The real gem at Pearl East is owner Cathy Huang.  She welcomes each guest with grace and warmth, making you feel at home from the moment you arrive through the elegant marble entryway.  The stunning contemporary dining room includes gold and beige wall coverings, an antique Kimono display and pinpoint lighting illuminating each table.  Chinese screens divide the main area from a dramatic underlit onyx sushi bar where chefs create special rolls with creative combinations.  A dim sum expert crafts dumplings and other dishes fresh on premises.

 
Eleven chefs masterfully prepare elaborate Cantonese, Mandarin, Szechuan and Japanese cuisines brought out by an attentive staff.  Cathy orchestrates the menu and will specially design a meal for you to accommodate your tastes.  Exquisitely carved fruits and vegetables are brilliant works of culinary art.  Signature dishes are their lemon chicken, and famous barbecued jumbo shrimp with scallions and ginger.  The reasonably priced global wine list complements creative martinis and exotic cocktails.  Zagat calls Pearl East, a “bastion of quality”  boasts an “imaginative and fresh” “gourmet” menu with a “gracious owner,” it’s something “really special.” 

Cathy’s father, who was a senator in Taiwan, hosted numerous banquets which influenced Cathy’s love for arranging elaborate parties featuring many courses of the restaurant’s innovative cuisine.  Cathy’s son Eric, a Julliard trained cellist, is also a CIA graduate and a member of the culinary team at the three star Michelin rated restaurant, Eleven Madison Park.  Cathy’s  daughter, Roslyn, is a world renowned concert violinist who performs at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.  Cathy looks forward to Eric working with her in the restaurant soon.