Summit Group's new Lee's Summit restaurant brings seafood boils, lobster rolls

Andy Lock and Domhnall Molloy have opened several popular restaurant concepts in Waldo and Lee's Summit, including Summit Grill and Boru Ramen Bar.

But before they were business partners, they had decade-long stints at McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant and they always planned one day to have their own seafood-driven operation.

Late last year, they took over a 6,500-square-foot freestanding building in SummitWoods Crossing, at 1672 N.W. Chipman Road that formerly housed 810 Zone. They teamed up with their executive chef, Po Wang, and started planning the menu.

Now they will open Pearl Tavern in the spot at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

"It's about 75 percent seafood, 25 percent kind of classic American — burgers, salads, sandwiches," Lock said. "But it is seafood-driven — oysters, fresh fish, lots of things that you can't necessarily find in Lee's Summit."

Fresh fish will be flown in several times a week.

During a preopening "Friends & Family" event on Monday, many guests ordered the blue crab dip with crispy naan bread, the chowder fries (with clam chowder and smoked bacon), the lobster rolls and the Tavern Boil (with shrimp, crab legs, Yukon gold potatoes, andouille sausage and fresh corn).

The menu also includes pretzel-crusted trout, hot Peel 'n' Eat shrimp, shrimp po' boys, Parmesan sole, ceviche, gumbo, crab cake sandwiches, jumbo wings, chicken tenders, chicken pasta, cheeseburgers and baked brie.

It also has a fresh oyster bar.

Pearl Tavern will seat about 200 people, including up to 70 people in a private event space.

Jeff O'Brien, the previous general manager at Boru Ramen Bar in Waldo, will be general manager. Kent Long, formerly executive chef at McCormick's, will be executive chef. Nicolette Foster, Summit Group's pastry chef, will have a rotating menu of house-made pies and other desserts.

The full bar will have an extensive craft beer list, more than 20 wines by the glass, "crushes" (vodka drinks made with crushed ice) and more.

Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Happy hour is served daily from 3 to 6 p.m. and includes $1 oysters and $2.50 domestic drafts and bottles.

In 2017, Lock and Molloy were honored as the “Restaurateurs of the Year” by the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association. They own and operate Summit Grill in Lee’s Summit and Waldo, Boru Ramen Bar in Waldo, and Third Street Social, Lakewood Local and Summit Cellar & Spirits in Lee’s Summit.

810 Zone closed in Lee’s Summit in early 2016.

This story was originally published July 9, 2018 at 5:37 PM.