Black Pearl, a Japanese-Italian-inspired restaurant, is planned for Ponte Vedra Beach.
It is expected to open in winter, according to a series of Black Pearl Instagram posts Aug. 6.
It signed a lease through Strategic Sites earlier this year, according to a broker there.
The restaurant will operate in a 4,200-square-foot space at 880 A1A N., No. 18B, in the Ponte Vedra Pointe Shopping Center, between an Enterprise Rent-A-Car and an Old School Barber Shop. Other tenants include Panera Bread, Tire Kingdom, Pet Supermarket and Bronx House Pizza.
Jacksonville-based QL Arch LLC is the architect and designer.
According to Grub Street, New York Magazine’s food and restaurant blog, blending Italian and Japanese is known as Itameshi cuisine. It is a combination of Italian and mesh, which is Japanese slang for “meal.”
The menu is being developed by local restaurateur and part-owner Kelvin Ole, former manager of Sushi Bear at St. Johns Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard. Born in Bali, Indonesia, he relocated to Jacksonville from Los Angeles two years ago.
Ole said Black Pearl’s menu will rotate quarterly and that his focus is to diversify the area’s dining options.
“We really want to change the food scene here, especially Asian food, because everyone is doing the same things, same menu, same concept,” he said. “There is a big opportunity in the Ponte Vedra Beach, Jacksonville Beach, San Marco, and Downtown areas.”
He the restaurant will be “upscale.”
A draft menu shows wagyu carpaccio, truffle crab served over bucatini, miso carbonara, and rigatoni prepared with Japanese vodka and smoked salmon. Ole said the menu is about 85% completed.
Ole said he and his partners selected the Ponte Vedra location six months ago. He said the restaurant is planned to seat 96. A separate lounge for private parties will accommodate 25.
The restaurant will replace Mezcal Cantina Authentic Mexican Grill, which announced its closure in October. Mezcal Cantina relocated and reopened as the ninth Anejo Cocina Mexicana in The Fountains at St. Johns the following month.
St. Johns County issued a permit for Shark Signs of NE FL Inc. to install Black Pearl signage Sept. 13 at a cost of $4,000. The permit does not include a build-out for the space.
In an Instagram post Aug. 6, the restaurant wrote, “In Japan, the term ‘black pearl’ (kuro shinju) can symbolize rarity, beauty, and value. Black pearls are highly prized for their unique color and luster, making them a symbol of elegance and luxury. They also carry cultural significance in Japanese folklore and art, representing something precious and rare. And we are coming to bring black pearl essence with our imagination and creativity to create rare and unique moments for your dining experience!”