There’s a new fine dining restaurant in town, and it also happens to be an old favorite. The Pearl, an “upscale yet casual” Mediterranean restaurant, is now open at 5802 28th Avenue South in Gulfport.

The Pearl has long been a staple of Treasure Island, where Chef Karim gained a devoted following for his seafood-forward dishes, but it was announced earlier this summer that the restaurant would have to move from its original location by the beach. Now, the old favorite is back, open at its new digs in Gulfport.

In a perfect match, the Gulfport vibe is an excellent fit for The Pearl, as it is a restaurant that takes its food very seriously, but still creates a comfortable and casual atmosphere for guests. In addition to excellent food, The Pearl also specializes in unique wines and craft cocktails.

As for the menu itself, the dinner-only restaurant showcases a wide variety of starters, steaks, seafood dishes, pastas and much more. A house favorite is the Lamb Tagine, a Moroccan specialty of slow braised lamb cooked in Moroccan spices and fresh herbs, served with couscous.

Expect great service and superb dishes at The Pearl

To get the meal started, guests can expect a long list of choices, including mussels, scallops, pate, stuffed dates, escargot, lobster bites and more. The Tuna Martini is perhaps the most popular option, fresh Ahi tuna marinated in Pearl Vodka and spicy hot sauce, served over seaweed-topped Wasabi and Tobiko caviar.

Pasta and seafood dishes fill out the hefty list of entrees, including a variety of catch-of-the-day preparations, smoked salmon pasta, and the divine Seafood Crepe – large shrimp, sea scallops, crabmeat and fresh fish laced in a lobster Champagne sauce. Land options range from filets and strips, to racks of lamb, half ducks, veal Florentine and much more.

The Pearl is open Tuesday-Saturday beginning at 4 pm, and reservations are highly recommended. More information and the full menu can be found at thepearlfinedining.com. The Pearl officially opened up in its new location on October 14.

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