Pearl Restaurant & Oyster Bar

I am so glad Unilocal exists otherwise I would’ve never visited this place. It’s in a strip mall type area in the middle of nowhere, NH. The food was excellent, and the service was friendly. It is pretty intimate — tables are close together so it is not the place for a big rowdy party. My family enjoyed their meals very much, and I especially loved my ginger mojito.

Fresh local oysters! Need I say more?
Apparently I do: This is a nice place* with a trendy, laidback atmosphere. I’m usually not a fan of «fusion» food, especially of the Asian variety, but Pearl didn’t irk me the way that some other fusion places do. There’s gotta be something on the menu for everyone, and the flavors are good and fairly safe (not to say that you can’t get something spicy though!) There’s also some vegetarian options. Wine/​beer/​cocktails selection is very nice as well.
* i.e., expensive

Great place. Food is consistently of highest quality. Vietnamese inspired, light, healthy and top notch. The servers are fun friendly and the whole place spreads good mood. It’s our favorite place in the area.

Excellent!!! From the Oysters to the sorbet, the food was fresh, and flavorful! The duck confit lettuce wrap were fantastic. I highly recommend it. The service and culinary team rocks!

The Pearl is a little jewel of a place.
Very good imaginative food, very good bartender.
Very convivial, but also very noisy.

Go out of your way. This would be a go-​to treat anywhere. That’s my opinion over two dinners.
Here’s some deets from my dinner 11/​17/​2014:
Chicken dumplings, 7 — nice!
Salmon, 19 — excellent
TOTAL — 28.34, with tax
BONUS — friendly staff and bar!
TIP — great for solo dining!!!
SHOUT OUT — to Russell Novotny the awesome Front of House Manager!

We enjoyed the nice atmosphere and wine. We order apps and thought they were nice. The crazy chicken was not great combination… Ribs were good! Sam was our server and was very nice. So was the hostess (I didn’t know her name)

Asian fusion oyster bar ! Good drinks !
Food, unique and original touch.

First this was the best meal I’ve ever had!
We were told by friends to ask for the «Chef Seats» when we made our reservation. We did, and I’m thrilled about that suggestion. There are only 2 in the restaurant, and you sit directly behind the chefs cooking in the open kitchen. All the different dishes are going by you while you enjoy a cocktail, and peruse the menu. It’s nice to see (and smell) all of the different choices you have without ordering yet!
My fiancé and I split a dozen oysters (after all the restaurant’s name is «Pearl») trying 2 different kinds from the selection of 6. They were the best we’ve had. Ice cold, meaty, and with 3 different sauces in the middle of the crushed ice serving tray. We also split a appetizer of Jonah Crab Cakes. They were to die for! Probably 90% crab accompanied by a wonderful Chipotle sauce, that they didn’t need, but was delicious.
For our main course, she had the pan seared day boat scallops served on top of a purée of squash and coconut. I thought that she would fall off her chair. A truly amazing combination of salty, sweet, crisp and perfectly prepared.
I had the special of the day; 48 Hour Braised Beef. The chef told us that it seasoned and seared before being sealed in a vacuum bag, and cooked in an immersion cooker at 142.3 degrees for 2 days. There are no words for the taste, and especially the texture of this beef. It was cooked medium rare all the way through. I could have eaten it without teeth. Served with an arugula salad, and wonderfully crispy roasted potatoes. Oh MY God!
The Pearl is classified as an oyster bar, but it’s much much more. I suggest that it’s American/​Asian fusion. Do yourself a favor and go there. I don’t care where you’re coming from. It’s worth the trip…

Well, hard to believe a place like this can be in New Hampshire. Pearl offers a fun atmosphere: the bartender looks like a pro, the music is Stanton Moore III, and it is bustling. It is a small place though, so don’t take anyone older than 65 there.
The food is not very special compared to Boston, but ok for the area. The drinks are supposed to be craft cocktails. I ordered a mojito, which was a bit low on the booze.
Our server I would say brought the experience down a bit. I asked her if one of the appetizers would be an OK entrée since we were ordering other appetizers and she looked at me like I was crazy and said with some ‘tude, «Well, when I come here… I get an appetizer AND an entrée… I eat a lot.» So I guess I should stuff myself silly too, eh? Thanks.
Then, when I asked her if she knew the awesome song that was playing, which mind you, gave the place a lot of atmosphere, her head almost POPPED off her body — she looked as though I asked her to get naked on a table top– «I don’t know. Its the bartenders mix.» Pauuuuuuseee. «I can ask him?» Yes, there you go — welcome to the hospitality biz.
im sorry but at my age (32) I go out to restaurants not really for a great meal, but for the entire experience. Loosen up a bit… and engage the customers to help make it a memorable time. And anyway, I was a server before — it makes your job more fun.
Go and think of me,
Nunes.

I am shocked that I haven’t written a review sooner as I have been smitten by this location for about as long as I can remember. About 8 months ago I went for the first time and although I felt overwhelmed, I knew it was going to last. I went with the Tuna steak which is done to perfection. I have on many occasions been happy to go just for apps and drinks. The wings are phenomenal and I would eat them every day if i could. Once in a while they get a little weird about the bar area being reserved but for the most part I have never gone wrong with any of their signature drinks or dishes. Unlike Bantam, which i feel like their menu changes constantly, this menu has been the same for a while; possibly due for some changes but that would be like saying the 1927 Yankees needed to switch things up. As close at the best ‘big city’ type dining for at least a 40 minute drive in any direction.

I feel like this place had peaked. The menu has not really changed in years. The food was not as good as the first owner the last time we ate there. Our dish was out of balance by shredded carrot to everything else ratio. I think it was the crazy chicken.
The oysters are always fresh and no where is in town can they be had. The drinks are yummy. For the price I would rather go to a vietnamese restaurant and eat the real deal, for half the cost, or maybe a quarter. Lucky I live in Albuquerque where Vietnamese and Thai restaurant are prolific and awesome. I do not think I will eat oysters or lobster there though. You can easily drop 50 $ a head here. Another thing that I don’t like is how packed in you are. It gets loud and stuffed to the brim. I am not saying the food is not good. The menu just has not really changed and the fine eye on detail has wandered. For the price tag I would like a little more intimacy and elbow room.

Your senses are engaged from the moment you enter The Pearl. You are welcomed by the tantalizing aromas being created with «a Southeast Asian flair» by the open kitchen & your brain says «mmmm!» as you are seated. The presentation of the food is a work of art & is outdone by the flavors & quality of the meal. We all agreed that this dinner was quite possibly the best meal we have ever eaten! My taste buds did a happy dance! Oh, and the wait staff is attentive & makes you feel as if they’re happy to serve you. I highly recommend this dining experience!!!

A great place to eat at the end of a strip mall.
Gluten free menu is on their website! Good amount of gluten free options and the staff and chef made sure everything would be okay for me.
A more crowded and louder atmosphere compared to Waterhouse. The oysters were great and the waitress was knowledgeable.

Made the trek through the dark, twisting, pothole-​littered back roads of the Merrimack Valley from Goffstown to Petersborough to visit Pearl. It was worth the drive. If you’re just driving through the area, don’t blink, you might miss it. It’s at the far end of a small strip mall just off the intersection of 101 and 202. You wouldn’t think much from the outside, but once you go in, you’ll be inside a very chill asian fusion bistro that certainly exceeds expectations based on the surrounding area.
Pearl has a decent drink list to start you off. I’m told the mojitos are tremendous if you get the right bartendress. They also made my wife, who wasn’t drinking, a non-​alcoholic version which was great (you know, for not having rum in it). Very good beer selection as well, mainly bottles. They only had 4 drafts, but thankfully a little more imaginative than Bud, Bud Light, Sam and Coors Light. They weren’t screwing around, putting forth: Smuttynose Robust Porter, Rouge Dead Guy, Dogfish 60, and Henniker Whipple Wheat. Bravo! Small restaurant owners take note — you’re only going to have a few taps, make em count! And at only $ 5 for a large draft — just outstanding!
We sampled 4 varieties of oysters. All were very good. They provide you some nice accompaniments with them including a tangy vinaigrette. The potstickers were also prepared very well and tasty. For dinner I had the crazy chicken. Wow — this has some flavor, but the chili-​lime sauce is very hot (and I like it spicy) so look out. Everyone was very pleased with the food selections.
It’s not perfect. It’s really tight inside, and if you’re enjoying a night out where you’re looking to grab a drink with friends before dinner, go someplace else first. There’s no room in Pearl unless you have a reservation. Strangely, they even reserve the seats at the bar, so while we were eating dinner, you have a bunch of empty bar seats while people are waiting at the door. Let the people sit down and grab a drink while they wait! It’s a win-​win.
That aside, I was a big fan of Pearl and would definitely go back. From where I’m at, the drive is a little prohibitive, but would make it occasionally for the unique flavors.

When I went on vacation to NH my mission was to consume a vast amount of seafood. I identified The Pearl as a place I would like to eat at during my time in the Peterborough area. My wife and I went there on Tuesday, 13 August. We started with two of each type of raw oyster they offered. They all tasted fresh and delicious! I’m not sure which ones we liked best as we raved about all of them separately. My wife had the panko crusted haddock and I had the seared ahi tuna for our main course. My tuna was fresh, cooked to perfection, and just lightly flavored so I could really taste the tuna. I sampled my wife’s haddock and it was outstanding. Service was great and friendly, we really enjoyed our dining experience at Pearl!!!

My uncle and aunt brought me here before a play on my birthday, and man was I impressed! You walk in and think you’ll be crowded, but it’s actually pretty comfy! Love the décor and while it gets busy, it’s never too noisy where you can’t hear yourself speak. That’s a plus.
I ordered the swordfish special that came with veggies and a side of basmati rice and a sauce I can’t remember but i think was a mint, along with the spice that tastes like black licorice. Now, I hate black licorice. Hate it. Loved this. What? Yeah. Loved it so shutup and get off my back! Are you carrying my school books? No? Then get off my back! This was incredible! The swordfish was cooked perfectly and the blackened seasoning meshed so well with he licorice taste that neither overpowered the other and complimented each other. My uncle got the same dish and we both had a glass of Pinot noir that added that much more to an already incredible meal. My aunt and mom got the curry tofu and veggie plate, which wasn’t salty or too curried and was yummmmy!
Apps were the fall off the bone ribs, and those actually fell off the bone and melted in my mouth. Literally dissolved and left only orgasmic traces it had been there. We also go the chicken dumplings and those were as good as any I’ve had at the most upscale Asian restaurants.
We finished with sorbets, of which they had numerous choices! I got blueberry pomegranate, blackberry lemonade and peach. I poured a shot of well vodka over each after I tasted them (little Russian trick. Try it!) and they were even better. So good. Loved everything about this place except one thing: I had water from the AC pipes above me dripping onto the table and occasionally hitting me in the head. Without that this place gets 5 stars.

I’ve been to this restaurant a good number of times over the years, and while the food is generally in the «good» category, I’m hard pressed to see anything about any of the different dishes I’ve had that would lead me to «gush» about them the way that some folks here do.
Case in point: had the haddock dinner there yesterday, and while it was both fresh and well-​prepared, the portion size was decidedly on the small size. And, while it (aided to some extent by the sauce that accompanied it) was very tasty, the white rice that came with the entre was too dry, served at a temperature that was not really hot enough, and really needed something to add a bit of taste (if not zest) to it. Just about the same thing could be said about the asparagus that came as the second side: very «blah» when it came to taste. Don’t get me wrong, now, it’s not that I want things «swimming in butter,» but bit of butter– or some other element that would have helped to bring out the flavor of the asparagus would have helped greatly.
Then, of course – as many others have noted– there’s the «noise level» and the really, really poor lighting. Just too dark.
There’s a considerable room for improvement here.

A great fun time! Trendy and upscale without any of the snobby pretense. Oh, and mighty tasty too!
First off, if you luck out and have Matt as your waiter/​server, you won’t be disappointed. He’s knowledgeable, smart, witty and down to business! He helped us on our first visit find our way around the menu with lots of helpful hints.
This place is one of the cheapest gourmet restaurants you can find considering they have a CIA trained chef, an excellent bartender and dedicated and smart staff. It blew our mind that they have Dogfish Head on tap and actually serve a beer under $ 4 (bud) a pint at an upscale and trendy joint! The priciest cocktails run up to $ 9 and they make quite a few luscious varieties. The bartender seems to be a big gin fan and even though I HATE gin the Johnny’s Martini my companion ordered was very delicious.
We started off with the summer rolls and duck lettuce wraps — YUM! The summer rolls were the last of the season and Matt quickly snagged the last order for us! The duck lettuce wraps were crispy duck with fresh crisp lettuce and a really tasty dip.
Now the reason I give four stars and not five is all due to the entrée my companion ordered. He ordered the crazy noodles, which he has typically liked at other restaurants, but this version was VERY heavy on the rice wine vinegar. The flavor was almost good but it was difficult to muscle past more than three forkfuls, because the vinegar was a bit too over powering and soured the stomach and he was understandably quite disappointed.
I ordered the lemongrass chicken on the waiter’s suggestion when he mentioned that it was also the restaurant’s signature dish. I am not a big fan of lemongrass, but who can turn down the signature dish especially when so many other reviewers raved about it. It was seriously the best chicken dish I have ever had in my life! The chicken breast is carved off the bone but with the skin still on and a small wing bone left in. The chicken is marinated in the most savory/​sweetish marinade with the faintest of lemongrass (you have to really try to pick it out) and then cooked until the skin is super crispy but the meat is super tender, juicy and not dry at all. This was served over some wilted greens on jasmine rice. Wow, was it amazingly delicious! I cannot recommend this dish more emphatically!
On the whole the waiter and service we experienced, the quality and tastiness of the drinks and most of the food won over the not-​so-​good entrée. We will definitely try it again. We had a great time and did end up speaking with the diners next to us. A really fun place to go with a group or as a couple. If you live in southern NH you have to give this place a try!

Holy cow what a find!!! I got here early tonight and so I sat outside waiting for them to open. Once I walked it I was greeted with a quaint little restaurant that is taken up mostly by a bar/​kitchen. I sat down at a table and decided to go with appetizers for dinner. I wish I was in town longer cause I wanted to try nearly everything on the menu.
I had a selection of oysters and a tuna sashimi appetizer. Everything was unbelievably fresh and amazing. I loved every bite.
The service was a little bit slow once the place filled up, but I didn’t mind too much. The woman sitting next to me was a regular and had nothing but raves to share about the food and the service there.
This is a must if you’re in the area!!!