“Eat what you know,” compels modern culinary wisdom—or rather, know what you eat. In that spirit comes Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar, newly opened in downtown Baton Rouge by Dana Brown, Derek Fitch, Scott Emonet, Rick Volland, Trent Wilson, and Eric Carnegie.
Jolie Pearl sits, sandwiched by Subway and Roly Poly, on a row of frequent lunch destinations for area office workers. Step through either set of beckoning double doors and you’re immediately hit with science, done up in vibrant style.
When I first walked into the restaurant, I had eaten my fair share of oysters during my twenty-five years. But still I only knew these two things without a doubt: a) the world is my oyster b) Louis goes for “oysters” while Ella goes for “ersters.” Beyond that, I was more or less a rube.
Thank goodness for the gorgeously designed diagrams that make up Jolie Pearl’s décor, dreamed up by Kelli Binnings of KB Digital Imaging & Design and drawn freehand by artist Heather Chauvin. Take the large outline of the United States spanning the chalkboard wall of the entryway, sectioning the country into oyster-oriented regions. You’ve got your West Coast, your East Coast, and—ah, yes—the Gulf Coast, each with the specific size, variety, and flavor characteristics of each region reflected for diners’ information.
The back wall is emblazoned with a chalk rendering of an oyster, around which bivalve terminology proliferates in a swirl of fonts: Naked Cowboy – named after Manhattan’s infamous naked cowboy. Abductor muscle. PLUMP. SWEET.
And in the center of the restaurant, oysters—actual, shuckable, edible oysters—await in ice-filled trays.
“We understand what people think when they think of oysters,” said co-owner Derek Fitch. “Our intention was to say ‘There’s a whole different market out there with how oysters can be done and what can be done with them.’ Now we’re bringing folks through to get a taste.”
The chalked-up walls provided context and character to the waiting spread; and, with my mind sharpened and appetite more-than-sufficiently whetted, it was time to tuck in.
The restaurant doesn’t have much on the menu besides oysters (the “Lagniappe” section offers muffalettas and chilled shrimp), but that’s no complaint. Chargrilled or baked, raw or soused with a blanketing sauce—Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar takes its titular ingredient and lets it lead the way.
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When I placed my order, by then armed with a chilly draught beer, I sought to sample most everything the menu had to offer, but oyster enthusiasts tend to have a hard preference. So Jolie Pearl has options.
Raw, for the purists: The coast-to-coast selection gets its day here. When opting for raw, a diner must anticipate an oyster at its essence, accessories minimal (a lemon drizzle, a swipe of cocktail sauce). West Coasters are small and sweet, their fluted shells molded by the cold Pacific waters. Their East Coast kin boast firmer flesh with a salty finish.
As for the Gulf Coast oysters—you’ve surely seen them. Bobbing in gumbos. Tumbling out of poboys. Gleaming up from the half-shell. Our homegrown varietal is known for its size and its abundance, but the past decade hasn’t been hospitable to Gulf denizens.
Prices are up for the precious Gulf commodity, leaving some suppliers to cut corners, whether through premature harvesting or sneakily importing from other regions while still touting the “Gulf” brand.
The transparency of Jolie Pearl has no time for such shenanigans, and the partners collective sixty to seventy years of restaurant experience puts them in touch with reliable vendors. “We’ve got relationships that go far back,” said Fitch. The restaurant’s local provider cooperates with a national network to maintain Jolie Pearl’s coast-to-coast-to-coast oyster supply.
When the server set my half-dozen on the table (crafted out of shellacked boatwood, another creative touch), she identified each by name and waters of origin. West Coast, I’d remind myself, piloting a shell toward my mouth. Then I’d line up another. And another.
Toppings for your order are optional but subtle enough to attract most diners; the selection includes rum mango salsa, cucumber mignonette, and grapefruit lemon granita.
Baked or chargrilled: No worries, Jolie Pearl will pop your oysters into the oven or line them up on the grill without any elitist uproar. With the baked options, the restaurant situates itself firmly in south Louisiana, serving up oysters Rockefeller and Bienville or accompanied by muffaletta and corn maque choux toppings. The toppings alone thrilled me, as buttery, breadcrumbed things do when you save your diet for another day; but the most successful forkfuls wedded oyster and sauce and left me toasting the happy couple.
Flame-licked and smoky, the chargrilled oysters come in four styles: classic chargrilled, BBQ NOLA, brie & bacon, and bleu cheese. Flavors known and loved separately, but never brighter, never more admirable, than when boosting the humble oyster to glory.
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I left Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar plenty full, a great deal wiser, and sufficiently impressed by the zealous, memorable interior. Next time, I’ll try the cocktails, I vowed. Next time, I’ll bring a Gulf oyster devotee. Next time … well, isn’t that the happy solution to endless options?
Details. Details. Details.
315 North Boulevard Baton Rouge, La. (225) 615-7172 • jolieoysterbar.com
