Pearl Restaurant

Fine Chinese Cuisine Meets Visionary Ambience

It is often said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For New York-based designer Tony Chi, this is not so much a cliché as it is a practiced philosophy. Case in point: the stunning, modern marvel that is the Pearl Chinese restaurant inside Las Vegas’ MGM Grand resort. And if beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder, this uber-trendy, lavishly-appointed eatery pulsating with an almost sensual and seductive vibe is a sight – and taste – to behold.

It’s no secret that in a sweeping trend Las Vegas has gone from a bargain basement buffet destination to an enthralling celebrity chef-inspired luxury dining Mecca. Take a stroll through the “Studio Walk” section of the MGM Grand resort and the stunning array of fine dining choices becomes more than apparent, ultimately explaining why Vegas has garnered its reputation for boasting some of the world’s most enthralling restaurants. Situated at the heart of this cornucopia of eateries is Pearl, a uniquely enticing Cantonese/Shanghai restaurant where Executive Chef Kai-Wa Yau prepares flavorful, artistically-infused renditions of traditional Chinese fare.  Pearl opened just after the events of September 11, 2001, and has subsequently won AAA’s 4 Diamond Award six years in a row, in addition to the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 2008. The restaurant also prides itself on serving Cantonese/Shanghai cuisine that is MSG-free and exudes an intensely fresh, clean flavor.

Pearl lets its customers know they’re in for something special before even setting foot inside the modern, luxuriously adorned space. Running the length of the side of the restaurant is part of a private room, the likes of which will impress the most pampered of restaurant enthusiasts. The restaurant itself boasts two private dining areas in addition to its main room; but the feature attraction here is the private area that houses a massive, rotating round table that seats 16 and has at its center a turning service tray for dishes. In this sweeping room’s lounge extension, which continues the rich wood and burgundy theme from the main dining area, private parties can stretch out on modern, low-back, leather-lined couches and gather amidst a warm living room-like atmosphere. Pearl’s other private room to the very back of the restaurant, with its high ceilings and movable walls, could easily accommodate a wedding party, rehearsal dinner, business-oriented get-together, or any number of celebratory or professional demands.

In the main dining area, patrons are treated to lavish design elements running the gamut from the ultra-modern mirrored ceiling light fixtures; the rich, warm wood trim on chairs and open booths; and the inviting central floral arrangements to the awe-inspiring “opium couch” seating on the restaurant’s back wall. These low-back booth-couches afford the patrons sitting in them a full view of Pearl, and got their nickname from typical seating areas of ancient Oriental opium dens. Upon entering the enchanting Pearl and after being greeted by a most professional and openly hospitable staff, my wife and I were escorted to one of the restaurant’s open-sided “booths” running along the left side of the room. While difficult to describe the physical makeup of these seats, they are back-to-back semi-private couches that face each other and are open on either side. They make for one of Pearl’s more intimate seating choices and specifically give this Cantonese/Shanghai cuisine eatery a posh, personable radiance. Further, the couch-like seats themselves in these booths are made even more comfortable by way of unique bolstering cushions that suggest the comforts of home rather than a visit to a restaurant.

Lining one side of these booths are rows of large, almost lifelike standing lamps with oversized burgundy colored shades – a color that continues throughout Pearl’s entire interior design.  In the center of the room are traditional round tables complemented by cream colored chairs and dark wood trim, bringing together the entire visual theme. We noticed that some tables in Pearl are adorned with traditionally Chinese “lazy Susan” rotating tops, and according to manager Steve Wong, these are in place to provide a family-style dining experience for the large number of patrons that enjoy sharing Chinese cuisine this way. But this is not your average Chinese restaurant in the traditional sense – the atmosphere lies in the slightly upscale region, even if the dress code mandates “business casual.” Complementing this top-shelf feel are rather heavy, leather-bound book-like menus that are a refreshing change from the barrage of restaurants that have resorted to plastic double-sided variants.

A cold and extremely fresh appetizer that tasted like an Asian twist on chicken salad was specially prepared for us by Executive Chef Kai-Wa Yau, and thus our deluge into sampling the best of what Pearl had to offer had begun. Small bowls of finely-shredded chicken encapsulated the essence of this appetizer.

Next, another appetizer of crisp-fried Spider Prawn Dumplings arrived, specially paired for us with Fried King Crab Legs over seasoned asparagus spears and a side of sweet and sour sauce. To begin with, these items were very fresh, with no sense of filler ingredients that I could detect, and absolutely succulent – the spider prawns, covered in their fried batter, were finely chopped yet meaty enough to warrant cutting into them with a knife. The crab legs were covered in a light, sumptuous batter that made for a delicious partner for the spider prawn dumplings. Inside, the crab leg was so fresh it was necessary to physically pull out the strings of meat with a fork.

Speaking of forks, you won’t find any chopsticks on the tables at Pearl – the provided silverware was uniquely designed with a slightly swirly pattern on the holding stem. The traditionally Western trio of forks, knives, and spoons were as much an attraction at this charming gourmet Chinese restaurant as the decor was – ditto for the steaming hot hand towels that arrived tableside between each course served.

Following the dumpling and crab legs appetizer, we were treated to a special coconut soup – served in an actual coconut shell – brimming with scallops, mussels, shrimp, and crab. The tender seafood pieces were made even more flavorful by way of the light, clean broth that filled the coconut bowl and the actual soft coconut meat that lined the inside walls of the bowl.

Our first main course consisted of the Wok-Charred Mongolian Beef served atop a round nest of crispy noodles. The medallions of tender and slightly crispy beef were glazed with a traditional Mongolian sauce that fused just the right degree of sweet and spice. A Chinese vegetable garnish was also served as the side accompaniment for the Mongolian beef.

Next, we sampled the signature Black Pepper Tenderloin of Beef that was a true highlight of Pearl’s meat offerings by Chef Kai-Wa Yau; it is a dish that, according to staff, is a favorite amongst patrons. Delicious, fork-tender medallions of filet mignon are prepared in a black peppercorn sauce and brought to a slightly crisp texture that, upon biting into, melts in the mouth from a buttery softness.

Finally, we came to chef Yau’s treasured seafood creations, of which he prides himself and his culinary expertise. For our palate sampling, a giant three-to-four-pound Maine Lobster arrived to the widened eyes of me and my better half as we took in the visual presentation of this creative preparation. With the lobster’s top part of its body standing straight up in the center of the plate, there were generous shelled pieces of lobster adorning the surrounding remaining area of the dish, covered in a delicious, zesty and spicy demi-glace. Coupled with this rich sauce, the lobster meat was absolutely succulent. On the side, we were served a crab fried rice prepared yolk-free, making for an extremely fresh, clean taste, and an order of stir-fried green beans in a spicy “XO” sauce…in a word: delightful.

By the time we arrived at the Pearl’s dessert offerings, we were thoroughly satisfied. To conclude our wonderful evening, we were served a Chocolate Banana Bar, which was complemented by a small scoop of salted caramel ice cream sitting atop a tiny mountain of crispy chocolate crumbs. Presented on a beautiful china plate garnished with gold trim “flakes,” the bar was a chocolate mousse layer atop a banana cookie-type underlay, covered in a fine sheet of dark chocolate and finished with thin dried banana chips. The unique salty-sweet fusion of the salted caramel ice cream made for a delightful accompaniment to the mousse bar, as did the selection of gourmet teas that arrived and were brewed tableside. The Tea Cart, as it is known, is another of Pearl’s draws, and offers eight different varieties of the hot beverage.

With its modern, almost sensual atmospheric allure, fully stocked wine cellar (including bottle selections topping out at $12,000), impeccable attention to detail and service, and exquisite Cantonese/Shanghai cuisine offerings from Executive Chef Kai-Wa Yau, Pearl has truly redefined the contemporary Chinese dining experience in Las Vegas.

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