Restaurant Pearl

    It is just far enough from the center of downtown Napa (two blocks) to be quiet and almost secluded. The interior of this small culinary gem, Restaurant Pearl—known universally simply as Pearl—does nothing to alter this impression, and the outside dining area is in complete accord.
    Ever since Pete and Nickie Zeller opened the doors to this spot, it has been a safe haven for locals who enjoy superb food and excellent service without the hustle and bustle of some of Napa Valley’s more publicized restaurants. Ingredients are as fresh as possible, specials that change daily make up a respectable part of the compact menu, and the wine list is both well considered and reasonable in price without sacrificing quality.
    Ask a regular why they go to Pearl—and why they send friends and visitors—and the answer will be a variation on the theme “I’ve never had a bad meal there ... and the people are so nice.” Simplistic as that may sound, it happens to be true.
    Some items on the menu are such a part of the informal culture of the restaurant that to remove them seems unthinkable to those who have made a meal at Pearl almost a ritual.
    “We sometimes think about taking them off the menu for a little while, but we know there would be open revolt,” laughs Pete Zeller, who runs the front of the house; his wife, Nickie, is the chef.
    As might be expected with a restaurant named Pearl, oysters play a part in the menu. They are done four ways (6 for $11.25) including Oysters Breton with aged balsamic vinegar and sweet butter, and Oysters Pearl, served with an unlikely but exciting combination of salsa verde and feta cheese. They also have three sparkling wines by the glass (all $7.50) that go very well with the oysters (I’d suggest the prosecco). Other wines by the glass are also reasonably priced.
    Starters at Pearl include flank steak tacos ($7.95) which, though technically a first course, also make a nice light lunch. The salads, which include a Caesar ($6.95, or $10.95 with grilled chicken breast) and a Dungeness Crab Louis ($11.95) with their own Pearl Louis dressing, are well crafted, and their homemade soups are made from whatever is fresh at the market that morning. In fact, seasonal ingredients are an absolute cornerstone of the menu.
    Lunch favorites would have to include the grilled ahi sandwich ($11.95) on potato bun with pickled onion and Asian cole slaw—a personal favorite. Vegetarians will be more than happy with the soft polenta ($12.95) served with sautéed seasonal vegetables and roasted tomato sauce. It should be noted that the restaurant has one menu for both lunch and dinner, but it is thoughtfully enough designed so that it works during the day as well as at night.
    Other entrees range from an apple-Dijon triple-brined pork chop ($16.95), a double thick, succulent chop that the brine has rendered exceptionally tender and flavorful, to the New York steak au poivre (at $26.95 the most expensive item on the menu) served with a bleu cheese and roasted garlic butter—a winning variation on the classic French preparation. Fragrant roast duck with pear and ginger chutney ($16.95) is a cunning but subtle bow to another culture, just as Jose’s famous chicken verde ($13.25), which combines chicken, soft polenta and lime cream, touches yet another part of the globe. For a relatively small restaurant, the open kitchen is not afraid in the least to touch a great many culinary and cultural bases.
    Seafood specials, regardless of species or preparation, are always worth considering. And side dishes, again dependent on the market, are given just as much care as the entrees. Desserts, which vary day-to-day, are simple but flavorful, and if one of them includes a fresh fruit just in season, order it, along with a scoop of homemade ice cream. They do what a dessert is supposed to do—provide a refreshing finish to a meal.
Service reflects the attention of the owners, and is that careful balance of friendly and professional with personal touches. I dined there with a friend last summer who raved about the fresh English peas. Returning two weeks later the kitchen sent out a double-sized portion with her meal. “We remember how much you loved them,” the server said with a smile.
    Pearl has always been involved with the community. As an example, half of the $15 corkage fee goes directly to Napa Humane, which serves the four-legged among us. Though with intriguing selections and wine prices as reasonable as they are at Pearl (Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay is $40 on their list; it is $32.50 at the winery) you may never see the need to take your own.

Restaurant Pearl, 1339 Pearl St., Napa (707) 224-9161. Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.

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