Ocean Pearl Restaurant

You can find us right at Navabharath Circle in the Kodialbail area of Mangalore. Being on the circle means we see every car and bus that goes through this part of town. It’s a busy spot, and the restaurant is usually humming with the sound of people talking over their meals. We have a lot of locals who come in every week, so we’ve gotten to know their names and what they usually like to eat. The floor is made of old tile that we scrub down every night after we close up. The kitchen is tucked away in the back, and you can usually smell whatever is cooking as soon as you walk in the door. We don't have any fancy decorations on the walls, just some simple lights and enough tables to fit as many people as we can. It gets quite hot in the afternoons, so we keep the fans going at full speed. Our staff is mostly people from the neighborhood who have been working in food for a long time. We don't have a big philosophy or a mission statement. We just cook the food, put it on the table, and clean up afterwards. Sometimes we have a bit of a wait for a table on Sunday afternoons, but people don't seem to mind standing outside for a bit. It’s a straightforward kind of place for a meal. The delivery guys are always running in and out with crates of soda and vegetables.