The Early Word on Richard Kuo's Pearl & Ash

A couple of weeks back, Pearl & Ash opened in what was once the home of the Bowery Kitchen. Chef Richard Kuo departs from the style of his Scandi-pop-up sensation Frej with a simple menu of meat, fish, buns and vegetables. Patrick Cappiello rounds out the deal with an expansive 1,000 bottle wine list, and an aperitif-driven cocktail program from Eben Klemm. So far, Pearl & Ash has been attracting a lot of attention from all angles. Here's what the buzz is all about:

The Chang-y News: Nathan L. is relatively pleased with his visit, and had this to say: "Pretty good food for the price point. Pork meatballs are awesome, pork buns are on par with David Chang's restaurant and the music is good. Also try the stirling bridge drink. Pretty tasty." [Yelp]

The Creamy and Delicious News: One particular Yelper has more than a couple of words for Pearl & Ash's menu: "Great ambiance & delicious food! Came here on their second day and it's already bustling with people. There were some pretty creative dishes which were all very well executed. We had the hanger (beef tartare) which was surprisingly creamy and delicious with the cocoa. The octopus was grilled to perfection ... it was crispy on the outside but deliciously chewy once you bit into it, the sunflower seed puree surrounding it also made it extra good. The skate was amazingly tender and melts right in your mouth. Was probably most disappointed by the skirt steak, which was fairly average and not particularly unique or interesting.

Definitely worth coming to check out and eat.... The food is really high quality, though the portions are slightly small... you definitely need at least 3-4 small plates per person to get full. While you're there, take a look at the tiny kitchen! It's amazing what they can make out of there. Finally, I wish they would have desserts that weren't all cold (the only two options were semifreddo cake and an ice cream sandwich)... which isn't great for the winter." [Yelp]

The Sucky News: This anonymous Eater commenter is quite frank in their advice: "This place really sucks. You'll see if you go there." [Eater Comments]

The Fabulous News: Good ol' Wilfrid of At the Sign of the Pink Pig offers an in-depth look, abbreviated here: "This place is going to be a fabulous hit. The food needs a little help to catch up with the glamor." [Pink Pig NYC]

The Professional News: Sommelier Robert Bohr weighs in in the Eater Comments: "I went a few days ago and we had a great time. Food was delicious, wine list very fairly priced and service was professional. I'm not sure what more people are looking for when they dine out but that covers it for me." [Eater Comments]

The Sutton-Approved News: Bloomberg critic Ryan Sutton tweets his early reax: "Early Word: @PearlandAshNYC — can't remember last time such a young spot executed at such a high level. Incredibly delicious." [Twitter]

The Worth It News: From Foursquare: "Go for the half-portions to literally try everything on the menu. Worth the gym trip afterwards, I promise." [Foursquare]
· All Coverage of Pearl & Ash [~ENY~]
?Elizabeth Chadwick