Pearl in the Grove... Drive North to Go South The Pearl in the Grove Restaurant is in the country - in more ways than one. If you are from the deep south, meaning not Florida” and you are homesick for some good old southern food, the Pearl is a good reminder of what you are missing. In the outskirts of Dade City, the Pearl in the Grove is in a converted house with a “homey,” country feel. The menu changes frequently, specials are on a blackboard, and local farms are used for many ingredients. The menu, while southern, seems predominantly taken from Louisiana cuisine. After a pleasant introduction about the restaurant from the hostess and the complimentary boiled peanuts at the table, we started our meal with a “snack” of very good Geeno Chips which are homemade sweet potato chips covered with melted blue cheese and balsamic vinegar. They were crisp and fried to a pleasant dark brown. The small plates include catfish beignets, red beans and “not rice” (meaning the beans are served over grit cakes), and a veggie plate. We tried the fresh underground salad consisting of fresh greens, goat cheese, and kumquats with a light Vidalia and kumquat dressing which was different and tasty. The onion pie with baked squash was a heavy dish with a dense good tart of caramelized onions on a flaky and cheesy crust. On the side were two delicious wedges of sweet baked acorn squash. Their most popular entrée is an authentic shrimp Creole, just like you will find in Louisiana and just as good. Tender shrimp over rice were bathed in a spicy thick Creole tomato sauce, just as in New Orleans. The shrimp are from Bon Secour, Alabama, an 1800’s French fishing village with a population of less than a thousand, but home to many shrimp boats. PLUSES + + + MINUSES - - - We also tried the southern fried chicken, a whole young poussin, which was breaded and crisp on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. It was served with bitter mustard greens, too bitter for our tastes, and red beans and rice. The Pappardelle Pearl, with homemade pasta, porkbelly, and caramelized onions also sounded good, but was gone for the evening. For dessert, we had a small slice of a rather dry chocolate cake with a smattering of chocolate icing. Next time we would go for the banana bread pudding or homemade pound cake. The Pearl offers a variety of simple inexpensive wines and a good craft beer list. The Pearl in the Grove is a bit of a drive from Tampa, but deep southern food is not plentiful around here, and the Pearl takes this cuisine to heart. So if you’ve been longing for a good taste of the South, make the trip. SUMMARY: cuisine ½ • Southern country food hard to find around Tampa Bay • Quality dishes true to traditional Southern cuisine ambience • Converted country home with quaint decor service • The hostess and chef were friendly and accommodating • Our waiter seemed to want to be elsewhere • “Forgot” our wine • “Forgot” our dessert The Pearl in the Grove, 31936 St. Joe Road, Dade City, Florida 33525 www.pearlinthegrove.com, 352-588-0008 Restaurants are rated from one to five stethoscopes. Restaurant Review Taste Bud HCMA BULLETIN, Vol 58, No. 6 – <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2013</strong> 33
HCMA BENEFIT PROVIDER HCMA BENEFIT PROVIDER Please tell the advertiser you saw it in the HCMA Bulletin! 34 HCMA BULLETIN, Vol 58, No. 6 – <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2013</strong>
Change language