Ocean Pearl Chinese Restaurant is the newest restaurant in Cortez to help fill hungry bellies.
The restaurant opened April 8 at 300 E. Main St., formerly the 7-Eleven convenience store. Owners Jimmy Dang and wife Lily Wu, along with son Qi Lin Wu, are newcomers to Cortez, yet they are experienced in the restaurant business. Ocean Pearl is the second restaurant by the same name. Dang and Wu opened the first Ocean Pearl nine years ago in Craig, Colo.
The couple originate from south China and have lived in the United States for 30 years. They made the move to Cortez about six months ago to begin remodeling the old convenience store.
We moved here because we like the Four Corners, Wu said. We live here now, but are running both restaurants and go back to Craig sometimes to check on the menu.
The restaurant in Cortez has a contemporary look with Chinese writing on the fabric of the chairs and an ultra modern bar with deep red fabric covered bar stools. Obligatory bamboo plants are used as part of the restaurant decor.
More importantly, what about the food? The offerings are traditional Chinese foods and the menu is vast. Ocean Pearl offers 14 appetizers from wontons to fried chicken wings. There are eight varieties of soups, including seafood bean curd and chicken sizzling rice. A la carte entrees can be shared family style by those at the table, and staff can help decide the proper amounts for your party. The spicy Kung Pao Deluxe is one selection to choose from with a combination of shrimp, beef and chicken sauteed with hot pepper and peanuts in a fiery sauce. For milder tastes try the Shanghai Combo Seafood with scallops, crab meat and shrimp sauteed with broccoli, cabbage mushrooms and carrots in Dang and Wus special sauce. Ravenous appetites can also choose from moo shu, egg fu young, chop suey, chow mein, lo mein, and pan fried or rice noodles.
Ocean Pearl offers lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and prices start at $6.50 and go up to $7.50. There are also dinner specials that include soup or salad and an appetizer.
Customers can choose dine-in or take out. Party trays are available, and the restaurant can be rented out for banquets.
Dang said he thinks having a positive relationship with customers is key. In Craig, Dang made many friends out of restaurant patrons, and he said he hopes to continue the tradition in Cortez.
I have a lot of customers who are friends (in Craig), he said. I come here so I try to make friends with my customers.
Hes trying to say that he will be nice to all customers and treat them like family, Wu chimed in.
We try to take care of them good, you know, Dang said.
Ocean Pearl is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, call 565-3888.
Reach Paula Bostrom at paulab@cortezjournal.com.