Sneak Peek: Pearl
On the horizon: Pearl, an Asian-centric restaurant and lounge brought to us by the folks who own Old City’s Red Sky Restaurant and Lounge. Set to open mid-February at 19th and Chestnut, the new concept will replace the former Little Pete’s with drinks, dinner and — if you are so inclined — dancing in the upstairs lounge. We got a sneak peek from Gladwyne-born executive chef Ari Weiswasser. — Christine Speer
TD: First things first. How would you describe the cuisine at Pearl?
AW: The concept is Pan-Asian, pulling ingredients from Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, China, even India. We want to be a restaurant that appeals to the masses, but that can also appeal on a higher, gourmet level — a place you can visit frequently, but also bring in a high-end dining crowd on the weekend.
TD: You’ve worked at Gilt, Daniel, Picholine [in New York] and Striped Bass here in Philly. Any of those places give you a background in Asian fare?
AW: When I look back at those kitchens now, I see a lot of Asian influence. I’ve never worked in an Asian restaurant, but at Daniel, the executive chef who opened the restaurant was Alex Lee, and his influence rubbed off on that restaurant. What we’re doing at Pearl is Asian cooking from a French perspective. I want to distinguish that from fusion — we’re not combining ingredients, we’re just combining techniques.
TD: Any particular favorites, anything on that menu that’s your baby?
AW: I’m pretty excited about the whole menu, honestly. We’re taking common dishes and doing them very, very well — like the soups, for example. There’s going to be a Peking duck noodle soup, but it is French in technique, and precise. The broth will be poured tableside.
TD: Are there any trends in restaurants now that you’re liking, and using? Or some trends that you’re over?
AW: Cooking with chemicals and the sous vide element sort of caught fire before people knew how to use them, and very few people in the world know how to do it. For the masses, to survive, I think it needs to go back to good old-fashioned techniques, normal cooking done well, a piece of meat, prepared well, seasoned right. Stephen Starr really understands how Philadelphia eats: Philly wants very good, solid food for a decent price. But there are people now that want a higher level of ingredients, and that’s going to help restaurants do better. People are understanding the difference between good quality and ordinary. Though you can’t totally sustain yourself on high-end ingredients alone. Ask just about any chef what his favorite food is, and he’ll say “hamburger and beer,” because that’s what’s satisfying.
TD: So does that mean we’ll be seeing burgers on Pearl’s menu?
AW: Asian cooking and hamburgers don’t match up really well. Though, if someone wanted to take the time and do it right, it could be done well with Kobe beef …