The Pearl – grab these blue mussels before they vanish in two weeks

It’s satisfying to reflect on the nuanced evolution at The Pearl since I wrote this preview piece – somewhat mind-bogglingly three years ago now. Tempus fugit eh? The improvement that strikes me as I plonk myself down at the bar, the Jade-green stools that now encircle the counter, the business reneging (wisely) on an earlier promise of keeping the bar area free of seating. Indeed, the larger room has seen a similarly colorful revamp. As the dude would say, it really ties the room together.

The menu has also smartly advanced, both in creative scope and size. Kim’s Egg Rolls are still here – a recipe snagged from chef Tommy Nguyen’s mom – and probably the best in the state. Wing Wednesday’s offers The Pearl’s popular fish sauce laquered chicken wings at half price, and it’s heartening to see (you’re seeing all those closures right?) that by 6.00 p.m., the place is packed and buzzing.

The Crispy Shrimp Dim Sum ($12) – a trio of deep-fried shrimp spheres is solid, while Chicken Skewers ($12) with madras curry, lime, and brow-flushing heat are great. What really gets the blood pumping, though, is the Blue Mussels with Toast ($32), a mesmerizing Southeast Asian reworking of a classic French prep.

The advertised dashi beurre monte sauce is on the thinner edge of the spectrum and is an umami delight. Dreading jury selection in the morning? The sauce packs enough garlic oomph to ensure you’ll be dismissed within minutes of arrival. The gravy offers similar utility for overly long work meetings with Bob, doorstep sellers, and encounters with dentists.

Also in the mix – plenty of funky fish sauce, chili, garlic, and butter. A half dozen or so medium-sized mussels luxuriate in the broth alongside slices of Chinese sausage, delivering hoi-sin sweetness as well as a flash of liquorice-like snappiness. Chives are a final flourish, and then we’re off to the races, which for me means, well, ending up covered in the stuff.

I’ll spare you the overworked tropes of needing to bathe in the stuff, but let’s just all agree, there’s never enough bread in this situation. I could have brought a bag of Grandma Sycamore under my arm with me. A sort of emotional support loaf (actually, that’s a good idea) if you will, and still feel the need to timidly squeak, “more bread, please, sir”. The Pearl’s concession to this self-evident truth is a comfortingly broad spoon. I guarantee every bowl returns to the kitchen scraped sufficiently clean to render a dishwasher redundant.

The bartender tells me I’m lucky – the dish set to be replaced as part of a larger menu refresh at the end of November. So now, I’m telling you, get back down here soon. And then go back again after that update, because this really is a special little place.

Other useful links

• Free newsletter – signup and receive our weekly newsletter for free
• Food talk group – chew the fat with other like-minded Utah foodies over on Facebook.
• Best of SLC 2024 – what you can’t miss in the Beehive right now.

Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.

I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.   Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.    I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.

Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.