Pearl of the Orient
Van Aken Center,20121 Van Aken Blvd, Shaker Heights, OH, 44122
Pearl of the Orient Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Shaker Heights for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Shaker Heights for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
Van Aken Center,20121 Van Aken Blvd
Shaker Heights, OH, 44122 - Phone (216) 751-8181
- Website https://www.pearl-east.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 3:00pm
- Mon : 11:30 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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Gary H.
My experience is that this is the perfect place to have a delicious, relaxed meal. My date and I were seated immediately in a mostly empty restaurant, drinks and appetizers came at a leisurely pace that was perfect for a chatty date. The scallion pancakes and egg rolls were certainly worth the trip. My main course was Mu Shu Pork- prepared the traditional way with wood ear and daylily! This is a rarity, as most American-Chinese places substitute these hard-to-find ingredients, and thus I was seriously won over when I saw this dish hit the table. The food itself was a little bland at first, which a waiter at a nearby table remarked was down to American customers who frequently complain about spicy food. However, the table was also provided with plenty of soy sauce and chili oil and if I remember correctly even sesame oil- sesame oil is always used in cooking, so I'm guessing the cooks were doing their best to get flavor our to people who wanted it. Halfway through our meal a nice old gentleman waiter passed by our table as I was digging into a Mu Shu pancake and said, "I see you're eating with your hands. We've got something for that." I was bewildered for a second, and then he tossed down a couple packets of moist towelettes. I think that's exactly how to explain the service here- in my experience it's now slow, it's just the sort of relaxed family-style atmosphere where they don't have someone standing like a hawk to sprint over and fill every water glass the moment it drops below the rim. Take your time, enjoy the company you're with, and you might make this a regular place.
(5)John H.
Ghastly faux-Chinese food. There is nothing authentic about this mess of cuisine. The two dishes we ordered (via takeout) were sodden, dull and flavorless. Inexcusable, especially when one was supposed to be Szechuan. I love Chinese food, but Cleveland is a wasteland of worthy Chinese restaurants.
(1)Tiffany M.
This restaurant used to be a great place to grab some reasonably priced Chinese takeout on the way home. Well, no more. Over the past few times that we've eaten there the quality of the food has gone down in a major way. For the past three times that we ordered take out, our order included fried rice. All three times the rice was scorched, so much so that it left a bitter taste in your mouth. The first time, we were willing to let it slide. The second time it happened my husband took it back and complained about it. All that was done was that the hostess at the register stated that she'd let the cooks know. No apolgies were offered for the substandard food, and certainly no refund even though it was inedible.The third time was last night. This is the final straw. Once again, the hostess very nonchalantly stated that she would notify the cooks. We've also ordered Pad Thai with dry, clumpy noodles. They do have some items on their menu that seem to be the same as always, but when a customer brings an issue of quality to a company's attention (on multiple occasions) and that issue isn't addressed, to me it says that the customer's input/opinions do not matter. Therefore, we will not be dining at Pearl of the Orient again.
(1)Doug H.
Picked up dinner on the way home from work tonight. Overall, it's fine. Not outstanding and not terrible. Just fine. I ordered Scallion Pancakes, Crunchy Beef, Cashew Chicken, Steamed Vegetable Potstickers and brown rice. Except they gave me white rice. The food was warm and the rice issue wasn't significant.
(3)Bev S.
My sister and I got takeout last night. It was our first time trying this place, but I had heard good things. Well... We got two orders of Yuen Baos, two orders of chicken potstickers, an empress chicken entree, and a chicken with broccoli. The Yuen Baos were the highlight of the meal. However, they were extremely tiny. They pretty much tasted like crab rangoon, but were much smaller than I am used to. The chicken with broccoli was just okay, but nothing to rave about. The empress chicken and chicken pot stickers were NOT PALATABLE. The chicken was not seasoned AT ALL in either dish. I love potstickers, so the total lack of flavor was such a disappointment. Also, the empress chicken had a sort of stale, frozen taste. We ended up throwing both these dishes away because they tasted so bad. I wouldn't mind having the Yuen Baos or chicken with broccoli again, but after spending a grand total of $50 for what turned out to be a mostly disappointing meal, I will likely steer clear of this place in the future. Especially after those disappointing potstickers :(
(1)Rachel S.
I've been getting food here since I was a little kid so when I'm able to go back to Pearl and have some of my favorites it's heaven. My absolute favorite are the pork potstickers we always get them braised instead of fried or steamed its the best of both worlds. The chicken potstickers are good too but pork is where it's at!! Also the sauce that comes with the potstickers is awesome its sweet and tangy and goes well on everything. Our other favorite is the Chicken Pad Thai. This dish is really good especially if you order some extra potsticker sauce to drizzle on top. We've gotten this dish with and without shrimp, both are good it just depends on what you're in the mood for.
(4)Debojyoti S.
The atmosphere was really great, the food was not that great and not terrible, just fine and the portions were really big. I ordered pad thai which was very bad in taste. other orders chicken fried rice and cashew chicken was okay.
(2)Shawn Paul G.
If you have a fetish for receiving poor service with FANTASTIC food, then this is your place! We have dined here a few times now, and the story is always the same... We get quickly greeted and seated, which then eludes us to believing that today is the day that we will receive satisfactory service. Excitedly we scour the menu looking for something new to try. We find it, the menu is pretty extensive and there's always a dish that looks appealing. Once our food has been strategically selected, we then look around for our server... and reality sets in. She isn't coming. She doesn't care that I am now drooling over the idea of Empress Chicken and some Vegetable Fried Rice. Anticipation grows with every tummy growl. Then, only 19 minuted later, she returns to take our order! My thoughts then become a bit sassy, and I start saying things aloud to our fellow guests such as "this had better be worth the wait" and "Who do I need to sleep with for a soda refill?". Within a reasonable window of time, our food arrives. Things are starting to really turn around. I attack the piping hot food as if it were my first meal after a colonoscopy fasting. The table is now silent, the hunger pains and snarky comments have ended. We are devouring our dishes and experiencing pure bliss. I am now looking around the table and thinking that I might want to start the usual "share-a-bite" program that is certain to accompany any meal that I am a part of. Every dish, and I mean EVERY dish is better than the last. The Chicken with Asparagus and Shiitake Mushrooms is robust and saucy, the Szechuan Beef is tender and perfectly seasoned. My salivation is stuck on overdrive and my taste buds have exploded from the intense flavors. ... it is now that reality sets in and I know, that my glass is beyond half empty with no likelihood of change in the near future... Why can't I learn beverage moderation? So thirsty from the savory delights. In fairness, the manager will now visit our table and apologize for the service delays, and get us all boxed up. His witty repertoire of well-versed phrases will calm the stirring crowd, and we will all end the experience with a chuckle. For a few moments, we all have forgotten about the poor service, and head out to our cars to call it a night. After a brief food coma we then begin to verbally reflect the night's pros and cons and are left with pretty much the same thoughts on Pearl of the Orient... Such astounding food with a side of sub-par service... Yes, we will inevitably return.
(3)Precious R.
I seriously think this place has the best chinese food in Cleveland. I have yet to have a bad dish here. You get a good portions that are great for sharing so, I think you get your money's worth. I took one star off because some of the employees aren't always friendly.
(4)Ferdinand H.
Just went back here with a good Cantonese friend... and the food was unappealing. While alright... 2.5, it was thoroughly americanized. The owner did mention that, if given notice a day ahead, he could get the materials for more authentic fare. If I ever dare eat here again, I'll call ahead. That said, i've been to a for-chinese private function here before, and it was 3.5 - 4 stars. But that was a special menu.
(2)Sarah R.
My family has been eating from Pearl of the Orient for the past 15 years and I love it-- it's really a taste of my childhood. For people who are fussing about this not being authentic-- just look at the menu and you can see it's Americanized Chinese food, not authentic Chinese. Orange Chicken, egg rolls, beef and broccoli-- these are not the signs of authentic Chinese food. If you wanted authentic, you should have gone somewhere else. I think the interior is warm and inviting, but my family often opts for take out. Some of my favorites are yes, the egg rolls, and the Orange Chicken. I absolutely LOVE their scallion pancakes with this amazing sweet/savory sauce it's paired with. As another reviewer noted, they only serve white meat chicken so their chicken dishes are pretty fantastic. I'm not a huge beef/pork/duck fan in general, and I would recommend you stick with chicken dishes. For non-meater eaters, their mu shu vegetables are amazing and I love their veggie spring rolls. The fried rice is pretty tasty and you can get it prepared in a variety of ways. What is now called the Pearl Platter (it used to be called the Pu-Pu platter... wonder why they changed it?) is a tasty smorgsboard of fried American Chinese delights served with a flaming mini grill, which is a fun eating experience. Overall: tasty food, good service, moderate prices.
(4)Tom S.
No offense intended, but if this was in my hometown of Portland I'd pass it by. Visiting relatives in Cleveland for a week, it was about the best we could do in the neighborhood. Wait staff were courteous, prices reasonable. Parking in the Van Aken Center is abundant!
(3)Kevin M.
Decided to give them a try for dinner tonight. Last had food from there more than 5 years ago and food was marginal then. Called for carry out. Made a simple order of 1 appetizer and 1 dinner entree. Went to pick it up base on time told on phone. When I got there they did not have my food and did not have my order in their computer. Several people recalled my order being made (the restaurant was very empty tonight, that should've been a clue). The manager / owner came out to see what was wrong. He suggested that perhaps another "Kevin" had taken my food which doesn't make sense because there was no other order with the same name left behind. Then he blamed it on the "new girl" while she was standing right there. New order placed and I waited. The older woman (may have also been an owner / mgr) gave me a bag of almond cookies with a $1.75 price tag on it to me for my inconvenience. Finally my food came. I was charged full price. Took it home to eat. Food was just as bad as the last time I was there. Bad food, belittling owner and bad service. Not sure how they have been in business for so long. Never again!
(1)Jenny G.
Eh. I was disappointed, even more insulting - not great food AND it was overpriced. The pork friend rice wasn't bad - it was good. The rest? Super bland, not good at all.
(2)Rose E.
Horrible. Not worth holding on to the leftovers... nor eating the first time. Very disappointed.
(1)Tina J.
Pearl catered a dinner party for my family a few years ago, and they created a wonderful, personalized menu for the event - complete with gluten-free dishes for my allergy. The food was amazing, we got tons of compliments on the food. However, until this past weekend, when I was at home, visiting my parents, I had never actually been into the restaurant to try their regular menu. Everything was to die for. Absolutely delicious. My meal, as well as the meals I sampled off the plates of the 3 other people at my table were absolutely divine. I think Mom's crusted pork was my favorite. (I finished all her leftovers about an hour after we got home - just couldn't get enough!) The prices were a little high for an average weeknight out, but would be absolutely suitable for a nice date or a special occasion outing. The portions were large (as I mentioned, we all took home leftovers), so I would definitely say you get your money's worth. This isn't your average Chinese takeout. Definitely a class above the rest. I would absolutely recommend Pearl of the Orient to anyone in the Greater Cleveland area. Glad I finally got to try it, can't wait to go back.
(5)Prince P.
The food was ok the service was questionable. I guess the waitress assumed we weren't going to tip so she added 18% gratuity to our bill for two people! Second her math was wrong the bill was about $52 she rounded the gratuity up to $10. When we questioned it she said it states on the gift certificate that gratuity is added which was wrong because we read the certificate and she couldn't find it stated anywhere on it. So they made the necessary changes.
(2)Harry A.
Lunch menu has a nice variety. Food was good. Not the best Chinese I've had but still good. Service was really sloooow. 3 stars
(3)Claudine C.
2.5 stars... Really quite average. They don't deliver, and recommended instead that I contact DeliverMeFood.com . I ordered the Triple Delight - $14.95 - billed as a "delicious combination of chicken, beef and sea scallops..." Rice was an extra $.55 for a tiny cup; a bowl of Hot-Sour Soup $2.95. All in all this is not mind-blowing food, but fairly adequate for delivery or takeout on a cold snowy night. With DeliverMeFood's fees and automatic tip, the bill came out to $26.89.
(3)Shayna R.
I would never describe this as authentic, but when I'm in the mood for some slightly greasy and Americanized Chinese take-out, I think Pearl of the Orient is a pretty good choice! It also helps that it's really close to my apartment, and I've always received friendly and quick service.
(3)Tom L.
This is easily one of the top 3 Chinese places in Cleveland. The food is always excellent whether I eat in or take it home. The prices are very reasonable for the high-quality and ample portions you get. The staff is always very nice and the service is quick.
(5)Skye B.
Pearl of the Orient serves up some pretty good Chinese food. I am not going to say there is anything wrong with it, but nothing is completely mind-blowing or something I would crave. For the appitizer I had a tofu soup, which had a very nice broth. Unfortunately the vegetables were bland, and the tofu which should be the star was simply cut into triangles and thrown into the broth. Really they should rename this soup in a way where you would expect the broth to be the main feature, because it is. I was more impressed with my entree, Mu Shu Shrimp. The shrimp was cooked wonderfully and had a good flavor. However the tiger lily, wood ears, and eggs all formed a one-note hash that the shrimp were hidden in. Luckily the hoisin sauce was delicious and upped the level of the dish. Overall it was a nice Chinese dish, at a very low cost. I was very pleased with the exceptional service. Everyone there greated us with a smile, and were quick to get us whatever we asked for. Another very positive part of Pearl of the Orient, is the house sauces. We tried the sweet and sour sauce, which had deeper, more flavorful sauce then the typical sauce served at Chinese restaurants. I don't understand why so many people are attacking Pearl of the Orient, no it is not authentic Chinese food, but they never claimed to be. If you are craving Chinese food, then go to Pearl of the Orient. You won't be blown away, but you will have some pretty good Chinese food.
(3)Ken H.
Overpriced and mediocre at best. We were hesitant to try it a second time after a disappointing first experience but gave it a shot anyway. That will be the last time for sure.
(1)Chris M.
My work took me here for lunch a week after I was hired. I really enjoyed it. Good Chinese food, good portion size. Not authentic or mindblowing, but it was nice and filling. You won't find anything unique here, but you'll still enjoy it. This is a great place for a quick sit-down lunch.
(3)Erin R.
Consistently good food. Very low key atmosphere, which makes you feel comfortable. Service is quick and friendly. Chicken is white meat only, and portions are generous. They also have many vegetarian options - I love their eggplant dishes. They have daily deals as well. A hidden gem of Shaker Heights.
(4)Stephanie S.
Reasonably priced... decent-sized portions... personable owner... Okay, that sums up the good points. The kung pao chicken, described on the menu as "to die for," was a total disappointment. It was not spicy at all whatsoever despite the "hot" designation on the menu. I've never understood why places indicate that a totally bland dish is "hot." People who don't like spicy won't order it, and people who want something spicy will just be annoyed. Plus, my order of kung pao arrived totally lukewarm temperature-wise. When I pointed this out to the waitress, she kindly explained that my food had been sitting out for a while because one of the other dishes took longer. Well obviously, but that reasonable explanation didn't make the food any warmer... So she offered to take it back and microwave it for me. Wow, really?? Clearly I was getting the star treatment. Oh, and my dad's fish came with peas and tiny diced up carrots that I can only assume came from a bag in the freezer. Tres gourmet!!
(3)Skye B.
Pearl of the Orient serves up some pretty good Chinese food. I am not going to say there is anything wrong with it, but nothing is completely mind-blowing or something I would crave. For the appitizer I had a tofu soup, which had a very nice broth. Unfortunately the vegetables were bland, and the tofu which should be the star was simply cut into triangles and thrown into the broth. Really they should rename this soup in a way where you would expect the broth to be the main feature, because it is. I was more impressed with my entree, Mu Shu Shrimp. The shrimp was cooked wonderfully and had a good flavor. However the tiger lily, wood ears, and eggs all formed a one-note hash that the shrimp were hidden in. Luckily the hoisin sauce was delicious and upped the level of the dish. Overall it was a nice Chinese dish, at a very low cost. I was very pleased with the exceptional service. Everyone there greated us with a smile, and were quick to get us whatever we asked for. Another very positive part of Pearl of the Orient, is the house sauces. We tried the sweet and sour sauce, which had deeper, more flavorful sauce then the typical sauce served at Chinese restaurants. I don't understand why so many people are attacking Pearl of the Orient, no it is not authentic Chinese food, but they never claimed to be. If you are craving Chinese food, then go to Pearl of the Orient. You won't be blown away, but you will have some pretty good Chinese food.
(3)Ken H.
Overpriced and mediocre at best. We were hesitant to try it a second time after a disappointing first experience but gave it a shot anyway. That will be the last time for sure.
(1)Chris M.
My work took me here for lunch a week after I was hired. I really enjoyed it. Good Chinese food, good portion size. Not authentic or mindblowing, but it was nice and filling. You won't find anything unique here, but you'll still enjoy it. This is a great place for a quick sit-down lunch.
(3)Erin R.
Consistently good food. Very low key atmosphere, which makes you feel comfortable. Service is quick and friendly. Chicken is white meat only, and portions are generous. They also have many vegetarian options - I love their eggplant dishes. They have daily deals as well. A hidden gem of Shaker Heights.
(4)Stephanie S.
Reasonably priced... decent-sized portions... personable owner... Okay, that sums up the good points. The kung pao chicken, described on the menu as "to die for," was a total disappointment. It was not spicy at all whatsoever despite the "hot" designation on the menu. I've never understood why places indicate that a totally bland dish is "hot." People who don't like spicy won't order it, and people who want something spicy will just be annoyed. Plus, my order of kung pao arrived totally lukewarm temperature-wise. When I pointed this out to the waitress, she kindly explained that my food had been sitting out for a while because one of the other dishes took longer. Well obviously, but that reasonable explanation didn't make the food any warmer... So she offered to take it back and microwave it for me. Wow, really?? Clearly I was getting the star treatment. Oh, and my dad's fish came with peas and tiny diced up carrots that I can only assume came from a bag in the freezer. Tres gourmet!!
(3)Claudine C.
2.5 stars... Really quite average. They don't deliver, and recommended instead that I contact DeliverMeFood.com . I ordered the Triple Delight - $14.95 - billed as a "delicious combination of chicken, beef and sea scallops..." Rice was an extra $.55 for a tiny cup; a bowl of Hot-Sour Soup $2.95. All in all this is not mind-blowing food, but fairly adequate for delivery or takeout on a cold snowy night. With DeliverMeFood's fees and automatic tip, the bill came out to $26.89.
(3)Shayna R.
I would never describe this as authentic, but when I'm in the mood for some slightly greasy and Americanized Chinese take-out, I think Pearl of the Orient is a pretty good choice! It also helps that it's really close to my apartment, and I've always received friendly and quick service.
(3)Precious R.
I seriously think this place has the best chinese food in Cleveland. I have yet to have a bad dish here. You get a good portions that are great for sharing so, I think you get your money's worth. I took one star off because some of the employees aren't always friendly.
(4)Ferdinand H.
Just went back here with a good Cantonese friend... and the food was unappealing. While alright... 2.5, it was thoroughly americanized. The owner did mention that, if given notice a day ahead, he could get the materials for more authentic fare. If I ever dare eat here again, I'll call ahead. That said, i've been to a for-chinese private function here before, and it was 3.5 - 4 stars. But that was a special menu.
(2)Jenny G.
Eh. I was disappointed, even more insulting - not great food AND it was overpriced. The pork friend rice wasn't bad - it was good. The rest? Super bland, not good at all.
(2)Sarah R.
My family has been eating from Pearl of the Orient for the past 15 years and I love it-- it's really a taste of my childhood. For people who are fussing about this not being authentic-- just look at the menu and you can see it's Americanized Chinese food, not authentic Chinese. Orange Chicken, egg rolls, beef and broccoli-- these are not the signs of authentic Chinese food. If you wanted authentic, you should have gone somewhere else. I think the interior is warm and inviting, but my family often opts for take out. Some of my favorites are yes, the egg rolls, and the Orange Chicken. I absolutely LOVE their scallion pancakes with this amazing sweet/savory sauce it's paired with. As another reviewer noted, they only serve white meat chicken so their chicken dishes are pretty fantastic. I'm not a huge beef/pork/duck fan in general, and I would recommend you stick with chicken dishes. For non-meater eaters, their mu shu vegetables are amazing and I love their veggie spring rolls. The fried rice is pretty tasty and you can get it prepared in a variety of ways. What is now called the Pearl Platter (it used to be called the Pu-Pu platter... wonder why they changed it?) is a tasty smorgsboard of fried American Chinese delights served with a flaming mini grill, which is a fun eating experience. Overall: tasty food, good service, moderate prices.
(4)Tom S.
No offense intended, but if this was in my hometown of Portland I'd pass it by. Visiting relatives in Cleveland for a week, it was about the best we could do in the neighborhood. Wait staff were courteous, prices reasonable. Parking in the Van Aken Center is abundant!
(3)Rose E.
Horrible. Not worth holding on to the leftovers... nor eating the first time. Very disappointed.
(1)John H.
Ghastly faux-Chinese food. There is nothing authentic about this mess of cuisine. The two dishes we ordered (via takeout) were sodden, dull and flavorless. Inexcusable, especially when one was supposed to be Szechuan. I love Chinese food, but Cleveland is a wasteland of worthy Chinese restaurants.
(1)Bev S.
My sister and I got takeout last night. It was our first time trying this place, but I had heard good things. Well... We got two orders of Yuen Baos, two orders of chicken potstickers, an empress chicken entree, and a chicken with broccoli. The Yuen Baos were the highlight of the meal. However, they were extremely tiny. They pretty much tasted like crab rangoon, but were much smaller than I am used to. The chicken with broccoli was just okay, but nothing to rave about. The empress chicken and chicken pot stickers were NOT PALATABLE. The chicken was not seasoned AT ALL in either dish. I love potstickers, so the total lack of flavor was such a disappointment. Also, the empress chicken had a sort of stale, frozen taste. We ended up throwing both these dishes away because they tasted so bad. I wouldn't mind having the Yuen Baos or chicken with broccoli again, but after spending a grand total of $50 for what turned out to be a mostly disappointing meal, I will likely steer clear of this place in the future. Especially after those disappointing potstickers :(
(1)Rachel S.
I've been getting food here since I was a little kid so when I'm able to go back to Pearl and have some of my favorites it's heaven. My absolute favorite are the pork potstickers we always get them braised instead of fried or steamed its the best of both worlds. The chicken potstickers are good too but pork is where it's at!! Also the sauce that comes with the potstickers is awesome its sweet and tangy and goes well on everything. Our other favorite is the Chicken Pad Thai. This dish is really good especially if you order some extra potsticker sauce to drizzle on top. We've gotten this dish with and without shrimp, both are good it just depends on what you're in the mood for.
(4)Debojyoti S.
The atmosphere was really great, the food was not that great and not terrible, just fine and the portions were really big. I ordered pad thai which was very bad in taste. other orders chicken fried rice and cashew chicken was okay.
(2)Shawn Paul G.
If you have a fetish for receiving poor service with FANTASTIC food, then this is your place! We have dined here a few times now, and the story is always the same... We get quickly greeted and seated, which then eludes us to believing that today is the day that we will receive satisfactory service. Excitedly we scour the menu looking for something new to try. We find it, the menu is pretty extensive and there's always a dish that looks appealing. Once our food has been strategically selected, we then look around for our server... and reality sets in. She isn't coming. She doesn't care that I am now drooling over the idea of Empress Chicken and some Vegetable Fried Rice. Anticipation grows with every tummy growl. Then, only 19 minuted later, she returns to take our order! My thoughts then become a bit sassy, and I start saying things aloud to our fellow guests such as "this had better be worth the wait" and "Who do I need to sleep with for a soda refill?". Within a reasonable window of time, our food arrives. Things are starting to really turn around. I attack the piping hot food as if it were my first meal after a colonoscopy fasting. The table is now silent, the hunger pains and snarky comments have ended. We are devouring our dishes and experiencing pure bliss. I am now looking around the table and thinking that I might want to start the usual "share-a-bite" program that is certain to accompany any meal that I am a part of. Every dish, and I mean EVERY dish is better than the last. The Chicken with Asparagus and Shiitake Mushrooms is robust and saucy, the Szechuan Beef is tender and perfectly seasoned. My salivation is stuck on overdrive and my taste buds have exploded from the intense flavors. ... it is now that reality sets in and I know, that my glass is beyond half empty with no likelihood of change in the near future... Why can't I learn beverage moderation? So thirsty from the savory delights. In fairness, the manager will now visit our table and apologize for the service delays, and get us all boxed up. His witty repertoire of well-versed phrases will calm the stirring crowd, and we will all end the experience with a chuckle. For a few moments, we all have forgotten about the poor service, and head out to our cars to call it a night. After a brief food coma we then begin to verbally reflect the night's pros and cons and are left with pretty much the same thoughts on Pearl of the Orient... Such astounding food with a side of sub-par service... Yes, we will inevitably return.
(3)Kevin M.
Decided to give them a try for dinner tonight. Last had food from there more than 5 years ago and food was marginal then. Called for carry out. Made a simple order of 1 appetizer and 1 dinner entree. Went to pick it up base on time told on phone. When I got there they did not have my food and did not have my order in their computer. Several people recalled my order being made (the restaurant was very empty tonight, that should've been a clue). The manager / owner came out to see what was wrong. He suggested that perhaps another "Kevin" had taken my food which doesn't make sense because there was no other order with the same name left behind. Then he blamed it on the "new girl" while she was standing right there. New order placed and I waited. The older woman (may have also been an owner / mgr) gave me a bag of almond cookies with a $1.75 price tag on it to me for my inconvenience. Finally my food came. I was charged full price. Took it home to eat. Food was just as bad as the last time I was there. Bad food, belittling owner and bad service. Not sure how they have been in business for so long. Never again!
(1)Doug H.
Picked up dinner on the way home from work tonight. Overall, it's fine. Not outstanding and not terrible. Just fine. I ordered Scallion Pancakes, Crunchy Beef, Cashew Chicken, Steamed Vegetable Potstickers and brown rice. Except they gave me white rice. The food was warm and the rice issue wasn't significant.
(3)Tina J.
Pearl catered a dinner party for my family a few years ago, and they created a wonderful, personalized menu for the event - complete with gluten-free dishes for my allergy. The food was amazing, we got tons of compliments on the food. However, until this past weekend, when I was at home, visiting my parents, I had never actually been into the restaurant to try their regular menu. Everything was to die for. Absolutely delicious. My meal, as well as the meals I sampled off the plates of the 3 other people at my table were absolutely divine. I think Mom's crusted pork was my favorite. (I finished all her leftovers about an hour after we got home - just couldn't get enough!) The prices were a little high for an average weeknight out, but would be absolutely suitable for a nice date or a special occasion outing. The portions were large (as I mentioned, we all took home leftovers), so I would definitely say you get your money's worth. This isn't your average Chinese takeout. Definitely a class above the rest. I would absolutely recommend Pearl of the Orient to anyone in the Greater Cleveland area. Glad I finally got to try it, can't wait to go back.
(5)Prince P.
The food was ok the service was questionable. I guess the waitress assumed we weren't going to tip so she added 18% gratuity to our bill for two people! Second her math was wrong the bill was about $52 she rounded the gratuity up to $10. When we questioned it she said it states on the gift certificate that gratuity is added which was wrong because we read the certificate and she couldn't find it stated anywhere on it. So they made the necessary changes.
(2)Harry A.
Lunch menu has a nice variety. Food was good. Not the best Chinese I've had but still good. Service was really sloooow. 3 stars
(3)Gary H.
My experience is that this is the perfect place to have a delicious, relaxed meal. My date and I were seated immediately in a mostly empty restaurant, drinks and appetizers came at a leisurely pace that was perfect for a chatty date. The scallion pancakes and egg rolls were certainly worth the trip. My main course was Mu Shu Pork- prepared the traditional way with wood ear and daylily! This is a rarity, as most American-Chinese places substitute these hard-to-find ingredients, and thus I was seriously won over when I saw this dish hit the table. The food itself was a little bland at first, which a waiter at a nearby table remarked was down to American customers who frequently complain about spicy food. However, the table was also provided with plenty of soy sauce and chili oil and if I remember correctly even sesame oil- sesame oil is always used in cooking, so I'm guessing the cooks were doing their best to get flavor our to people who wanted it. Halfway through our meal a nice old gentleman waiter passed by our table as I was digging into a Mu Shu pancake and said, "I see you're eating with your hands. We've got something for that." I was bewildered for a second, and then he tossed down a couple packets of moist towelettes. I think that's exactly how to explain the service here- in my experience it's now slow, it's just the sort of relaxed family-style atmosphere where they don't have someone standing like a hawk to sprint over and fill every water glass the moment it drops below the rim. Take your time, enjoy the company you're with, and you might make this a regular place.
(5)Tiffany M.
This restaurant used to be a great place to grab some reasonably priced Chinese takeout on the way home. Well, no more. Over the past few times that we've eaten there the quality of the food has gone down in a major way. For the past three times that we ordered take out, our order included fried rice. All three times the rice was scorched, so much so that it left a bitter taste in your mouth. The first time, we were willing to let it slide. The second time it happened my husband took it back and complained about it. All that was done was that the hostess at the register stated that she'd let the cooks know. No apolgies were offered for the substandard food, and certainly no refund even though it was inedible.The third time was last night. This is the final straw. Once again, the hostess very nonchalantly stated that she would notify the cooks. We've also ordered Pad Thai with dry, clumpy noodles. They do have some items on their menu that seem to be the same as always, but when a customer brings an issue of quality to a company's attention (on multiple occasions) and that issue isn't addressed, to me it says that the customer's input/opinions do not matter. Therefore, we will not be dining at Pearl of the Orient again.
(1)Tom L.
This is easily one of the top 3 Chinese places in Cleveland. The food is always excellent whether I eat in or take it home. The prices are very reasonable for the high-quality and ample portions you get. The staff is always very nice and the service is quick.
(5)