{ restaurant spotlight }
Thorny Oyster: Elegance and Authenticity BY JULIAN BRUNT
T
he Pearl Hotel in Bay St. Louis is known for its elegant aesthetics and charm, with lovely rooms and suites looking out on the quaint city and its bay. But what people are really talking about is its restaurant, Thorny Oyster. It’s not a combination you will find in many small Southern towns: a truly classy restaurant in a grand hotel, very European, and I must tell you upfront, Thorny Oyster is one of the best restaurants I have visited in a very long time. It is beautifully appointed, with blond wooden floors, customdesigned green wallpaper, high ceilings with white glob ceiling lights that look like clusters of grapes. The bar is topped in white marble with black chairs, very classy, but the feature I like the most is the open kitchen, where you can sit at the bar and watch your meal being made. What is even more impressive is that the restaurant was designed by Executive Chef Jeffrey Hansell. He started his culinary career as a dishwasher, then moved to a po’boy shop, not exactly an exalted start, but if you can make it 36 • February/March 2022
