Pearl's

178 N. 8th St., Brooklyn, NY (Williamsburg)

6/22/18

Bake and Shark (Fried shark with tamarind, chadon beni & garlic sauce, pickled slaw and mango chutney)

Sides: Calypso Guac & Chips (Caribbean style guacamole with vegetable chips), Sweet Plantain (Tamarind chili sauce), Cassava fries, Macaroni Pie

4.0/5 For the third sandwich of summer, the office tried the traditional Trinidadian sandwich, the Bake & Shark. Recommended by the expert himself, Saliym pointed me in the direction of Pearl's, "an authentic Caribbean restaurant in the heart of Williamsburg." He also gave me the pro tip of asking for all the sauces on the side, which definitely helped the sandwiches travel incredibly well. Overall, the sandwich was met with positive appraisal; the mixture of different sauces paired with the slaw and mango chutney were delicious and the bake received glowing reviews. Less enthusiasm was shown towards the fried shark, which stirred controversy even before the tasting. Some were intrigued by the novelty of this ingredient, while others were disappointed with the quality of this seafood. Concern over the animal cruelty issue however, was mitigated by a quick phone call over to the restaurant, who assured that the type of shark they use is not an endangered species. A few gems from the judging include:

"I'm from New Orleans so I've had great seafood. The guac makes it better." (Shannon, 2018)

"Fish sandwiches aren't a fav, but for a fish sandwich it was hella good." (Marlowe, 2018)

"You can't eat it while walking." (Pavel, 2018) - I guess this is now a part of our criteria??

In conclusion, this has been the best sandwich of the summer thus far, but we're definitely excited for more. Some side notes: if anyone is thinking of going to Pearl's but doesn't want to eat shark, they have plenty of other fillings for their bake sandwiches (the Bake and Channa being a great option). And if you do go back to Pearl's, you must try all the sides and definitely check out their patio during happy hour!