not calling ahead and asking, So, my friend and I were left with no choice but to order dinner entrees for dinner prices. It seems to me that if a restaurant like The Pearl serves lunch, it should offer smaller-than-dinner portions, for less cost.
There was no shortage of items to order. The Pearl has appetizers, salads, and entrees such as Sauteed Sea Bass, Seared Scallops, and a Red River Ribeye. The entrees varied in price, from $23-$49. Again, the choices – and their prices – seemed better suited for dinner.
But The Pearl is best known for their oysters. In fact, you can choose from five kinds of cooked oysters, and five types of raw oysters. On this day, I learned something about my friend. She “loves” oysters. So, after toying with the idea of ordering something else, my friend chose The Bienville ($19). At my urging, she also ordered a cup of Alligator Gumbo. ($8).
I’m not a big fan of oysters, and I didn’t want something heavy for lunch. So, I went with the Cilantro Lime Salad ($14), and added chicken ($8), which at $22 was just one dollar less than the least expensive entrée. I asked Caleb about the Seasonal Soup which was on the menu. He said the restaurant was out of soup. So, I ordered a cup of Duck Gumbo ($8).
In a reasonable amount of time, we were served our gumbo. I took one bite and was immediately disappointed. The rice was cold and clumpy, and the roux was cold. I don’t mean lukewarm – I mean cold. My friend said her gumbo wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t hot, either. I told Caleb the issue, and he immediately offered to take both cups of gumbo back to the kitchen. Not long after, Caleb returned with two cups of freshly made gumbo. Unfortunately, my gumbo tasted the same. My friend said hers was “a little warmer.” I told Caleb I would not eat my cold gumbo. He sincerely apologized – more than once – and said it would be taken off the ticket. Caleb also offered us a dessert “on the house.” That was a very nice gesture to make a wrong a right.
It wasn’t long before our entrees arrived. As promised, my friend was served eight cooked oysters – “the holy trinity sauteed with Creole seasoning in chardonnay sauce with breadcrumbs and parmesan.” The presentation was nice, and my friend said her oysters were very good. “They were cooked just right, had good flavor, and tasted fresh.”
My salad also looked good, but small. The shallow bowl had spring mix, roasted corn, red onion, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cornbread croutons, cilantro lime vinaigrette, and the grilled chicken I added. The salad didn’t taste different from any other salad I’ve had, but was smaller and more expensive. For $22, my expectations were not met.
Caleb asked if we wanted to accept his offer of a complimentary dessert to make up for my cold and clumpy gumbo. When we originally looked at the menu, my friend expressed excitement upon seeing Key Lime Cheesecake. So, we told Caleb that’s what we would like, only to learn The Pearl was out of Key Lime Cheesecake. Disappointed, my friend regrouped, and decided we would have the Seasonal House-Made Bread Pudding.
We were told each of the restaurant’s four desserts are made in-house and from scratch. The bread pudding certainly looked and tasted the part. We were served a large portion of what was described as “the perfect blend of Pearl waffles, brioche bread, topped with hot butter rum sauce.” The bread pudding came with a scoop of ice cream, and a drizzle of caramel. I’ve been on a run lately. The last three servings of bread pudding I’ve had at restaurants, including at The Pearl, have been delicious.
Minus the $12 complimentary dessert, the cost of our meal before tax and tip was $49.24. The Pearl charges 3.5% if you pay with a card, and discloses that on the menu.
I left with the impression The Pearl Shreveport is a place much more suited for dinner than lunch. If I had dined in the evening, my takeaway may have been different. But the restaurant was open for lunch, I went for lunch, and overall, was disappointed. I give The Pearl Two Forks. I would return for lunch, but only if someone else was paying.
Again, this was my lunch experience. No atmosphere, cold gumbo with clumpy rice, and the restaurant was out of soup, as well as one of their desserts. If you visit, I strongly suggest going for dinner. Hopefully nighttime is the right time for a good dining experience.
1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit for lunch? Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.
