Red Pearl Kitchen Restaurant Review
440 J. St. (Fourth St.) 
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San Diego, CA 92101
619-231-1100 | Make Restaurant Reservations | Menu
Cuisine
Open
Dinner nightlyFeatures
- Heart-healthy dishes
- Romantic setting
- Full bar
- Reservations suggested
- Casual dressy
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 From the street, you step down into the deep red, modern luxury of the Red Pearl Kitchen. The atmosphere is sultry, all deep jewel tones and shiny black. The Asian-inspired menu traverses the East, combining dim sum, skewers, hot pots, noodles and rice dishes. Get started with the healthy, bold wok-roasted edamame coated with garlic, sesame and orange zest. Other appetizers on our must-try list include the rich, mole-esque five-spice chicken wings, the crispy wontons filled with tender braised beef and the signature dish of spicy tuna stacked on tempura eggplant. We like the contrast of silky avocados and crunchy hearts of palm; this salad is dressed with an intense vinaigrette featuring notes of mint, lime, cayenne and fish sauce. We aren’t crazy about the overly mild shrimp-corn massaman curry, but shrimp lovers shouldn’t despair because the black pepper-caramel shrimp with gingered Chinese long beans is first-rate. Our favorite entrée is the black bean mussels and Manila clams; this dish has a complex broth that makes us yearn for the cold weather months. Desserts, never a focal point in the Asian culinary tradition, are creative but not entirely successful; we applaud the coconut fried banana but care not for its five-spice ginger snap parfait partner.
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