Tonight, after attending an Open House at Fry Fine Art Gallery (check out a previous post under "lifestyle"), we went to a quick dinner at Pearl Oyster Bar and Restaurant in Peterborough, NH. Because the Red Sox start at 10:00pm and we need to get home for it. We have a reservation for 7:30 at the chef's table, which is basically bar seats in front of the kitchen where Nick Duval, the head chef, and his team work hard in front of their screechingly hot sauté pans. It's like ballet, almost, to see them work amongst and around each other without someone getting a third degree burn. Never gets old.

The menu is Asian fusion, featuring dishes from all over the Pac Rim. It changes seasonally, but the standards stay on the menu, and we have our favorites. First of all, the oyster selection ALWAYS offers five different kinds, but I am a Wellfleet oyster girl without fail. Mabye a Blue Point here and there. No oysters tonight, though. Salads change with the season, always fresh and locally sourced. For soups, there is normally a Tom Yum, a miso, and a chicken dumpling - all great! We LOVE LOVE LOVE the ahi tuna appetizer, the chicken dumplings, crab cakes, ribs, nems (crispy small Thai egg-rolls), Asian wings that kick ass, crispy fried oysters with a mild wasabi dressing, and my fave (which I often order as a main dish), duck confit lettuce wraps with a slaw and hot/sweet chili sauce. You could order off the appetizer menu and leave happy.

Main dishes also change with the season, but the constants include Lemongrass Chicken with white rice and wilted greens (sweet and delicious), Grilled NY Strip with a mirin glaze, frites and arugala salad (delicious), Panko Haddock (delicious), Panko chicken with ginger noodles (delicious), Crazy Chicken, which I make at home at least once a month (spicy and delicious)... sensing a trend yet? It is all delicious. There are rice bowls, ramen, and "Roll Your Owns" - your choice of ground chicken or tofu with a variety of accoutrements which you eat in moo shu wraps and peanut sauce. Don't make me say delicious again. But they are. All of them.

Tonight we are looking to get in and out relatively quickly (Red Sox) so I order a grilled salmon atop an amazingly fresh salad of raw asparagus, snap peas, cucumber, basil, strawberries and pickled radish. To the side are dabs of strawberry honey sauce and thick soy sauce. It is perfect. Bob gets the chili and sumac crusted ahi tuna with sautéed asparagus snd snap peas, jasmine rice, thick soy, miso-dijon and sriracha sauces. It, too is perfect. Russell is behind the bar and he will set you up in a major way with any cocktail, beer or wine you desire.

We order dessert to go - Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce, Fresh Blackberries and Whipped Cream. Because, Red Sox. It is enjoyed about the third inning and then Mitch Moreland hits a grand slam around the 7th for the win. Perfect night. Time for bed. Go to the Pearl Restaurant and Oyster Bar. Soon. We are regulars with good reason. Well prepared, tasty and clean food. http://www.pearl-peterborough.com.