Portuguese restaurant replaces Pub 76

TAUNTON – There’s a new Portuguese eatery in town.

Except for a short-lived take-out venture eight years ago on the same street called Portuguese Fire Pit, it’s been 15 years since a Portuguese restaurant has done business within close proximity of Taunton Green.

The now-defunct O Nosso restaurant from 1992 to 2003 was located at 57 Taunton Green on the ground floor of Cohannet Block, a building that a year later was destroyed by an arson fire.

The husband-and-wife team who now own and operate The Pearl at 76 Weir St. just over a week ago held an invitation-only, Friday night grand opening that drew a crowd of about 400 — including elected officials, members of the local business community and city workers.

The Pearl joins the ranks of the Taunton Eagles social club and restaurant on Oak Street, Royal Restaurant & Pub on Broadway and Taunton Sports Restaurant on Baker Road West as places where Silver City diners can order authentic Portuguese cuisine.

The Pearl, however, is somewhat more upscale in terms of menu selection and decor.

“It’s another great addition to downtown. It’s a first-class operation,” said Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr., one of the invitees.

The building at 76 Weir St. has a storied past.

Starting out in the 1930s as an Oldsmobile dealership, it later became a custom-auto parts store and then a Department of Motor Vehicles office.

In 2000, Arthur “Butch” Wilbur — who at various times owned and operated a Weir Street bar called Artie’s and the former Washington Street Pub — opened Pub 76.

Pub 76, which became known as a popular watering hole for lawyers, off-duty cops and city workers, had a kitchen known for its pizza and fish and chips and a hallway running past the bar that led to a private-function room in the back.

There also was a small Christmas tree that stood year-round in a corner of the front dining room.

Wilbur initially retired from the bar trade in 2014 when he leased the building to two women who ran a Dominican-style restaurant called Mama King.

When Mama King closed after a short run, Wilbur reopened Pub 76 in 2016 but didn’t have much luck. Up until last Friday night the place had been closed for at least eight months.

The new owners are general contractor Nemesio Costa and his wife, Odete.

Nemesio, who says he’s owned and operated Taunton-based S&E Construction for 24 years, said he struck a purchase agreement with Wilbur in May.

Costa paid $310,000 for the property and said he’s invested another $400,000 for renovations and repairs, especially plumbing work.

Costa, 52, said he pitched the idea of opening a Portuguese-style restaurant in the city back in November 2017 to an old friend and talented chef named Luis Alves.

Alves says he and Costa have known each other since the age of 12, when they lived in the same town on the Azorean island of São Miguel.

Alves, 52, says he’s worked as a professional chef for 33 years, most recently at an Acushnet restaurant called Captain’s Place.

He said he also cooked for 12 years at the Taunton Eagles restaurant and at one time worked at Sabatino’s Italian Kitchen in Boston.

“I’ll try the best I can for this place,” said Alves, who says he now supervises a kitchen staff of five.

Costa said Odete, who for the time being is acting as manager, is largely responsible for The Pearl’s interior design: “She designed everything,” he said.

But he says he came up with the idea to install celestial-like ceiling lights above the bar and was inspired by a piano bar he and his wife visited in Jamaica.

In addition to the front dining room, which can seat more than 60, the Costas have renovated the 99-seat capacity function room so that it can also be used as a separate and more intimate dining room.

Costa says he has hired seven bartenders. The bar, he said, offers a variety of Portuguese wines and spirits, as well as an array of domestic beers on tap and in bottle.

Back when Pub 76 was in its prime it featured music nights with either a DJ or karaoke.

Costa says he’ll probably try booking musical duos or trios that could include traditional Portuguese music.

He said it was his idea to call the restaurant The Pearl. The Portuguese archipelago of Madeira, where his wife was born, is often called The Pearl of the Atlantic.

The Pearl opens for lunch daily at 11 a.m.

Alves said the menu is predominantly but not exclusively Portuguese.

Appetizers start at $8.95 and include shrimp Mozambique, Portuguese and American-style clams casino and nachos.

Lunch wraps start at $7.95 and include a Portuguese-style wrap with linguiça, peppers, onions and cheese.

There’s also a $10 grilled black Angus Pearl Burger and a $6 marinated pork bifana sandwich.

Seafood entrees range from Portuguese-style cod fish and scrod to scallops casserole and octopus, the latter of which is available only on Friday and Saturday.

Meat dishes include the traditional steak Mozambique with shrimp, rice, fried egg and rice and marinated pork alentejana.

Chicken entrees are priced from $11 to $14 and include chicken Mozambique, Divan and Madeira style.

Those attending Friday’s grand opening seemed to like what they saw and tasted.

“It’s been many years since we’ve had a Portuguese restaurant downtown, and I’d like to thank them for taking a chance. And I’m sure Taunton as a community will respond,” said state Sen. Marc Pacheco.

Police Chief Edward Walsh concurred.

“There’s been a need for a nice Portuguese restaurant,” Walsh said. “It’s a good addition, and it’s always a good thing when you’re able to bring people downtown.”

“The food is delicious, and the renovations are amazing. And they’re just super people,” said City Councilor Jeanne Quinn.

Louie Loura, Pacheco’s district director, said the crowd that had gathered was an illustration of “cultural diversity.”

“It’s a melting pot, said Loura, 67, who says he remembers coming into the same building when he was 17 to get his driver’s license.

City Councilor John McCaul said he was impressed with the ambience of the surroundings and quality of food, and police officer David DeOliveira said the place “looks great.”

As for former owner Wilbur, he said he was glad to see the place bustling the way it once did years ago when Pub 76 was in its heyday.

“I hope it’s successful,” Wilbur said. “It’s good to see it packed again.”