Pearl East: 5 stars

1191 Northern Blvd. (Community Dr.)
Manhasset, NY 11030
Phone:516-365-9898
Fax: 516-365-8813

By Angela

Looking for an elegant place to dine, want to impress your boss or your date, Pearl East is the place of choice. It is located on a hill, on the busy strip of Northern Blvd, not too far from Macy���s. From a distance it is nothing special. In fact, if you did not know any better, you would never see this place and if you did, you would never think to eat here. It is very non-descript. But, as I say, that is from a distance. But, when when you reach the doors you immediately realize what a colossal mistake you have made. The classy but understated elegance is obvious. You have just entered a world of beauty, ambiance, grace and fine dining.

The restaurant is beautiful. It is a serene setting of glass and marble. The wall lamps are frosted glass filled with ginko leaves,. There is a huge mosaic column in the center of the warmly inviting back room, along with gold-leafed mirrors, strikingly, patterned walls and a display of Asian kimonos, urns, gongs, statutes and other artifacts. The food is a blend of Cantonese and Japanese cuisine. The tuxedoed waiters provide efficient yet helpful service in this luxurious setting and the tables are comfortable and adequately spaced The wine list ,while not extensive, is filled with delicious cocktails. The lychee martini was incredible.

While the menu was quite impressive, so were the specials. Our appetizers included the special dim sum sampler for two and the dragon and phoenix soup. The soup was served in a beautiful gold and glass double bowl. It was delicious; filled with lobster, beef, egg and asparagus tips. The sampler was also beautiful to behold. It consisted of two lobster dumplings, two chicken dumplings, two vegetable dumplings and two crab dumplings. Not only were they delicious - filled with meat and no filler and wrapped in pastry that was light but not sticky, they were eye catching - presented in the shape of swans, rabbits, goldfish and a purse.

Although the restaurant is known for its Chinese food, the Japanese offerings were also worthy of acclaim. We tried the angry lobster roll, the green lobster roll, the crazy roll and some eel sushi. We should have known our palates would dance for joy. The rolls were innovative but delectable and the eel was so fresh, it had to be from the premium part of the fish (if there is such a spot).

For our main course, we shared the house noodles and the tamarind glazed crispy beef with sesame. In the past, I have had the barbecue shrimp and the fried rice with chicken, raisins, pineapple and cashew nuts. The house noodles were good but the tamarind beef was delicious. The dish was not too spicy and the special sauce did not overpower the meat. The beef was crispy and without a trace of fat. The barbecue shrimp was served with a melange of vegetables and a light soy-based sauce that subtly enhances the flavor of the shrimp. The fried rice was surprisingly good. The cashews did not detract from the other ingredients as I expected. Almost everything I have tried at Pearl East, I have enjoyed.

To top it off, the manager, Joanne, is a gracious hostess, as is the owner, Kathy. They were both polite, helpful, and knowledgeable. To summarize, in case you missed it, the presentation of food was visually stunning, the food fabulous, the cocktail unexpectedly yummy and the ambiance classy, but still warm and inviting. Whatever the occasion, you will not be sorry. To put it in their own words, "Pearl East is a gem not too far east."

Things you should know if you are interested in checking out this spot:
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Sunday -Thursday they are open from noon until 10pm., Friday and Saturday from noon until 11 p.m.
After six p.m. reservations are a necessity
They have a take out menu and delivery for weekday dinner only