Pearl Restaurant & Lounge Offers Modern American Cuisine

What do you get when you take a dentist and an attorney and have them live next to each other?

A restaurant, naturally.

In August, Michael DiBari and Philip Roux, who are neighbors in north Wilton, opened up Pearl Restaurant & Lounge at 7 Main St. in Georgetown. DiBari, a former dentist, is the restaurant's executive chef, while Roux, an attorney, is the proprietor.

"I love to cook, so much so that I started my own catering company in 2007," DiBari said. "Phil and I always talked about doing something together, a second career sort of thing. We talked to our wives, and the four of us got together and opened a restaurant."

Their wives, Andrea and Maureen, serve as hostesses.

Pearl offers what DiBari calls a "modern American cuisine." DiBari said the menu is fluid in the sense that when specials are offered on the weekends and they become popular, they become part of the menu. The menu also changes with the seasons, he said. An example? Roasted pumpkin ravioli.

On the dinner menu there's first course offerings ranging from a smoked duck and baked goat cheese salad to wild mushroom risotto cakes to fireburst shrimp, which range in price from $8 to $12. Main course dishes range in price from $18 to $27, and include grilled Atlantic salmon, a rack of New Zealand lamb and a grilled New York strip steak, among other things.

There's also a bar menu, ranging in price from $9 to $15. Some of the bar items include chicken wings, crab cakes and pulled pork quesadillas.

Roux said Pearl's bar scene is "more or less quiet," but is hopeful it will pick up once more people find out they're there.

"We have a happy hour from 4:30 to 7," Roux said. "We do have a couple of routine groups that come in."

The restaurant offers a revolving door of American and imported bottled beers, as well as wines and liquors, Roux said.

Roux said he hopes to start a "mature" singles' night on Thursdays.

"I do think it's needed," he said. "A lot of people are divorced. A lot of people are here taking care of their parents. Other people moved here for their kids and the school systems and need some place to meet, aggregate and socialize."

DiBari said the current construction on Main Street — the addition of sidewalks — was troublesome for business. But because of responses they've received from comment cards which they give to each patron, he remains optimistic things will pick up.

"The feedback we've gotten so far has been overwhelmingly positive. We've had just as many favorable comments on food, atmosphere, service, ambiance," he said. "We feel like there's big potential here. The positive feedback is what keeps us going."

DiBari said he's wanted to open a restaurant for quite some time.

"This is my passion, ever since I fell in love with cooking 25 years ago," he said. "I always had a dream to open a restaurant. And Phil's a perfect host. He greets guests personally and sees to their accommodations. It's a good marriage, if you will."

Pearl, which employs 11 people, seeks to develop a community with local businesses, DiBari said.

"We use bread and bakery rolls from Michelina's bakery in Wilton. Our ice cream is from Scoops, also in Wilton."

The restaurant is open for dinner (4:30 to close), from Wednesday through Sunday. The restaurant closes at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 11 p.m. on Saturday and 9 p.m. on Sunday. It's also open for brunch on Sunday, from 11:30 to 3 p.m.

Pearl is available for private parties everyday except Monday, DiBari said. They also sell gift certificates.

Information: 203.544.1206, 203.544.1207 (fax) and pearlrestaurantct@gmail.com.