FOOD & DRINK
refined seasonal cuisine
THE PEARL EATERY Words by Ada Madigan Photos: Cheryl Perry Photography
T ucked along Highway Six, halfway between North Rustico and Cavendish, you’ll find The Pearl Eatery, an inviting cedar-shingled cottage teeming with charm and refined seasonal cuisine. Here, at the dinner-only restaurant, winding-down comes easy, and guests are encouraged to get comfortable and linger. As you enter, you’ll notice a silhouette of Prince Edward Island displayed on the wall. Dotted along its surface are forty pins, each marking one of the local suppliers the restaurant calls upon for their ingredients. Their inspired and seasonal dishes make use of the island’s finest bounty sourced from east to west. Marked are the locations of farms, fishers, cheese-artisans, winemakers, honey-producers, and foragers who contribute to The Pearl Eatery’s fare. The sign also serves as an accolade of sorts—listing each contributor whose hard work populates their farm-to-table menu focused on
making each summer crop taste at its peak.
Tanyia Kingyens, who along with her husband Rod owns the North Rustico restaurant, says letting the ingredients speak for themselves is their main culinary motivation. It’s more than just star-dishes, but also star-ingredients that share center stage. “We already have the most beautiful ingredients available to us, we don’t have to turn them into something they’re not. We simply have to prepare them beautifully and let them do the talking,” says Kingyens. “Islanders love island food, and visitors come for island food. We don’t bring anything into our kitchen if it’s not from here.” The Pearl Eatery’s methodology can be summed up as a joyful collaboration. “I really love having a cohesive team because we all contribute to the guest experience,” explains the owner. This concept of joyful collaboration extends beyond the restaurant’s
“We already have the most beautiful ingredients available to us, we don’t have to turn them into something they’re not. We simply have to prepare them beautifully and let them do the talking.”
▲ Rod and Tanyia Kingyens
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www.pei-living.ca SUMMER 2018
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