Catfish Atchafalaya

The Pearl makes welcome improvements to dining experience

318 Forum’s always-hungry reporter often has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.

I believe in second chances.

Not in all cases. But in some cases.

I say this because almost a year ago (October 2024), I had lunch at The Pearl Shreveport (6871 Fern Avenue). The restaurant, which opened in 2023, initially served only midday meals once a week. My visit was very disappointing. Lately, however, The Pearl has been promoting its lunch service, which is now available Monday through Friday. So, on a recent Thursday, I gave the eatery a second chance and invited a friend to join me.

We arrived just before 1 p.m. and were immediately greeted by Jeff, who escorted us to a table in one of the restaurant’s dining rooms. Jeff would also be our server. Let me say this right now:

Jeff was fantastic. He was personable (but not overbearing), polite and very attentive. Several times, Jeff refilled our water glasses before they got below halffull. In short, he provided us with excellent service.

Speaking of glasses, my friend noticed that these weren’t “plain” glasses. They had a unique design, which, along with soothing music and impressive artwork (several pieces were for sale), added to what felt like an upscale experience. I will say one thing did not look upscale: the chairs at our table. On each one, their dark finish had come off in places, a sign of the wear and tear they have received.

There were only a couple of other tables that were occupied, including a group of six people who left just after we were seated. Even though it was a little late in the lunch hour, I got nervous when a restaurant didn’t have a decent lunch crowd. However, Jeff said that the previous day, almost every table was full.

Fried Shrimp Plate

Peach Cobbler

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

When I had lunch at The Pearl last year, a lunch menu wasn’t offered. However, this time, in an example that the restaurant has become serious about lunch, my friend and I were given a lunch menu. And it didn’t have just four or five items. There were a variety of eight oysters on the half-shell, four appetizers, three salads, three soups, six lunch plates, five sandwiches, three po-boys, and a cheeseburger. I would say that’s getting serious about lunch.

My friend and I had to be somewhere in a little over an hour, so we didn’t let much time pass before ordering. Instead of an appetizer, we decided to share a cup of chicken and sausage gumbo (the menu said $6, but we were only charged $3 for a “Lunch Add-On”). Like a good server, Jeff promised he would bring out the gumbo before our meal, and he did. The gumbo was piping hot and filled to the brim with chicken and sausage. The rice was a bit clumpy (as it was last year), but the generous portion of chicken and sausage alleviated any feeling of disappointment. The gumbo, which came with two pieces of round toast, was even a little spicy, and that was before I added a few drops of Tabasco sauce.

It wasn’t long after that that we were served our entrees. I went with the Catfish Atchafalaya ($16), which was described as fried catfish topped with étouffée on Gouda grits. I received not one, but two sizeable pieces of fish, placed atop a bed of grits. Like our gumbo, the fish was hot, although the grits were only lukewarm. The étouffée on top of the fish had a “tomato” taste. I wasn’t a big fan of the étouffée, but that had nothing to do with the restaurant. I like tomatoes in most cases, but not in this case.

My friend ordered the Fried Shrimp Plate ($16), along with a Diet Coke with lemon ($2.99). The menu’s description was cut and dried, stating that the shrimp would be served with fries, coleslaw and hush puppies. Indeed, it was. The presentation was outstanding, so much so that when I saw my friend’s food, I said, “I wish I had ordered that!” You know how sometimes you’re meal is served on a plate so big that it looks like you weren’t given much food? This plate was the perfect size. Six fairly large shrimp, a few fries, two hushpuppies, a generous serving of slaw and containers of cocktail and remoulade sauce filled the plate.

My friend raved about how everything tasted and was kind enough to let me sample it. The shrimp were hot and perfectly battered. I prefer my slaw not to be too creamy, and this was the perfect slaw. The remoulade made for a tasty dipping sauce for everything.

After eating, we were full, and with it being the middle of the day, we didn’t plan on ordering dessert. That was, until Jeff said all The Pearl’s desserts were made in-house and that morning. That’s a hard proposition to pass up. We were offered several choices, but decided to try the peach cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream ($12).

Like with the shrimp plate, the size of the bowl was a perfect fit for the amount of cobbler and ice cream served. Both were very good. The cobbler was unlike any I had had before. The “crust,” if you will, was separate from the peaches. So, we scooped a portion of crust, then a portion of cobbler, then a portion of ice cream. It was a unique and enjoyable way to enjoy cobbler.

In reviewing our receipt, I noticed that the price charged for the fried shrimp plate was a dollar more than what was on the menu. I pointed that out to Jeff, and while he didn’t offer an explanation or say it was a mistake, he — without question — said he would take care of that.

Jeff soon brought a new receipt, which reflected “$1 off.”

The cost of our lunch before tax and tip was $49.99. I thought that was a fair price for the quality and quantity of food, and the level of service we received — all in a pleasant atmosphere.

This time, The Pearl Shreveport earned a solid Three Forks. I say “earned” because the restaurant has come a long way from my last lunch visit. The folks there have put in the effort, and it showed. In 2024, I felt The Pearl was much more suited for dinner than lunch. I can’t say that this time. I would not hesitate to return — and would even look forward to doing so.

The Pearl made the most of its second chance.