I love brunch, or lukfast as my son calls it. The notion of brunch seems to signify a leisurely meal, enjoyed with good friends and family, often times to talk about the weekend or just catch up. I would venture to say that brunch and relaxation are synonyms. And that is just what the Sunday Brunch at The Pearl delivers. Friendly staff, a beautiful setting, and a variety of dishes with distinct flavor profiles to allow the freshness of each ingredient to shine through. The Pearl is one of our all around favorite places, and now their Sunday Brunches have started up again for the season.
New this brunch season are also their $5 libations! Mark ordered a Kentucky Alarm Clock made of bourbon, pineapple juice, honey, and smashed coffee. It may sound strange, but it is wonderful and not too sweet. We had one the day before at The Pearl's Ping Pong Social, and also tried their Black Bubbles (Champagne and blackberry puree) and the Beer-Aid (Trumer Pilsner and house made lemonade). I highly recommend the Beer-Aid; it was extremely refreshing!
The emphasis on quality and not on quantity is reflected in all of their meals and I appreciate a restaurant that isn't trying to pile a load of food on your plate, but instead deliver quality. I never leave hungry, but always leave comfortably full and extremely impressed.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention our festive afternoon at The Pearl the day prior, during the Third Annual Social and Ping Pong Tournament, benefiting the School of Business at San Diego High School to help fund their senior trip to New York City. Complete with a silent auction, a delicious lunch, and meeting new friends, we had a blast. The winners, Jeff Brown (left) and Josh Kopelman of Dining Out San Diego (right), were quite happy too, but just you wait...Mark and I will be back next year to take the title!
So whatever you may choose to call it, lukfast or brunch, The Pearl delivers, and on all fronts. They uphold their motto well - it's not just enough for the customer to be satisfied, but better yet, to have them enjoy the whole experience. We certainly did.
The Pearl is truly a gem. A diamond in the rough. This hotel used to be much of nothing several years ago, when it was under different ownership. I remember back when my parents had their business just a couple of blocks away on Rosecrans street in Point Loma. The area of Point Loma, known as Shelter Island, is very charming, but some of the hotels right on Rosecrans leave much to be desired. Not The Pearl.
Mark and I started coming to The Pearl shortly after he moved out from back east, about a year ago. There are so many "happenings" here, that we haven't experienced them all; at least not yet. If I recall correctly, our first outing to this fine establishment was for their Groove 24/7 Brunch. Bottomless mimosas and an entree for $20! Don't be thinking basic entrees either. The Pearl features California Coastal cuisine and they use seasonal, local ingredients. After our relaxing, delicious, and fun brunch experience, we came back a few different times during happy hours, late evenings, etc. We keep trying to make it to their Thursday Bingo Nights, but have been unsuccessful with our schedule. The dinners have always been amazing. Our recent trip this week was for Bistro Mondays - a French-American themed dining experience complete with a French movie showing on their outdoor movie screen and excellent French music. The meal was $25 for a 3-course meal. In addition, it was happy hour all night. The place was busy, which was great to see, and we sat outside by the pool and under outdoor heaters. Everywhere you look at The Pearl, it is apparent that they spent a lot of time and effort to get the detail just right. The pool is filled with floating balls of different sizes, the lighting creates a beautiful glow, and there is a living wall covered with vertically-planted succulents. These are just a few of the treasures that you can find as you stroll around the grounds.
Moving onto our meal, Mark and I shared one 3-course meal (better for our budget and our health!) where we first chose the Croque Monsieur. A generous amount of emmenthaler cheese and prosciutto on perfectly toasted bread, served with whole grain mustard. A wonderful starter with my margarita and his Lost Abbey beer.
Onto the main course, we selected the Seasonal Vegetable Quiche that was stuffed with locally grown mushrooms and chevre cheese. The crust was divine and it was served with an arugula salad and drizzled all over with dijonaise-like sauce.
For our last course, Mark and I wholeheartedly agreed on ordering the crepes filled with apples and cinnamon. The crepe was as light as air and melted in our mouths. I even ate the mint leaves they garnished the plate with. A perfect ending to the meal.
I know this might seem strange to end on discussing the bathroom, but as my friend Heather knows, from our childhood days of exploring the bathrooms of every single restaurant we visited, they always peeked my interest, and still do today. Maybe it's because the rest of the establishment you can see, but they are hidden behind a door just waiting to be opened. The bathrooms at The Pearl are a thing of beauty! Again, they continued on with a precise level of detail that lets you enjoy even the ambiance of the bathrooms. The lighting sets the room aglow, but the magnificent piece is the sink. This isn't your ordinary sink, but rather a rectangular slab that is grooved just right to resemble a shell or possibly waves in the ocean, and miraculously guides the flow of water to delicately make its way to the drain.
We've been going to The Pearl Hotel for over a year now and felt it was time to share with others. Even though selfishly, I would rather keep this hidden gem to myself, I do want people to share in this wonderful experience. Hopefully someday, we will actually stay at the hotel and play tourist in our own city!
