The Cultured Pearl
Natural pearls grow in the wild and are rare, with most today considered antique. Cultured pearls, which comprise most of the market, are grown in farms, and are the direct result of strategic planning, the same form of intervention that led the Cultured Pearl owners in 2007 to employ a construction management background to build a unique space above a hardware store to serve sushi helmed by the same husband-and-wife owner team. The owners, using their business but not culinary degrees, created one of Rehoboth Beach’s best sushi restaurants, taking a risk that a second-floor space in a fickle foot traffic location would attract diners. And draw it does, as reservations can be difficult during the summer season, especially because Cultured Pearl takes you on a unique and pleasant South Pacific tour of culinary staples, offering various teriyaki dishes, curry chicken and shrimp, bibimbap and other Korean specialties, and even some land-lover and coastal seafood options to satisfy your entire party – after all, this is Delmarva. Sushi, however, is the star, and the menu is expansive, encompassing standard and special rolls, sashimi, and even numerous kids’ options, as Cultured Pearl also is a family affair, especially if you can get a table on the popular roof deck. Curious but tasty drinks and beverages blend into the fu-sui of the restaurant, helping transport diners to their table through a Japanese water garden, at least the Western version. Cultured pearls today are produced in both saltwater and freshwater mollusks, reducing their cost, but no such option exists at Cultured Pearl, where saltwater delicacies may approach the cost of buying a string of discounted cultured pearls, so bring your appetite and wallet, because the cultural journey is worth the visit.
