I love a good story. I especially love a good entrepreneurial story.
Walking down rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, it is all too easy to pass over Le Pearl, a cozy new restaurant only a hop away from venerable hotspots Astier and Jeanne A. For several months, I walked past the diminutive restaurant under renovations before its launch, wondering if it would have more staying power than its previous tenants. For as long as I can remember, 46 rue JP Timbaud was an African restaurant with curtains covering most of its windows making it very difficult to see whether there were actually any diners inside. I never saw anyone coming or going and was waiting for it to become one of those dubious pizza-kebab fusions that are all over the city. Instead, I watched it become something much more intriguing.
Just over a month ago, Le Pearl opened their doors. An impromptu local dinner with Mr. Cheeseland and a friend one evening made for the perfect opportunity to try it out. I was the first to arrive out of my party and the first to arrive in the restaurant. At 8pm, it was still empty. I hesitantly opened the door and was greeted…
