Three years after the first opening, closing and reopening in Lower East Side sprawling market line food and beverage store, Essex Pearl will relaunch the service once again after a refresh that began last December.
Tonight, Wednesday April 13, the seafood spot is swimming again. Its appearance is unchanged, anchoring a large space with a wrap-around counter on the underground level of the food hall, but its chef and menu are all new.
Chief Daniel Le, formerly of Hanoi House and best restaurant 2020 The Tyger, now runs the kitchen. The new menu “celebrates the culinary heritage of Southeast Asia – from the colorful beach towns of Indonesia, the bold flavor of Thailand, the seductive Vietnam, to the modern melting pot of Singapore, all wrapped in a contemporary New York setting,” a press release read.
The new menu includes raw preparations such as shrimp ceviche, steak tartare and a variety of oysters, skewers of grilled shrimp or lamb with cumin, Indonesian fried chicken and large plates such as crispy whole fish, surf and turf and live lobster and Dungeness crab for the little ones. Possible DIY lift to your dinner. House cocktails, beer and wine are also available.
Essex Pearl is located on the lower level of Essex Market at 88 Essex Street. It is open Wednesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.