I wanted to come back and do a followup post about Pearl’s Oyster House, the new restaurant at Main and Pontotoc, a couple of blocks south of Beale in the building where the tattoo shop used to be.
Now, I haven’t had a meal there yet, so this isn’t a dining review. But I do have some things to say about the way they run the place. Good things.
This past week I’ve made several trips to the Flying Saucer for beer, and I’ve looked around and thought, “Hey, where’s the gang?” After a couple of pints it occurred to me that they might be at Pearl’s, since they own condos nearby.
So I wandered in there Friday night and there they were, at the bar. Sitting next to them was Ray, the owner, and I got to spend an hour or two talking with him. Basically what he said was, “I want to make this a place where you and your friends can not only get a good meal, but where you feel comfortable just hanging out at the bar. Let me know what I can do to make this a place where you guys want to spend time.”
And we did feel comfortable there. I stayed until almost 1 in the morning. The next night, I wandered down to Pearl’s again, and the gang was there at the downstairs bar. We hung out there until the place closed. Some of my friends told me it was their 4th time there that week. I have a feeling that, for them – the ones that own condos nearby – it may end up being the new neighborhood hangout, the way Sleep Out’s was for a long time. For me, the Saucer will probably remain my #1 place to go, but when I get bored at the Saucer I’ll definitely be wandering down Main to make guest appearances at Pearl’s.
Anyway, I just wanted to post and commend Pearl’s on having such a great attitude. There are so many restaurants Downtown who “get it,” who understand how to relate to the locals. Pearl’s gets it. The Majestic Grille gets it. LoLo’s Table gets it. Big Foot Lodge gets it. The Flying Saucer has waitresses in miniskirts. EP’s Delta Kitchen gets it. When the Blue Monkey reopens, they’ll go on the list of places that get it.
There are also restaurants downtown that don’t get it. Restaurants that act like they’re doing you a favor by letting you in. That ignore you for 20 minutes when you have an empty drink glass. That look at you sideways when you come in wearing jeans like, “WELL, you really don’t look nice enough to be here, but, WHATEVER.” I won’t mention names but I hear about one in particular nearly every time I go out, a place where my friends tell me “I’ll never go there again.” Sad that they have such a snobby attitude, that they don’t try to reach out to the local community and be a part of it… I think that’ll hurt them in the long run. Places like that make me appreciate it even more when a friendly spot like Pearl’s opens its doors.
Took the night off last night, and spent most of it lying around at home reading a book. Tonight I’ll be back at the Saucer for trivia night. I must say, I liked the crowd there this weekend – more tube tops than I could count. Hopefully the crowd tonight will look just as good, and the Rapscallions will pick up a 50 to add to our gift certificate winnings.