Marianne S.
Yelp
I've recently been super interested in the world of caviar and, accordingly, I did my research on caviar service here in NYC. In the process, I discovered Pearl Street Caviar. From browsing their website and social media, I decided Pearl Street Caviar would be the first place I'd go to try caviar for the first time. I was super excited and very eager to swing by.
So one Saturday in October, my husband and I hopped on our bikes and headed out to Red Hook. It was a gorgeous day and we were up for any adventure, really. But obviously, I insisted we swing by Pearl Street Caviar and my husband lovingly obliged. Beforehand, I checked Pearl Street Caviar's website to make sure we didn't need an appointment. Sure enough, they welcomed walk-ins. So we walked in.
And we walked in to an awful experience. The space looked hardly welcoming. Random merch everywhere. The only employee/SA there sat at a MacBook, typing away as we walked in, too preoccupied to greet us. WE INITIATED THE GREETING. Person was flustered and finally got up to "help" us, except this person was not helpful at all. Kudos, I guess, for being able to answer my question about where they source most of their caviar.
It was awkward, underwhelming, and disappointing. They lost a customer before a customer even tried their product. But here's the thing, when it comes to a product like caviar, there's no room for error. None. Especially not when I'm willing to spend $200+ on this stuff. Caviar is meant to be a decadent treat. Luxurious and special. Pearl Street Caviar was anything but. It's all smoke and mirrors. Their marketing is great but I saw behind the curtain and it wasn't pretty.
As a Brooklyn resident, I was more than willing to avoid the midtown and UES purveyors of caviar to give my home-borough a shot. But doing so turned out to be a disappointing disaster, and I had no choice but to traverse midtown crowds for my first taste of caviar. Kaluga Royal Amber and Sterlet, specifically. With champagne, of course.
