LUNCH: Pearl on the River

Pearl on the River's Web site

Despite the fact that I live around the corner from Pearl On The River, I hadn't been -- until this week. I met an old friend for lunch at Pearl, a cute spot next to Chevy's on Garden Highway. I like the warm, chic environment and was impressed with the menu. I, however, was not impressed with my roasted beet salad -- the beets didn't seem fresh, and were dry. The barely dressed greens weren't much better. I can't believe they charge $9 for that plate. (I should have heeded Lisa's warning and tried something else.) I also sampled the clam chowder that arrived in cute slanted bowls, it was pretty good. The chicken sandwich was delicious, though, and accompanying fries were perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I'd like to go back to Pearl for dinner or for happy hour (didn't get a chance to check out the wine list). But overall, I'll agree with Sandra's opinion -- it's not amazing, but it's a worthy option. I'd choose Pearl over Chevy's or Crawdad's any day.