Dukes of Pearl

Childhood friends prepare for one of 2008's biggest openings.

by A.D. Amorosi

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Published: Jan 15, 2008

Jessica Kourkounis BOYS' CLUB: The Pearl team (from left) - David Stein, sons Sean and Scott Stein and longtime associate Brett Perloff. (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

There seem to be two cardinal sins when it comes to opening restaurants and bars. First, promoters should never own a space. They take the crème off the top and never worry about the bottom line. Second, never operate a space with friends or family. It's tricky enough to enter into business with close relations — but even trickier when you've got picky guests to worry about.

But David, Scott and Sean Stein — a father-and-sons team — sure loused up my second notion five years ago when they introduced Red Sky (224 Market St.) in Old City. Moreover, they did it successfully — and without killing each other. But after hearing that lawyer/promoter Brett Perloff, who's worked with 32°, Cuba Libre and Shampoo, would join the Steins in purchasing the old Little Pete's at 19th and Chestnut to open the two-floor, 8,000-square-foot "forward-thinking pan-Asian" Pearl, it all seemed very Paul Thomas Anderson. You know. There Will Be Blood.

Add that Perloff, 31, has been a Stein family friend since the age of 8 and was a minor partner in Red Sky, all while running promotions for other clubs, and I sensed disaster. But Scott laughs at the mention of going against the grain. When the clan opened Red Sky, they did it together. Not as sons following their father, but as equals. "Fail together, succeed together," says Scott, also 31. "[And] Brett's family, too."

Those two have always had little businesses together, like the car washing/detailing deal they ran as teenagers at the Green Valley Country Club. "I don't know who negotiated it, but they trusted us with their Ferraris," Scott recalls.

And there's no trepidation about the Steins owning Pearl, which is expected to open in early February, as a four-way-split with Perloff. Scott admits it's a huge step for all of them — but for Perloff, especially. "I give Brett a lot of credit," says Stein. "Brett gave up his law practice to do Pearl."

Perloff first broke into the industry in 1999 when he hooked up with Justin Fine and Mike Steinberg of Premiere Sports and Entertainment while studying law at Temple. "Those guys were old friends when I came to them, bored with studying, wanting to help with their parties," says Perloff. He stayed with Premiere until 2005, when he kick-started his eponymous promo agency.

But Perloff still became a lawyer. He was good at it, too. But. "When I was an attorney, I realized I wasn't passionate about it," says Perloff, who resigned from the firm Kaufman, Coren & Ress in June 2006 to concentrate on the new venture. "I came to the realization I had to be passionate about what I did. That's not easy, because I always thought of myself as a businessman. But I'm passionate about nightlife promotion — and I was always passionate about owning my own restaurant."

Going back to the age-old idea that promoters shouldn't sign deeds, Perloff understood the pitfalls. But rather than dwelling on them, he used them as motivation to move forward with Pearl — making his promoter chops synergistic with those of an owner.

"I learned to have a good male-to-female ratio," he says. "Eighty percent guys and 20 percent girls isn't great unless you're a woman. [I also learned] that the venues have to know what they're getting themselves into at every turn. That you have to have enough bartenders. That there's a certain dimness to keep any room. That there's a specific height to keep the tables between a lounge and a restaurant. Nobody likes to eat at hybrid bottle service tables and cushiony chairs."

Designed by Center City's DAS Architects, Pearl's first-floor dining area is shaded in light neutrals and contrasting textures. There's ribbed cream-colored vinyl wallpaper that's gorgeous. The second floor goes a bit darker, with tones of onyx and purple.

Head chef and Gladwyne native Ari Weiswasser, former chef at Striped Bass, will offer dishes like broiled two-pound lobster with a ginger butter-crusted tail, fricassee of claws, eggplant, tomato and bok choy; and roasted Peking duck breast with black bean glaze, barbecue pork fried rice and Chinese cabbage.

Perloff and the Steins spent $2 million to make Pearl shine. Little touches of pearl-colored essence are present, from the glass tiles to the furnishings. And you can count on those dining room tables being just the right height. That's what a promoter does — he knows what his crowd wants, and he gives it to them.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)

Pearl, 1904 Chestnut St., pearlphilly.com.

 

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