Seafood Gumbo at Pearlz Oyster Bar
153 East Bay St. Downtown.
(843) 577-5755
www.pearlzoysterbar.com
City Paper staffer and New Orleans native Brandin DuBos first alerted us to this rich dish last year. “They’re one of the only places in Charleston who get it right — it’s the best gumbo outside of the 504.” One of many seafood dishes on their extensive menu, Pearlz serves its seafood gumbo in large or small bowls with a healthy dollop of white rice and chopped chives over the top. Unlike the okra-heavy, tomato-based gumbo of the Carolinas, Pearlz makes this rich, caramel-colored stuff from a roux of celery, bell peppers, and onion (the “holy trinity”), with finely-chopped shrimp, big chunks of spicy andouille sausage, and freshly-steamed oysters. The heat is medium and best quenched with a pint of their contact-brewed Nut Brown Ale.
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