The Pearl by Cameron Mitchell Restaurants Now Open in Columbus, Ohio

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants (CMR) is thrilled to announce The Pearl restaurant, tavern and oyster room opens today, Tuesday, February 5, 2013, in the Short North Arts District of Columbus, Ohio. Under the leadership of executive chef Peter Chapman and general manager Amberlyn Heiney, The Pearl is the first new concept from CMR in five years and serves a chef-driven menu comprised of local and organic comfort ingredients. Inspired by years of travel to the country’s best cafes, corner taverns, neighborhood bistros, seaside shacks and roadside joints, The Pearl is an upscale gastropub offering a unique dining experience for Columbus locals and visitors alike.

“I am very excited about this new concept. I really enjoy the creation of something new, and there’s a lot to be said about the focus that is crafted for just one brand,” said restaurateur Cameron Mitchell. “Part of our company culture is to be better today than we were yesterday and better tomorrow than we were today, and I know our guests will see those values come to life at The Pearl.”

A culinary jewel, The Pearl showcases made-from-scratch food, classically inspired cocktails and an exclusive selection of ales, lagers and stouts served in an artisan-style tavern space. The menu blends American and European influences beginning with snacks of crispy cheese curds, pots-o-pickles, tavern fries and old-fashioned deviled eggs. Embracing culinary traditions of the gastropub, The Pearl’s starters include creamy clam chowder with chorizo dust and oyster crackers; pork belly bao buns with hoisin BBQ and sesame oil; chicken wing confit featuring B’s hot sauce and Maytag blue cheese dip; house-smoked salmon topped with poached egg, brioche and scallion tartar sauce; hamachi crudo with roasted garlic horseradish puree, white soy vinaigrette and pop rocks; and a hand-cranked sausage sampler complete with sour-braised cabbage and mustard seed. Chef Chapman, who has been a CMR chef since 2004, creates original entrées ranging from Southern fried chicken served with a cinnamon sticky bun and cider-braised greens, his take on the chicken + waffles staple of the South, and hanger steak with marinated pineapple, Kimchee fried rice and fried egg to Arctic char with roasted cauliflower, aged balsamic vinegar and cauliflower puree and a pork trio with mustard-rubbed pork chop, smoked kielbasa and braised pork belly. Savory ricotta dumplings with acorn squash, toasted walnuts, crispy kale and Crimini mushrooms; Cuban pork confit served with sweet garlic pickles, smoked gouda, mustard and black bean stew; and the daily catch of the season’s freshest seafood round out the menu for the ultimate gastropub experience.

Enhancing the menu, The Pearl also treats guests to an extensive selection of cold and hot oyster preparations such as oysters and clams on the half shells, dressed colossal blue crab, peel & eat Gulf shrimp, parmesan baked clams and gulf shrimp boil. Guests are encouraged to save room for dessert and indulge in The Pearl’s selection of fresh, seasonal pies, made in house daily. An additional menu is available for “small gems” aged 12 and younger including cheddar and gouda crispy grilled cheese with tomato soup, stuffed mac & cheese with broccoli and cheddar cream sauce, bacon cheeseburger and fish & chips. Cheers to the little ones with a special “kid’s punch” mix of fresh juices.

Special attention is given to the beverage program at The Pearl, as each server and bar chef is a Certified Cicerone® who has completed the second level of the Cicerone Certification Program, a first for any restaurant in the city. Through this training, each associate has developed a keen level of understanding and expertise in selecting, acquiring and serving the diverse range of beers that have been introduced to the culinary scene during recent years. The restaurant showcases a broad selection of draught beers including Scrimshaw Pilsner, Brass Knuckle and Lagunitas IPA as well as more than 40 offerings by the bottle. In addition to an extensive collection of wine bottles and pours by the glass, the tavern also offers the classics Ramos gin fizz and Moscow mule. Bar chefs handcraft house specialties including a barrel-aged margarita with Herradura blanco tequila, Cointreau and fresh lime juice and the citrus punch blend of Ketel One Citroen vodka, Absinthe, Lillet Blanc, fresh orange and lemon juices and blueberry bitters.

“Great food is really our form of entertainment in Columbus, so you have to continue to strive and push yourself to do better and to accept change because the culinary scene is constantly changing around us”, said Mitchell. “The Pearl brings to the table some new ideas and unique twists on food and beverage that people haven’t seen yet in this city. We’re very serious about the restaurant, but it isn’t a serious restaurant; it’s a place where you can go and have fun and try new beers and cocktails.”

The Pearl’s vintage design and early-20th-century-influenced architecture create a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere. Exposed white brick, original hardwood floors, oversized iron beams, mirrors and windows that open to bustling High Street complete the urban ambiance. The ideal gathering spot, the tavern’s happy hour features half-priced snacks and draughts along with $1 brown bag beers Monday through Friday evenings from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Pearl is located at 641 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43215 in the Short North Arts District. The restaurant opens nightly at 4 p.m. and will open for weekend brunch at 10 a.m. beginning Saturday, March 9. For more information, visit The Pearl online at www.ThePearlColumbus.com <http://www.thepearlcolumbus.com/>  or call 614.227.0151.

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